Tetris was one of the first genuine “classics” in the arcade gaming scene. This highly addictive puzzle-based game shot to popularity due to its endearing characteristics. Some gamers viewed it as a highly intense game – one that kept their minds and hands sharp. Others viewed it as a rather more sedate gaming option – a great alternative to the more interactive and visual arcade games of decades past.
Although it’s nearly four decades since the original Tetris came to life on screen, its game dynamics live on in so many guises. With that in mind, let’s take a sneak peek at seven current casual games available to play online that look and feel like the arcade classic Tetris.
Anode
Anode almost looks like the 21st century alternative to Tetris. There are subtle changes to the gameplay in Anode from the original Tetris. Unlike in Tetris, where you need to connect adjacent blocks of the same color before they fall into oblivion, Anode is all about creating “chains” of adjacent blocks of the same color. These chains can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Handy tools like couplers work their magic mid-game to help you build chains using blocks of multiple colors. Developers Kittehface Software superbly reimagined the falling block puzzle genre, so much so that it was released on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, as well as desktop PC.
Starburst & Starburst XXXtreme
It is safe to say that Starburst is one of the most enduring games in the iGaming industry. Developed by Swedish iGaming giants NetEnt, Starburst has been on the radar of visitors to online casinos throughout Europe and North America for over a decade. Its most recent iteration, Starburst XXXtreme, was recently released on 888casino, which was recently listed as one of the best NJ online casino operators by UScasinos, comparing favorably alongside competitors such as Caesars Casino and Golden Nugget Online Casino. The gem-based game has visuals that offer more than a hint of Tetris in a sci-fi sense. Its gameplay is far from elaborate either. In fact, like Tetris, its simplicity is what’s retained its widespread appeal – played by both entry-level and experienced users alike.
Treasure Stack
The similarities between Treasure Stack and Tetris lie in their layout and presentation. However, the former demonstrates rather different gameplay in the main. Instead of moving falling blocks into position, players must control a miniature hero who must attempt to pull, grab, and maneuver blocks into place. It’s essentially Tetris but with the addition of a third-party character into the platform gaming mix. Recently released on the Nintendo Switch, Treasure Stack scores mixed critic reviews on Metacritic.
Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido
What on earth could Tetris and Sushi Striker have in common? Their endearing pick-up-and-play nature. Like Tetris, Sushi Striker also has a continuous gameplay loop, as players attempt to unleash unwitting attacks on their AI-controlled opponents using various sushi dishes. The main campaign alone is said to provide over 15 hours of gaming entertainment. Nintendo Life describes this game as “tantalizingly tasty”, with the ability to control your Sushi Sprites and level them up, equipping them with new super-sushi skills along the way.
Tumblestone
There is no doubt that Tumblestone has carved a niche as one of the most popular puzzle games of its kind in the market. Tetris’ most enduring feature was its focus on single-player gaming and Tumblestone is no different. In fact, Tumblestone offers no less than 350 puzzles to play alone. As you move through the difficulty levels, you’ll experience different “modifiers” to bring new challenges to the blocks. The party mode is also super-fun for gaming competitively against family and friends.
Lumines
Lumines and Tetris both offer fast-paced puzzle block action that you can immerse yourself in for hours on end. Lumines is a block game with a fixed time limit. Players get a set amount of time to rearrange the active blocks to form uniform squares of matching colors. If the pile of blocks touches the bottom of the screen without a solid square of color, the game is “over” in the same way Tetris ends. Lumines Remastered is the most recent release back in 2018, which is available to download on Steam.
