Tetris (Gameboy)
 
Filling gaps and constructing lines the width of the playfield.  Doing so creates breathing room as the tetrominoes trickle down from the top of the screen.  Tetrominoes can be shifted side to side with the D-pad or rotated using the two buttons.  Can be enjoyed by novice and advanced gamers.  Perfect gateway into the gaming hobby.  Tetris can be played head-to-head if 2nd player has a Gameboy, a copy of Tetris and a link cable.  Head-to-head handicaps the other as Tetris’ are scored.  Tetris equals 4-line sweep in one move, completed by the “long-bar.”  Tetris is a timeless treasure for the holidays.  Try it.


​Dr. Mario (Gameboy)
 
Dr. Mario is a novel evolution of the Tetris genre.  The play field is dotted with viruses occupying a single unit clumped together based on the level of difficulty you choose.  Unlike Tetris, Dr. Mario’s colours MUST be matched with four units arranged vertically or horizontally.  I call this phenomenon an “antidote.”  The antidote comes in the form of pills two-units-wide falling from the top (which can be rotated using the buttons).  Each pill is either uniformly filled or a variation of colours.  Stacking pills requires one to compromise as the variations often don’t match its resting place.  When four or more units are combined form an antidote to destroy the underlying virus.  The ancillary effect targets freshly orphaned units in free-fall.  The unit will fall potentially blocking your progress with miss-matches that must be cleared.  However, if the free-falling units manages to complete an antidote, bonus points are awarded accompanied by an audible cue.  Pausing the game hides the play field.  Take your time.  TIP: when setting up a game make sure you set the free-fall speed to “slow.”  A methodical approach expands the scope for fun.  Two-player mode is available if the second player has a Gameboy, copy of Dr. Mario and a link cable.  Your progress handicaps your opponent’s play.  Dr. Mario is debatably better than Tetris but have both in your collection. 
 
 
 
Tetris Attack (Gameboy)
 
Tetris Attack has the pieces float into the playfield (from below) like a lazy river.  The apparatus you control is two units wide which can only swap units horizontally BUT... not vertically.  This handicap can be frustrating at first.  Units are cleared by three or more of a matching suit oriented vertically and/or horizontally.   Like Dr. Mario, when orphaned blocks free fall it MAY complete a matching suit below; this event awards the player BONUS points signalled by an audible cue.  The right button toggles the horizontal-switching-mechanism, and the left button speeds UP the ascent of the playfield to elevate the challenge.  When the units reach the top of the playfield the game is over.  In the event the matching suit consists of 4 or more units, the ascent of the pieces is temporarily stalled; potentially offering you an advantage.  Versus mode is available requiring the second player to have a Gameboy, copy of Tetris Attack and a link cable.


​Yoshi (Gameboy)
 
The playfield has Mario situated at the bottom holding above his head two platters at a time: four total.  Two (of four) recognizable suits trickle randomly from the top of the playfield where the player shuffles Mario sideways, matching each suit’s resting place.  Suits that follow are stacked upon each other.  Matching suits disappear from the play field.  Like Tetris Attack the mechanism players control is two units wide and can only swap the contents of Mario’s platters horizontally.  Suits that don’t match, must be guided onto empty platters or player must be forced to compromise their progress.  The taller the stack, the less time player has to maneuver because of the shorter free-fall distance.  Occasionally half an egg enters the playfield.  Should you be able to stack mismatched suits in-between the top and bottom halves of an egg the stack will collapse into an animation of a baby Yoshi bursting from the fully formed egg.  However, when a stack of mismatched sprites reaches the top, the game is over.  Two player mode is available.


​Money Idol Exchanger (Gameboy)
 
The game has you matching units by number as they march from top to bottom while you swap and consolidate them to stay ahead.  The mechanism you control shuffles horizontally to fire & suck units in a straight line.  Swapping units from side to side is essential to dive deeper into the playfield to disappear as many units as possible before the stalactites touch the bottom, ending the game.
 
Here's the breakdown of the groups:
 
Five (or more) UNITS labelled “1” equals one “5” unit
Five (or more) UNITS labelled “10” equals one “50” unit
Two (or more) UNITS labelled “50” equals one “one-hundred” unit
Five (or more) UNITS labelled “100” equals one “500” unit
Two (or more) UNITS labelled “500” disappears from the play field, gifting player 1000 points.
 
Matches can happen within sequential channels AND horizontal clumps so long as they are touching, no diagonals allowed.  Denominations upon collapse fall upward potentially triggering a chain reaction consolidating more units above.  It’s one of those games you must watch to truly understand. 
 
Tip: In the Title screen select “OPTION” then toggle the “CPU LEVEL” to “EASY” because the challenge is very intense which may be too off-putting for casual gamers. 
 

​Wordtris: If Tetris and Scrabble had a love child. 
 
The playfield is divided horizontally by a resting place 9 units long.  Words 3 through 9-units-long can be scored both vertically & horizontally.  Words within words will be scored excluding plurals.  As letters trickle down, it can be guided side to side INTO an empty spot.  Should you stack letters, its lowest letter will penetrate BELOW the shaded divide, 4 units deep.  Once your basement is established, now it will be a stubborn foundation for stacking ABOVE the shaded divide, to make maneuvering letters MORE difficult.  Mystery letters are typically a curse, so stack them in an empty spot or a “junk” pile (wherever they form).  However, occasionally a falling bomb can remove one (or more) stubborn letters.  Like Dr. Mario, Tetris Attack & Money Idol Exchanger...orphaned units can match vertically AND horizontally as they shuffle.  After each stage is complete you continue with the same board.  Points are scored based on difficulty of your completed words.  If the going gets tough, pause the game.  Unlike the other games I’ve reviewed, this game does NOT...hide the playfield.  When you pause...you can take your time analyzing your next move.  That’s clever.  “Game Over” lists all the words you’ve created from 3 letter words to 9; total words created along with final score.  TIP: Play on “children’s mode” to boost your confidence if word games are not your thing.  Wordtris is wicked fun.  Buy it.


​Klustar (for the Gameboy Colour)
 
Klustar is the radical derivative of the Tetris genre.  You start out in the middle of an empty arena as a rotating node ONE unit-squared.  One-at-a-time tetrominoes slip into frame from one of four sides.  You maneuver the node to collide with the tetromino.  Klustar 1-to-1 gamified critical thinking.  Missed pieces will rest on the far-side edges of the arena, deleting free space for proper movement.  Instead of lines, you’re trying to assemble groupings at least 4-by-4 units squared.  Larger groupings will net more points. Orphaned units can match vertically AND horizontally as they collapse inward towards the node.  Your node acts as a “free space.”  As time wears on, the perimeter of the playfield will resemble a claustrophobic arena creeping inward deleting free space, reducing play to inches in all directions.  The game ends when the node touches all four sides of the play field.  Multiplayer available.