Tetris Dual is a head to head tabletop strategy game based on one of the most popular classic electronic games of all time, Tetris. I loved playing Tetris when I was growing up. Even though it was so simple, it was so addictive on the Nintendo Game Boy.
Mr K first came across Tetris while playing an inflight game on our way to Singapore. He immediately understood how to play it and enjoys playing the game against me. Tetris Dual is slightly different from the classic Tetris but the way you play is almost the same.
Inside the box, it comes with 50 Tetriminos in 2 colours (25 blue and 25 orange), Tetris Dual unit and instructions. It requires three AA batteries which are not included. It is suitable for two players, aged six and above.
The unit requires adult assembly. It is very straightforward to get set up but once it is installed, you won’t be able to disassemble it. I was quite disappointed as I would prefer to be able to keep it back in the original box after playing. However, it is very well made and should last for a long time, provided it is not dropped on a frequent basis.
To play this game, each player decides on their colour and takes all of the Tetriminos of that colour. Each shape is worth a different amount of points. Each press of the + or – buttons add/deducts the value of the shape to or from a player’s score. There are two game settings: Speed or Countdown. Turn on the unit and select the game by pressing the + for Game 1: Speed or the – for Game 2: Countdown.
Initially, we had trouble understanding the point systems and had to restart a couple of time before we fully understood it. Basically, if you touch your own colour Tetrimino or complete a full row (or rows) across the Matrix in any combination of colours, you are able to score accordingly. If you create a hole in whatever circumstances, you will lose points. The scoring gets a lot easier once you have played a couple rounds.
Overall this is a simple and fun family game that will appeal to young and old. It is easy to operate and play. It is available to buy in good toy retailers or Amazon.
Disclosure: We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however all thoughts and opinions remain our own. We have included an Amazon affiliate link to the product. If you click on this and buy, we may earn a small commission. Part of the Rainbow Awards testers.