Magical Tetris Challenge Game Sample - N64
0To skip demo, go to 6:13
Magical Tetris Challenge is a variant of the classic puzzle game Tetris, developed by Capcom in 1998/1999 (utilizing Arika's T.L.S. or "Temporary Landing System") and released for N64 and also released for Arcades (the PCB even has the N64 logo on it), Playstation, and Game Boy Color. All versions of the game are primarily the same with the exception of the GBC game, which removed the Story Mode, added Pete as a playable character, and added four other modes: Quest Mode, Signal Tetris, Towering Tetris, and Target Tetris.
The game features Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Goofy who each have a unique perspective on the plot. The general plot is that Pete and his goon squad are up to no good again as he stumbles upon a mysterious gem that grants wishes and can control people's minds. Each character learns about the gem's origins and attempt to stop Pete before he wrecks havoc. It's not deep or sophisticated, but what would you expect from a Tetris variant? What matters here is that the presentation uses classic 2D sprites, features a pretty nice soundtrack, and ups the ante on the classic Tetris formula, easily making this one of the more enjoyable N64 titles.
What makes the game stand out is its fast-paced versus gameplay, where players clear lines and attack opponents with junk, but it features a counter system somewhat reminiscent to Puyo Pop Fever. As players do "combos" (clearing lines in a consecutive fashion) and retaliate against combos, players build up a magic meter that clears a large portion of the players blocks and opens up a hole for players to clear or combo with. Players have access to the standard Tetris pieces, but also larger and more challenging pieces that come from enemy attacks. A skilled player can use these challenge pieces to their advantage or time their attacks to have a more focused defense, so there is more than one way to play. If you're really good, you can attack opponents with Tetris (4-line clear) or even "Pentris" (5-line clear) to quickly turn the tides.
The "Magical Tetris Challenge" is a pretty great Tetris game overall, and throwing beloved Disney characters into the mix is just icing on the cake. This is a sample video going through a few battles in story mode with the demo/attraction left in, captured on original hardware through the "XRGB-mini Framemeister Compact UpScaler". Note that all sorts of tests will be done with the XRGB-mini as its results vary from system to system and game to game (beats the pants off the old quality though). Enjoy.