I have been playing Tetris my entire life, so you can guess how happy I was when Nintendo surprise-announced Tetris 99 for the Nintendo Switch.

Tetris 99 is a must-play game because it is a free Tetris game made by Nintendo. It has fantastic music, includes strategy and depth yet is simple to play, has stat tracking to help you stay aware of how will you play, has all the fun of a “Battle Royale” game like Fortnite without the drawbacks, and is just so fun to play.

Really, Tetris 99 is one of my favorite games of 2019. And today, I will be detailing 9 reasons why you need to play this modern take on a classic puzzle game.

Let’s take a quick look at all 9 reasons Tetris 99 is a fun Nintendo Switch exclusive experience.

9 Reasons You Should Play Tetris 99 For Nintendo Switch

1. It’s Tetris
2. It’s Free
3. It’s Made By Nintendo
4. It’s simple to play
5. It contains strategy and depth
6. It is Battle Royale without the Battle Royale
7. It tracks your stats
8. The Music is awesome
9. Most Importantly, It is Fun

Now that you know the 9 reasons, you might be wondering what Tetris 99 is all about. Don’t worry; I have you covered!

What is Tetris 99 For Nintendo Switch?

Tetris 99 is an online multiplayer puzzle game where the goal is to outlive, and outplay, 98 other real life opponents from around the world.

This game takes the classic falling block Tetris gameplay online in a frantic, competitive arena that is fun in short bursts or for long hours of play.

Now, let’s take a look at why you need to play this awesome Tetris game, one-by-one.

1) Tetris 99 Is Tetris

Tetris 99 is classic Tetris at its core in every way, plain and simple.

Additionally, Tetris is probably the most recognize puzzle video game there is which means there is a good chance you or someone you know has played a game in this series.

And for a good reason: Tetris is a timeless classic that never ages.

It is a game where you must navigate falling blocks into piles that stack evenly in order to clear them.

Simple concept for casual players but hard to master.

That is why Tetris is so enduring and why Tetris 99 in particular, is must-play.

Tetris 99 takes the classic Tetris gameplay and addictive nature, puts it on Nintendo Switch, and propels the franchise forward with a competitive online environment. Yet, it is still classic Tetris that anyone can understand and enjoy.

If you ever played Tetris, have heard about it, or haven’t played Tetris for a long time, Tetris 99 is a perfect place to jump in.

As soon as you are done reading this, I implore you to download the game. You will thank yourself for it!

2) Tetris 99 Is Free

Speaking of downloading Tetris 99, anyone can do it.

Really. I am not joking. The game is entirely free as long as you have a Nintendo Switch Online Membership.

Yup. You heard me correctly. There is no extra cost to downloading Tetris 99, which means there is one extra reason why you should play this game.

There are so many games released today that cost an arm and a leg to purchase, but Tetris 99 is not one of them.

Never played Tetris before? Haven’t played in a while? Don’t know if you will like Tetris 99’s online gameplay? Want to play it but afraid it will cost too much?

No worries to all of these potential dilemmas you may be facing, because all it takes is a short trip to the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store to see the game is free to download for you to try out.

If you enjoy it, you can keep on playing for as long as you want at no cost. Just perfect, if I do say so myself!

And what if you don’t have a Nintendo Switch Online Membership? You will be happy to hear that Nintendo supplies a free trial period for new members. Success!

As I said above, anyone can download Tetris 99 for free and become addicted to a modern take on a timeless classic.

But don’t say I didn’t warn when you realize you caught Tetris-itus.

3) Tetris 99 Is Made By Nintendo

In my, as well as my family’s experience, Nintendo has always made the best Tetris games, and Tetris 99 continues this trend.

Overtime, it became clear that my favorite Tetris games were always Nintendo made: Tetris 1 and 2 for NES, Tetris Attack for Super Nintendo (not necessarily Tetris gameplay but Tetris by name), The New Tetris for Nintendo 64, and Tetris DS for the Nintendo DS.

I loved every single one of these and quickly realized Nintendo made the best Tetris games.

Tetris 99 included.

Tetris 99 has the polish, superb music, responsive gameplay, and quick start-up times Nintendo games are known for.

Nintendo brought their pedigree of quality and applied it to the Tetris franchise once more which guaranteed a fantastic product for us players and a great experience while playing.

I played Tetris games not developed by Nintendo and became let down by long load times, unnecessary new features, sub-par music selections, and unresponsive controls in the past.

Let me assure you, Tetris 99 is a stellar game that avoids all of these pesky problems and is worthy of “Game of the Year” status simply because it is Nintendo developed.

The moment I read Nintendo developed Tetris 99, it gave me one more reason to play it and one more reason for you to play Tetris 99, too.

4) Tetris 99 Is Simple To Play

And Tetris 99 is simple to play.

You do not have to worry about complicated controls or having to form a claw around your controller to press every button in order to master this game.

