Given the news that EA is killing the official Tetris apps for Android you might have a sudden urge to play Tetris on your phone. Fortunately, the is no shortage of Tetris lookalikes on the Google Play Store, and we've rounded up the best ones.
There are a few reasons why Classic Blocks is my favorite Tetris clone for Android, but it mostly comes down to the simplistic and retro design. This game harkens back to the original Tetris for the GameBoy, and features an endless Classic mode, Time mode which puts three minutes on the clock, and Manual mode that lets you set the drop and attack speed. You're able to customize the position of the on-screen controls remove ads with a one-time in-app purchase. Oh, and it's also got the iconic Tetris music to complete the experience.
This appears to be the new official Tetris app, developed by N3TWORK Inc., and it's a solid version of the iconic game. The touchscreen controls are tight and there's just the classic mode available for play here. You can choose between five funky themes (including an 8-bit inspired throwback theme) but other than that it's surprisingly scant in terms of features and modes. There are also ads, which can be removed with a $5 in-app purchase which is the price you must pay for the "official" app, I guess.
How bold to use the actual Tetris name here. This version offers two modes: Classic and Challenge. Classic mode is just what you'd expect, although I've found that the delay for when your tetromino touches down is a bit too long. You do get the option to strategically hold a piece which is nice. The Challenge mode gives you 60 levels to clear out with as few tetrominoes as possible.
No frills, no ads, just Tetris. That's the best way I can describe Classic Bricks Tetromino Game, which features no menus and just throws you into the game. You only get to see your next piece and there's no settings to change or background music but it does offer the best control scheme. You swipe left or right to move the piece across the screen, tap to rotate, and then swipe down to drop the tetromino into place. A simple take with no distractions.
You can't keep Tetris from the people
I really have to question the EA's decision to pull the official Tetris games from the Play Store. Whether it was a licensing issue or part of some new strategy to relaunch a mobile Tetris game sometime in the future, it just seems like a bad move, especially for those who paid good money for the premium ad-free versions.
No matter the reason, it's good to know that there are still some great apps that let the legacy of Tetris live on in the Play Store. My top recommendation to fill the gap is called Classic Blocks (opens in new tab). It's perhaps the most generic name one could imagine for a game, but it really does the best job of replicating everything that makes Tetris awesome. The other two options we've featured are also good fun to play in their own ways, so you can't go wrong no matter which game you choose to download.
