Tetris has to be the most well known puzzle game in the history of video gaming. The simple gameplay has survived through generations of new consoles and tastes, and the latest addition to the series is now upon us. This WiiWare game boasts more modes than before, with six player online capabilities, Mii functionality and a much cheaper price than the DS version. The question is: does it all work in the same package?

     In this package the usual "marathon" mode is all there, but there are many otehrs worth noting as well. There is one such game where you must send blocks down a track littered with blocks and walls to slow you down and possibly trap you, rotating and moving your piece to reach the finish line. There is one where you are given a silhouette which you must try to fill with tetriminos as accurately as possible to win, a two player mode where you must cordon off as many empty blocks as possible and also a game where you must clear specified lines before the other players. All of these games are playable with or without others, although you may have to go against the CPU if you're alone, which isn't half as much fun.

     As a couple of extras, there is also a beginners mode played on a grid half the size as usual, with smaller blocks than normal as well. For newbies, this is a good way to start playing, although the reduced height of the grid can often still make the game a bit tricky. For players with a balance board, there is also a balance board mode, where you must tilt your body left and right to move blocks, move forwards to do a hard drop (sending the block straight to the floor of the grid) or crouch to rotate a piece.

     As if that's not enough to keep you occupied, there's even an online mode stuffed in there as well, with two to six players going head to head at once, only winning when everyone else has lost. To make this easier for yourself, if you clear more than one line of blocks at once, they'll appear on your opponents screen, raising the rest of their blocks upwards. For people that aren't very good at using this technique, you'll be hard done by at getting a reasonable opponent, but if you're a hardcore Tetris fan, this should be welcomed with wide arms.

     Added to the play are items, which can also be a hindrance in the online game. When they are in play, you must clear the line with the multicoloured block showing, to earn a mystery item. Unleashing it on your opponents could mean that their screen temporarily freezes or fills with steam, and whereas these additions may work well in games such as Mario Kart, they just aren't welcome here.

     For Tetris fans, all the extras in this game will feel as though the magic has just gone. For people who aren't as bothered about the original though, this could be the puzzle game that will change your perspective on the whole series. The extra modes might not be that great, but some of them are appealing for a short time, and there's bound to be one or two that appeal to you.

Gameplay 8

The original mode is still briliant - the other modes, however - aren't as good

Presentation 8

With optional background images and music, the game can be more suited to your taste, but the menu interface could've looked better

Enjoyment 4

For puzzle fans, you should have fun for a while here

Other 3

The variety of modes is certainly a plus, sadly, the quality of some of them could be a lot better

How we rate games: EXPLAINED