Tetris EffectEnhance/The Tetris Company

  • Of all the blockbuster spectacles and indie darlings I played in 2018, one unexpected game was the best by far: “Tetris Effect.”
  • More than just a modern reimagining of a classic game, “Tetris Effect” is a breath of fresh air for the “Tetris” franchise.
  • Despite the age of the source of material, “Tetris Effect” is the best game I played in 2018 — a year that featured blockbusters like “God of War,” “Spider-Man,” and “Red Dead Redemption 2.”

Sorry, “Call of Duty!” So long, “Red Dead Redemption 2!” I can’t stop playing “Tetris Effect,” and thinking about it, and evangelizing it.

There’s a simple reason for that: “Tetris Effect” is the best game I played in 2018.

Better than the excellent “God of War” reboot, and the excellent “Spider-Man” reboot, and the incredibly impressive “Red Dead Redemption 2”? Yes! Better than all those games that I also really liked!

“Tetris Effect” takes a foundational game (“Tetris”), executes it perfectly, and crucially evolves the concept of what a “Tetris” game can be. It’s one of the only games I played in 2018 that I’ll continue playing into 2019 (and likely beyond). 

Here’s what makes it so incredibly good: