One of the best Tetris clones I have ever come across, Alizarin Tetris (Atris for short) has everything you would want in a Tetris game: customizable colors and block sizes, special tiles and bonuses, hot-seat and TCP/IP multiplayer support, different game modes, and - best of all - multiple AI opponents. Alizarin Tetris has more features than many other Tetris clones combined. While you can still play the traditional Tetris solo game, it is the competitive mode (against computer or another human player) where the game really shines. Different AI "personalities" offer a wide range of challenge, and multiplayer games are a lot of fun because there are many new elements that are not in the solo game. For example, in a multiplayer game, if you clear 3 more or rows at once, your opponent's screen will be obscured for a time. If you clear 3 or more rows twice in quick succession, the "blank" timeout extends. If you are able to clear 5 or more rows at once, an extra row of garbage will be added at the bottom of your opponent's board. There are also many special blocks such as bombs (similar to Super Tetris, but shaped like normal Tetris blocks so you have to find a good spot to land them), skulls (destroy all non-garbage tiles close to them), and more. With great graphics, solid gameplay, and plenty of game options to keep you occupied, Alizarin Tetris is a great freeware Tetris game that will please both solo players and those who prefer a head-to-head challenge. Two thumbs up, way up! Note: The download on this site is the Windows 95/98 version. Check the official website linked below for Unix and BeOS versions. Reviewed by: Underdogs |