Tetris Classic

Tetris Classic is a puzzle video game in which pieces consisting of four squares in seven shapes descend into an empty pit. As the pieces fall, the player can move the pieces laterally and rotate them until they land either on the bottom of the pit or on another piece. The player can hasten a piece's descent with a particular input, and if the "Soft Drop" option is toggled off, the piece will be immediately dropped to its lowest possible position. The player must fit the falling pieces into a position that forms a horizontal line of boxes across the pit.

When a line is completed, it disappears and all squares above it drop one row. In the game's single-player campaign, completing ten lines on a given level advances the player to the next level, and the rate of the pieces' descent increases. The single-player campaign consists of a total of ten levels. A non-timed game ends prematurely if the pieces reach the top of the pit.

Tetris was created in 1985 by Alexey Pajitnov, a researcher for the computing center of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, and originally programmed by Moscow State University student Vadim Gerasimov. The Soviet Academy of Sciences licensed the game's commercial rights to Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg), and through the combined efforts of Pajitnov, Elorg, and American publisher Spectrum HoloByte, Tetris gained rapid popularity in the United States upon its release there in 1988. tris III (1990), Wordtris (1991), and Super Tetris (1991). From the time of Tetris's creation onward, computer technology advanced, granting improved graphics, audio systems, pointing devices, networks, and processing speeds.

Spectrum HoloByte sought to take advantage of these improvements by creating an upgraded version of Tetris. They were also motivated by customer feedback, having received several suggestions via their customer support staff.

Tetris Classic received mixed critical commentary upon release. Lance Elko of Game Players PC Entertainment complimented the play variations and improved look and sound, considering it to be a richer experience than the original version. Michael S. Lasky of Computer Gaming World was delighted by the background graphics and stated that though the title's enhancements were "basically cosmetic", its addictive nature was preserved by the gameplay's intuitive and deceptive simplicity.

Jeane DeCoster and David Crook of the Los Angeles Times, in a joint review with Super Tetris, found the game to be unchanged from the original version despite the enhanced presentation and added competitive mode. Nevertheless, they acknowledged that the two games used new technology well, and concluded that they could "turn even the most casual players into hard-core gamers". Marcus Höfer of Aktueller Software Markt, in a negative review, felt that the game's price was unjustified for its minimal new features, especially given the original game's shareware status. He suggested that the title be ignored by those who already own Super Tetris as well as Tetris players satisfied with single-player gameplay and who do not value attractive background graphics.