Tetris Blitz to offer deeper, faster take on classic puzzle game

This ain't your daddy's Tetris - get as many rows as you can in two minutes and customize with power-ups

At GDC 2013, we took some time to talk with EA about the latest mobile iteration of the classic puzzle game franchise, Tetris. Tetris Blitz promises to be a whole new experience: there's no failure, just two frantic minutes of dropping blocks and lining up rows as quickly as possible.

The real catch are the new power-ups. These can wipe out rows and otherwise help you in new and exciting ways. Occasionally a block will drop imbued with one of your three chosen power-ups. Matching up a solid row with that block activates it. Over time, players fill a Frenzy meter which, when capped out, sends you into a bonus points mode where blocks are worth double points. Once the round is over, you can also capitalize on finishers, which can crank your score even higher.

The really cool thing about Tetris Blitz is that new power-ups are released every week, unlockable through the coins you earn through normal gameplay or in-app purchases. As you might expect, the game is free to play, so you'll get the occasional ad in between rounds. You can brag about your high scores to Facebook friends, or just quietly climb the online leaderboards.

Overall, I think this is a nice refresh on Tetris, and sensibly falls in line with what EA is doing with Bejeweled Blitz. So, any takers for when Tetris Blitz launches this spring? Will these new mechanics add a fresh spin to the old formula, or tarnish the classic's reputation?

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