Tetris 99’s gameplay basically consists of two buttons: a button to rotate your Tetris block and another to “Hold” and save a Tetris block for later use.

Moving your block left and right only takes a press of the left or right directions on your directional buttons/pad or left analog stick.

That is Tetris 99’s controls in a nutshell.

• One button to rotate
• One button to Hold and save a Tetris block for later use
• Left and right directions to move your block

Additionally, an advanced technique known as a “Hard Drop” simply requires pressing the up direction. This causes the block to instantaneously fall to the bottom to speed up gameplay if you desire. And all it requires is one button press and is easy to perform.

Tetris 99’s simple controls, one that only requires direction inputs and two buttons, will make sure you have the easiest of times of jumping right in and start playing.

Rest easy knowing this game is easy to learn and simple to start.

5) Tetris 99 Contains Depth And Strategy

True: Tetris 99 is easy to learn and simple to start. But it also is a deep game that allows for competitive environments and strategic gameplay.

Playing Tetris 99 at a high level means paying attention to your upcoming blocks, keeping track of and defending against “garbage” blocks opponents send your way, reading your screen and predicting the best section to place your falling block at instantaneous speeds, and rotating your blocks left or right at a lightning-fast pace while also trying to build perfect rows without spaces so you can clear lines and defeat opponents.

That is a lot to take in, isn’t it?

Now, do not be alarmed: you can play Tetris 99 anyway you want and ignore all of these high-end strategies and techniques and still have fun.

What makes Tetris and Tetris 99 so magical is its ability to allow for intense matches and competitive moments that are built on quick, strategic thinking and masterful block rotation and placement for those who want it while keeping the game simple to enjoy for those who prefer not to think 6 or 7 steps ahead.

But if you are looking for a challenge or wanting to improve your Tetris 99 play, this game will satiate your needs.

6) Tetris 99 Is Battle Royale Simplified

Tetris 99 takes the battle royale formula made popular by games such as Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and simplifies it.

What is a battle royale mode?

It is a type of game that relies on you playing against many real-life online opponents, upward to 100 (more or less). All at the same time.

It is a thrilling, addictive game type with a lot going on.

Luckily, Tetris 99 simplifies the battle royale gameplay by removing many distractions that may get in the way including voice chat, opponent’s player names during the match, taunts and dances, in-game messaging chat, and match-making.

Yes, a lot of these features are great to have in games such as Fortnite, but they are not necessary for Tetris 99 and removing them makes Tetris 99 easier to get into and simpler to play.

Tetris 99 is a fast-paced game where you are playing against 98 other people from around the globe so having sprays, chat boxes, dances, emotes, player names popping up, taunts, and so forth happening mid block rotation will only get in the way and more than likely mess up your gameplay.

Tetris 99 is intense as it is without battle royale staples taking up vital screen space. This game is better for being leaner as it currently is.

So, if you are looking for a battle royale game that focuses solely on gameplay, your wits, and your skill without extra fluff, then Tetris 99 is the battle royale game you never knew you wanted but you will be glad it exists.

7) Tetris 99 Tracks Your Stats

Tetris 99 may be a simple battle royale game in design, but it also tracks your statistics in great depth.

You can check out how many games you played, matches you won, lines you cleared, and so much more.

I have never played a Tetris game that provides us players with so much information on how the game is being played.

I love looking at how many games I won versus my total matches or my total play time.

This is a great feature if you enjoy looking at data to help you see what you are good at and what needs improving.

8) Tetris 99 Has Awesome Music

Every Nintendo developed Tetris game has great music, and Tetris 99 does, too.

From Tetris 99’s upbeat lobby music to the winner’s theme, I can’t help but hum these tunes.

If you enjoy a game with great music throughout, then Tetris 99 is the game for you.

9) Most Importantly, Tetris 99 Is Fun

The final and most important reason you need to play Tetris 99 is that the game is fun.

And Tetris 99 is fun because of everything listed above comes together in a cohesive package:

• it is a modern take on a classic game
• it is Nintendo developed and has the polish one could expect from the gaming behemoth
• it is a free game which gives it a low barrier to entry
• it is simple to play yet includes depth with great music
• it simplifies the battle royale mode while allowing you to keep track of your statistics
• And it is satisfy to clear lines and send your blocks to opponents to deal with

You owe it to yourself to pick up this game if you are a fan of puzzle games, Tetris, or gaming in general as Tetris 99 is solid at everything it does and maintains a level of fun from match to match, minute to minute, and hour to hour, that many games can only dream of.

Tetris 99: A Must-Play Nintendo Switch Experience

There you have it. You now know the 9 reasons why you need Tetris 99 for Nintendo Switch in your life.

Really, you need to go download it now and play it for yourself to see how much fun, rewarding and addicting this surprise release of 2019 really is.

So, go ahead and get your Tetris 99 on for hours on end.

(Screenshots taken by me. Images sourced from product pages on the Nintendo website. Logos, characters, and images are owned by their respective owners)