Tetris in HD! ... wait, what?

10:02 PM on 02.22.2007   |   Aaron Linde

32 comments

So you've sold everything your grandmother owns (including your grandmother) to buy that shiny new HDTV, and now you're probably on the look-out for some fine native 1080p software to play on your new setup. Now what? If you own a 360, you've probably trained your sights on Sega's Virtua Tennis 3 and EA's NBA Street Homecourt to best show off your new rig, but there's a new contender waiting in the wings: Tetris Evolution, developed by THQ and set to hit the 360 in March. And lo, the promise of the HD revolution did come to pass. 

Can you imagine it? The rush of watching Tetriminos rotate in glorious 1080p, practically bursting off the screen with their... y'know, rotation? The thrill of slamming a particularly epic Tetris on a cadre of foes and witnessing their destruction in such a ridiculously high resolution? Good God, people, this is the next generation of gaming!

If my blithering hasn't put a crack in your sarcasmometer yet, I'll simply state outright that Tetris Evolution really isn't the harbinger of the graphics-whore insurrection from within our collective pastime. So, why isn't this an XBLA title? Outrageously high-resolution graphics ain't enough to get me to buy a game that Nintendo already did (extraordinarily well) on the DS. Maybe it's all those 1080p background videos -- they'd probably clock in a little heavier than 50mb.

I'm sure it's very pretty, but come on, THQ. Tetris doesn't really need pretty, it just needs Tetris. Hit the jump for high-resolution screenshots and THQ's full press release.

Popular Puzzle Game Advances to Next-Generation Console, Allowing for a Robust Multiplayer Experience through Xbox Live

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – February 22, 2007 – THQ Inc. today announced plans to bring Tetris® Evolution, the newest version of the puzzle genre powerhouse, to Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in March 2007. The Tetris brand has sold more than 70 million units worldwide across more than 30 game systems since its first release in 1985. Tetris Evolution will bring the brand to the next-generation for the first time with all new gameplay modes, multiple customizations, as well as Xbox Live capabilities.

“The Tetris series has been entertaining people of all ages for 20 years and has delivered unprecedented appeal and longevity in gaming,” said Kelly Flock, executive vice president of worldwide publishing, THQ. “With its predecessor, THQ’s Tetris Worlds, having sold more than two million copies to date, we can’t wait to debut Tetris Evolution on the Xbox 360 to show how the game has further evolved.”

In Tetris Evolution, players will enjoy not only traditional Tetris gameplay but numerous new modes including “Go Low” and “Eraser” for both single and multiplayer. The multiplayer mode not only allows for up to four players on a single console, but players can now compete with up to four players via the Xbox Live® online entertainment service. Contributing to the online experience are the new intelligent matchmaking system, which pits players against others within their skill level, as well as the online ladder system, which will enable players to track their overall skill level and accumulate Xbox Live achievement points to increase their Gamerscore. Tetris Evolution will allow players to take advantage of Xbox 360’s high-definition capabilities with intense graphics that make the Tetriminos appear to pop off the screen and more than a dozen high-definition background videos. The game will also feature customizable themes, skins, icons and soundtracks to create a personalized gaming experience.