Best Games Like Tetris

Few video games are as timeless as Tetris. Initially released in the 1980s, the iconic puzzle game has remained popular throughout the years to the point that it’s cemented in video game history. 

Its simple ‘arrange and stack blocks in a column’ design has resulted in many Tetris-like puzzle games releasing across mobile, console, and PC.

In this list, we’ll be suggesting the top games like Tetris to play in 2024. This includes a combination of complimentary Tetris games and Tetris-type games that explore comparable mechanics or ideas.

If you feel like we overlooked your favorite game, let us know in the comments. And lastly, make sure to check back as we continue to update this list with new games in the future.

Related:Best Rhythm Games On PC 2023Best Party Games 2023Best Puzzle Games 2023

Anode builds off the mechanics of games like Tetris while putting its own spin on the falling-block puzzle genre. It tasks you with rotating and dropping colored blocks on a column, with the goal being to create links of matching color while at the same time filling in any gaps.

Where things differ is the method in which matching colored blocks, or ‘lines’, are removed. Instead of lines disappearing instantly on their own like they do in Tetris, you have to trigger them using a detonator. This causes the entire chain to explode and add to your score, depending on the length.

Lumines: Remastered is an updated version of the classic rhythm puzzle game from the early 2000s. It’s best described as a music-based Tetris where the goal is to align different colored blocks and form clusters that get cleared once a ‘timeline’ passes.

As lines are taken away, fresh tools are added to the music track being played, increasing intricacy and granting the player a richer tone. Since the timeline’s actions depend on the ongoing song, the level of challenge can differ greatly.

While Gorogoa’s art style may differ from Tetris, both games require you to use your brain to figure out the perfect arrangement of blocks, or in the case of Gorogoa, image-based tiles. The game was initially conceived as an interactive graphic novel until eventually becoming a full-fledged puzzle game.  

Gameplay revolves around arranging up to four images on a 2×2 grid, with the goal being to place them in a specific order to trigger a sequence of events. Each tile can be manipulated by zooming in or out, and scenes can hold hidden clues to point you in the right direction.

Best summed up as Tetris with magic, Tricky Towers is a physics-based puzzle game that sees you and your friends stacking differently shaped blocks to create towers. Each player has their own tower to tend to, and the goal in most modes is to have the highest tower standing at the end.

Where the game does things differently is by allowing you to affect not only your own tower, but also your opponents’ ones as well. There are a variety of spells that can assist with placing blocks on your own or help destroy your friends’ towers.

Similar to Tricky Towers, Tumblestone is a multiplayer-focused puzzle game with Tetris-inspired puzzle-solving action. The way it works is you have a game board filled with different colored blocks and must match three blocks of the same color before you can move on to the next layer.

Additional regulations or mechanics can also factor in depending on the level or mode you’re playing. Tumblestone highlights a 40+ hour single-player campaign as well as a range of Arcade modes and both local/online multiplayer for up to four friends.

Modeled after the Super Puzzle Fighter series, Crystal Crisis is a competitive puzzle battler that sees you matching color tiles to fill up your character’s Burst meter and unleash powerful special attacks on your opponent that fills their board with junk pieces.

There are over 20 fighters to choose from based on popular indie game franchises, and each one possesses a unique set of moves. Despite being touted as a multiplayer-driven experience, Crystal Crisis can still be enjoyed as a solo experience in modes like Arcade, Survival,   Tag Team, and Training.

Treasure Stack is a simple and straightforward puzzle game that draws influence from Tetris. You play as a pixelated hero tasked with grappling onto falling colored chests and matching them with same-colored keys in order to clear the game board.

Similar to Tetris, the game focus on arranging and organizing items until you acquire the precise color required to descend and achieve high points. Treasure Stack can be played alone or with others either online or locally, and provides numerous options to personalize your character’s attire and grappling tool.

If you’ve owned any of the last three generations of Nintendo systems, then there’s a good chance you’ve played at least one installment of Art of Balance, with the Switch version being the most recent. Just like in Tetris, you’re tasked with stacking blocks of various shapes and sizes.

Where it differs is the addition of physics-based placement, requiring you to carefully place pieces to prevent them from falling over. While more recent iterations feature prettier and more serene backgrounds, the series has always maintained the same relaxing gameplay at its core.

Battle Chef Brigade combines the action of side-scrolling brawlers with the strategy of tile-matching puzzle games to create a thrilling and addictive experience that may appeal to Tetris fans. In it, you explore various 2D levels, slaying monsters and using their parts for ingredients in chef showdowns.

During battles, you match colored-tiles as well as any ingredients you’ve gathered to prepare meals to wow the judges. While the puzzle-matching component is only a part of the core gameplay loop, it offers a surprising amount of depth, allowing you to hone your flavors to create the perfect dish.

These last three games are sort of a cheat, considering they involve some form of actual Tetris. With that said, they each add enough new elements to warrant including them on this list. The first is Puyo Puyo Tetris, a crossover title that combines the best parts of both popular puzzle franchises.

Depending on the mode, players alternate between both Puyo and Tetris gameplay, with some requiring you to frequently switch back and forth. The game features a single-player campaign in addition to a multiplayer arcade that supports up to four players.

Tetris 99 is a free-to-play battle royale game that sees up to 99-players competing in rounds of traditional Tetris in real-time, with the goal of clearing lines as quickly as possible. Removed lines then turn into piles of ‘junk’ that clutter up other players’ boards and can cause them to get eliminated.

You have the option of focusing on one opponent or letting the game automatically target enemies for you. Matches can ramp up pretty quickly and end up feeling a lot more intense than you would expect from a puzzle game.

Although we’ve seen many iterations of Tetris’ formula over the years, none are quite as immersive as Tetris Effect, especially in its VR version. The game utilizes several different visual and auditory cues that correspond to your tetrominoes’ movement and placement.

As you progress through challenges, so does the background music, evolving in tempo and rhythm as you reach tense moments where blocks rapidly descend onto your screen. While the core structure of Tetris remains unchanged, the additional layer of interactivity brings the classic puzzle game to new heights.