Tetris 2 + BomBliss

Overview

Tetris 2 + BomBliss, not to be confused with Nintendo's later Tetris 2, is a falling-block tile-matching puzzle game developed by Chunsoft and published by Bullet-Proof Software for the Famicom exclusively in Japan on December 13, 1991.

A sequel to the publishers earlier Famicom port of Tetris, Tetris 2 + BomBliss includes the titular two puzzle games: Tetris and BomBliss. Along with being the first game in the short-lived BomBliss spin-off series (which was originally designed by SEDIC), the game is known as the first in the series to implement an early version of the official Tetris rotation system known as Super Rotation System (or SRS). It also includes a cartridge battery for saving high scores and BomBliss puzzles.

The game later received an updated port by TOSE to the Super Famicom on December 18, 1992, known as Super Tetris 2 + BomBliss. Along with updated graphics, this version raises Tetris's maximum level, adds new BomBliss puzzles, and adds a Versus BomBliss mode, albeit without BomBliss's Construction mode. This version was ported by Bullet-Proof Software to multiple computers in 1994-1995 (including the NEC PC-98, Windows PC, and Macintosh). A special limited-quantity re-release of the SFC version, known as Super Tetris 2 + BomBliss: Gentei-ben ("Limited Edition") was released on January 21, 1994, reworking all BomBliss puzzles. The Windows version also received an updated re-release in 1998 as Tetris 2 + BomBliss LT.

The game later received a sequel in 1994 with Super Tetris 3. BomBliss also received its own game in 1995 with Super BomBliss (with the Game Boy version receiving an overseas release as Tetris Blast) and later appears as a bonus mode in the Hudson Soft games Tetris Party Deluxe and Tetris Axis.

Tetris

Tetris is a straight-forward adaptation of the classic game, with three different single-player game modes:

• A-Type is an endless marathon mode.
• B-Type is a stage-based line clear mode similar to the BPS version of the original Tetris.
• C-Type is a variation of A-Type, but with garbage rows that pushes the board up from the bottom at intervals.

It also includes two-player versus multiplayer, with both players trying to outlast the other while sending garbage rows by clearing their own rows.

BomBliss

BomBliss is a new variation of Tetris with a key difference: players now drop a variety of pieces of different sizes and shapes (from 2-block dominoes, up to 5-block pentominoes, for a grand total of 28 different shapes), with some of the tiles being special Bomb Blocks. Players must use the explosions from Bomb Blocks to clear the entire pre-populated board in a limited amount of pieces.

Forming a full row of blocks no longer clears the entire row, but instead detonate all of the row's Bomb Blocks. All normal blocks in its radius are cleared, and all Bomb Blocks in its radius are detonated in a chain reaction. In addition, blocks that are near the blasts are affected by gravity, automatically falling down and possibly causing a chain reaction of line clears. The blast radius of detonated Bomb Blocks depend on how many lines were cleared at once (or in a chain of line clears). Combining four Bomb Blocks together in a square forms a Big Bomb Block for an even larger explosion.

Game Modes

The game includes two modes (Contest and Puzzle) and a bonus puzzle editor (Construction). Contest Mode tasks players with clearing the board with as few random pieces as they can, while Puzzle Mode tasks players with clearing the board with a pre-determined set of pieces (which have no Bomb Blocks in them). Players are scored in Contest Mode based on how many pieces are in reserve, and earn additional pieces by forming Big Bomb Blocks and clearing four or more lines at once (or in a line clear chain).

The Super version of the game replaces Construction mode with new two-player versus multiplayer. Similar to Tetris's versus mode, both players try to outlast the other while sending garbage rows by clearing their own rows.