Contents

The Index lists all Tetris Help topics.

To learn how to use Help, choose Using Help from the Help menu, or press F1.

How to Play

Overview

Playing the Game

Rules of the Game

Scoring

Strategy and Hints

Commands

Menu Commands

Keyboard

Keyboard


Scoring

The current piece starts with an initial score value, which increases for each successive playing level. Each time you rotate the piece or move it horizontally, its score value decreases. If you drop the piece, its score value increases proportionally to the distance it falls. Therefore, you can achieve the highest score per piece by immediately dropping the piece from the top of the playing area. The lowest score per piece will result when you continually manipulate the piece until it lands on another piece or the bottom of the playing area.

Note:  Using the Piece Preview command from the Options menu dramatically lowers the score value of every piece. It is a helpful learning tool, but once you have gained experience, you should turn this command off.

You can earn bonus points by removing multiple rows of blocks simultaneously.

One Row	100 points

Two Rows	200 points

Three Rows	400 points

Four Rows	800 points

Related Topics

Strategy and Hints

Keyboard


Strategy and Hints

This section contains helpful hints for playing Tetris successfully.

•	Use the Piece Preview command from the Options menu to gain experience, and then turn it off for higher scoring.

•	Avoid building "mountains." Try to keep the pile of pieces level at the top.

•	Avoid creating "canyons" that are one block wide and many blocks deep. You may find yourself nervously waiting for the long, skinny piece (which never seems to appear when you need it).

•	Always try to leave a "flat spot" at least three blocks wide along the top of the stacked pieces. This way you can drop most of the pieces without leaving any gaps.

•	Sometimes it is to your advantage to leave a gap and go on to the next level. If you can make the next level disappear, you may have time to fill the gap afterwards.

•	Once a piece lands on another piece, it can still be manipulated for a very short time. You can use this time to "slide" the piece under an "overhang."

Related Topics

Playing the Game

Scoring


Overview

Tetris is an exciting action game. Throughout the game, Tetris pieces fall from the top to the bottom of the playing area. When the Tetris pieces form a solid row of blocks across the playing area, that row vanishes.

Because this is the only way to remove blocks, you should try to form solid rows whenever possible. The game ends when the pieces stack up to the top of the playing area.

You can manipulate a piece only when it is falling. Falling pieces may be rotated, moved horizontally, or dropped to the bottom of the playing area.

Related Topics

Playing the Game

Rules of the Game

Scoring


Menu Commands

Game menu

New

Starts a new game of Tetris.

You can start a new game at any time, even in the middle of a game.

Pause

Pauses the current game.

High Scores

Displays the table of Tetris experts.

Exit

Exits Tetris.

You can exit at any time, even in the middle of a game.

Options menu

Starting Level

Sets the skill level of a new game. The higher the level, the greater the speed at which the pieces fall.

Starting Rows

Starts a new game with rows of randomly scattered pieces. The greater the number of rows, the more difficult the game.

You can start with up to nine rows.

Piece Preview

Turns on the Piece Preview feature. A check mark beside the command name indicates it is active.

Sound

Turns sound on or off.

Minimize To Tray

Select this checkbox to minimize Tetris main window to system tray.


Playing the Game

The object of Tetris is to continue playing for as long as possible. The game is over when the playing area is stacked to the top with Tetris pieces. The following section explains how to play the game.

To Choose a Skill Level:

•	From the Optionsl menu, choose a starting level from 1 to 10. The higher the level, the faster the pieces fall.

To Start a New Game:

•	From the Game menu, choose New, or press F2.

To Move a Piece Horizontally:

•	Use the appropriate keyboard controls.  You can move the current piece either left or right.

Note:  If the current piece is close to the borders or close to already-positioned pieces, you may be unable to move it.

To Rotate a Piece:

•	Use the appropriate keyboard controls. You can rotate the current piece 90 degrees counterclockwise or clockwise.

Note:  If the current piece is close to the borders or close to already-positioned pieces, you may be unable to rotate it.

To Drop a Piece:

•	Use the appropriate keyboard controls. When you drop a piece, it falls rapidly until it lands on a stationary piece or the bottom of the playing area.

To Pause a Game:

•	From the Game menu, choose Pause, or press F3.

Note:  To resume the game, choose Pause again, or press F3.

Related Topics

Rules of the Game

Overview

Keyboard


Rules of the Game

Tetris Rules:

Tetris pieces appear one at a time at the top of the playing area and then proceed to fall at a constant speed.

•	Each piece continues to fall until it lands on another piece or the bottom of the playing area.

•	You can manipulate a piece only when it is falling.

•	With the keyboard, you can rotate a falling piece and move it left, right, or down.

•	Each time there is a solid row of blocks across the playing area, that row vanishes.  Try to manipulate the pieces as they fall so that solid rows form and disappear.

•	The game ends when the pieces are stacked to the top of the playing area.  In a two-player game, the loser is the person whose game ends first.

Related Topics

Playing the Game

Strategy and Hints


About

Tetris 1.12

Tetris is a freeware product. Feel free to distribute Tetris as long as all files are unmodified and kept together.

The author disclaim all warranties as to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Use under your own responsibility.

The latest versions can be downloaded at: http://shellfish.hotmail.ru

Copyright © 1999-2000 Shellfish Software

Moscow, Russia

History


Keyboard

Key	Action

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UP_ARROW or Num Pad 8	Rotates the current piece counterclockwise.

Num Pad 5	Rotates the current piece clockwise.

LEFT_ARROW or Num Pad 4	Moves the current piece left.

RIGHT_ARROW or Num Pad 6	  	Moves the current piece right.

DOWN_ARROW or Num Pad 2 or SPACE	Drops the current piece to the bottom.

General Keys

F1	Opens the Help Index.

F2	Starts a new game.

F3	Pauses or resumes the game.


History

Version 1.12

•	Current version.

•	Decreased size of Tetris executable files.

•	Some minor changes.

Version 1.1

•	Added ability to drop pieces with SPACE key.

•	Changed pieces colors.

•	Some minor changes.

Version 1.03

•	Added Minimize To Tray feature.

Version 1.02

•	Changes in system registry processing.

•	Some minor changes.

Version 1.01

•	Fixed error in scores tracking.

•	Some minor changes.

Version 1.0

•	First public release.