Tetris (NES) - Nintendo and Tengen Comparison - Joe Goes Retro

Taking a look at the two versions of Tetris for the Nintendo Entertainment System, the unlicensed Tengen version and the licensed Nintendo version.

Joe Goes Retro Theme Song: "Dark Dreams" © 2014 Joseph Drew

I make semi-weekly videos about my favorite retro video games and systems. Occasionally some not-so-retro stuff too! Top 5 videos, reviews, vlogs and pickups videos. I try to upload a new video at least once per week. Feel free to check out my various social media accounts. If you like what you see, be sure to hit the subscribe button and share my videos with your friends. Thanks for stopping by!

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[hasanbanoon]

I would have to say that the tengen version is superior. It has competitive and cooperative modes as well as weird looking, maybe Mexican dancers that dance for you between levels. I really enjoyed the co-operative mode as both players start to ruin the game for each other. It took real harmony and skill to do well in that mode. I do understand most people prefer the Nintendo version and I think its just the nostalgia playing in there. (Then again, the same could be said for me as I only played the tengen version)

I Prefer The Nintendo Version, It Has That Unique Feature Where Each Leven Changes The Block Color

[joegoesretro]

BenevolentDickNES Growing up there was an arcade cab at a local pizza place.  However the pizza there sucked and the better pizza place we went to had a 6-player X-men cabinet(!)  Personally I don't think I've been able to play with any success at anything past 14 or 15 on the Nintendo version.  I do agree that Tetris, like pizza is kind of hard to mess up--but you can get bad pizza and there are bad Tetris games out there--I personally never cared for Tetris Plus.

[Low_Standards_Gaming_YT]

I can recall getting the Tengen versions of both Tetris and Pacman, as well as a few of the other notorious black carts when renting games as a kid. I never understood why the cartridge my mom would bring home looked so different but needless to say, I liked them better. There was something just....different about the presentation of the games compared to the Nintendo ports. That being said, I put both of these on an NES classic as soon as I got one for comparison to see if it was just nostalgia and the still think the Tengen version is superior.

[PKInTheUniverse]

When I first got the Tengen version over a year ago, I seriously considered doing a side by side review of both versions . I guess I shouldnt have sat on that idea for so long, oh well. Your review is pretty damn good Joe, its concise and to the point. I also feel like many others that the Tengen version is superior to the Nintendo licensed version. I dont know that I would have considered the Nintendo version more polished so much as  I would have considered it more bland and boring as far as how its use of colors pallete choices. Maybe it was just grey background I didnt like, I'm not sure. I felt the Tengen version had much more character as far as its style over all look of the game go. My girlfriend always kicks my ass at the Tengen version when we play 2 player. Honestly I think the gameboy version is still my favorite version mostly because its the only version of Tetris I have ever successfully beat. Keep up the good work man.   

[CartridgeBros]

Nintendo - Dropping the copyright hammer since 1989
Great video Joe!

[codiepereira]

I like the Nintendo and tengen versions

[TheAtariCreep]

ATARI RULES, nuff said. Hahaha All joking asside, great review and comparison of the games. I love both ports but the Nintendo port is more familiar to me personally, so I have to go with that one.

[TheAtariCreep]

ATARI RULES, nuff said. Hahaha All joking asside, great review and comparison of the games. I love both ports but the Nintendo port is more familiar to me personally, so I have to go with that one.

[BenevolentDick]

Im not super familiar with the tengen one. id love a copy but I've only played it via emulation and believe it or not there was an arcade cab of it at one of my schools.  i think for causal play and casual players tengen is cooler. however if you're really good at tetris or even a 'master' the tengen one could be seen as inferior because it's speed maxes out quickly (at level 17, I believe) and then you just do a marathon run.. nintendo's tetris gets faster and faster till you loose, i think at level 29 its becomes too fast to sustain play. think theres other differences like nintetris arguably has more random, ghost in the machine type of things like long line droughts etc. like you mentioned atari's tetris its little 'stiffer' but hey, its tetris. both are good.

[johneygd]

I grewup with the nintendo version but now i, ve seen the tengen version, i realize how much i, ve missed because it’s a better more advanced version of it, the nintendo version was just rushed like crazy to hit store shelfs, o, o, o nintendo.
BTW i feel sooo damn sorry for tengen because if nintendo didn’t had striked against tengen, the tengen version would, ve millions, but sadly nintendo ruined someones elses businnes.

[mothergoose]

the tengen version is crap compared 2 both the nes and gb nintendo branded versions. the nintendo branded version on nes is alot more colorful, with colors changing after u beat a few levels as the game gets harder. has better control, better graphics, the music in the nintendo branded version, although limited, is way more memorable and legendary in its own right then in the tengen version. if i wanted 2 play tetris with 2 players, i would jus play the gameboy version with a friend. i have 2 copies of the gb version all they need is a gba and link cable. the nintendo branded nes version does look better, is more colorful and has better music. i have the rom of the tengen version, and its not as impressive graphically as the nintendo branded nes version. if i run into a cheap copy of the tengen version, and i have the cash, i would get it jus 2 complete the collection. but its not a game i would choose over another 2 add 2 my collection, when i already have the 2 best versions u can get already. the tengen version is ok with its 2 players options, but really that's nothing 2 brag about when nintendo has 2 versions thats branded, and are both far better in their own ways. and one already has a 2 player mode. the nes version has all the upgraded graphics and fun and the gb version has all the fun and an added 2 player mode. if u have both nintendo branded versions, then the tengen version is kinda worthless 2 have, unless u jus halfta have the whole set.