Magical Tetris Challenge is what I wanted from The New Tetris. Instead of being published by Nintendo, Capcom handled this one, which makes sense when you look into it a little more. It also has a better story than some of the other Tetris games.
This wasn’t the first Tetris game released in arcades, but it is the first to use Disney characters. The arcade game was a Japanese-only release, and then the game was ported to just about everything.
There is also a story in this game, as well as several game modes. It is a big improvement over what was in The New Tetris. It isn’t amazing or anything like that, but it is a fun game to play single-player or two-player.
Magical Tetris Challenge reminds me of a bunch of puzzle games. While it plays like one of the reskins of Puyo Puyo, it is a fun use of a licensed property. Let’s give this game a closer look and see what it has to offer.
TLDR: A solid game with good controls and a fun use of Disney characters.
Narrative
There is a story in Magical Tetris Challenge. It is a little odd because they have to try to force games of Tetris into it. This isn’t done as well as other games in this genre, but I am happy to see it in here.
If you read the manual (Link), then you might be a little confused. You’re given a few sentences about it, which is okay, but it really doesn’t prepare you for the zaniness. The manual tells you that Donald Duck finds a magical gem, and he shows it to Mickey. That’s really it.
I played as Mickey, which has you trying to save Minnie from Pete. At this point, I feel like I really need to do research on these characters because it has been a few decades since I’ve cared about Disney or the backstory of their characters. Anyway, the gem is used to mind-control everyone, except for Mickey, because Pete is an idiot.
For a game like this, the story is perfectly fine. It tells you what is going on and that you have to fight a bunch of people. To save them, you have to defeat them in a game of Tetris. It’s not the craziest thing that I’ve ever seen in a video game.
Gameplay
Magical Tetris Challenge has pretty good gameplay. There are a few modes of Tetris as well as a story mode. It has good controls, and there are some magical attacks you can unlock by clearing more lines. It is something that would be used in other Tetris crossovers.
There are several game modes. Here is a list of them:
- Story
- Tetris
- Endless
Having a story mode adds a lot to this game. While there isn’t a four-player option, you do have a two-player option. I don’t mind this because it is something more than the other versions of Tetris, and it brings it in line with the other puzzle games released around this time.
There are a lot of Disney characters in the game. You have to choose one to play as, but I haven’t noticed much of a difference between them. It is fun how they work games of Tetris into the game’s narrative.
You are just playing Tetris. It is a good version of Tetris, and I like that you end up giving your opponent a bunch of mystery blocks. That is something I’m used to from Puyo Puyo vs Tetris, and many other puzzle games.
The gameplay is good for what it is. Magical Tetris Challenge had good controls, and I like that the developers took advantage of the Disney license. Having a story makes this game better than The New Tetris. It is something that I really enjoy whenever it shows up in a puzzle game.
Visuals
Magical Tetris Challenge is a bright and colorful game. There are a few more Tetris pieces, and they resemble the ones you’ll see in the Tetris sequels. I also like how they used the Disney characters. They really only matter in the story mode.
This is a nice change of pace from some of the other games I’ve played. Because this is a Disney game, the characters look good. There are also some cutscenes in the game. They look great, even if there isn’t too much going on in them aside from text and simple animations. Characters just run onto the screen and react.
The playfield is more interesting than The New Tetris. Because this game has a gimmick like using magic, we get to see those effects during the game. It is nice to see stuff like that. These effects look pretty good, even if they aren’t all that impressive.
Everything in this game looks pretty good. While the colors do have a muted look, much like other N64 games, it doesn’t look as muddy. The developers did a good job of keeping this game bright and colorful, even with some of the darker colors.
Overall, this is a good looking game. I do like how they used the Disney characters and the cutscenes that are in the game. There isn’t too much to complain about. It isn’t perfect, but there isn’t anything in the game that looks terrible.
Reviews of Magical Tetris Challenge at the Time
Reviews for this game are all over the place. Magical Tetris Challenge received scores between 5 and 8/10. Most of the scores were in the 7s. I looked at four publications for this.
N64 Magazine gave this game a 51/100. The reviewer called this game “wholly disappointing.” They called the new blocks “fun destroying,” and called it “bog standard Tetris.” They did like the Disney characters.
Nintendo Power had five people review the game. Their scores were 7.3, 7.7, 7.8, 8.1, and 8.9/10. The comments vary, but it seems like the story either didn’t need to be in the game, or was too short for their liking.
IGN gave the game a 7.8.10. While the reviewer liked the game, they either didn’t like that it only had a two-player mode. They also plug the Tetris 64 import.
GameSpot gave the game a 5.9/10. The reviewer brings up some interesting points. This is basically the same game of Tetris with a Disney coat of paint. They went on to say that the Disney name “bring nothing significantly new to the Tetris name that you didn’t already appreciate before.”
I’ve noticed that imports are brought up a few times in these reviews. This is something that I don’t really get. It would surprise me if most people knew how to import video games back in the day, or if they really cared to learn about them. I find it very odd that some reviewers were using them as a point of comparison when most people probably hadn’t played them.
8/10. I like Magical Tetris Challenge more than the other puzzle games I’ve played on the N64. It has problems, but it has some features that help to separate it from the pack. As dumb as the story is, I’m glad it is here.
Pros
- Good Controls
- Fun Gameplay
- Goofy Story
Cons
- A little too goofy
- Seems a little too kiddy
Conclusion
Magical Tetris Challenge is a fun little game that has something to offer aside from a few versions of Tetris. It reminds me of games like Tetris Attack, Kirby’s Avalanche, and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. Having a story mode also helps this game out so you have something else to do. It is a little cheap at times.
This is by no means a perfect game. Some of the puzzle games that have stories on the SNES are better than what this has to offer. It does have some redeeming qualities that I really enjoy. I also think that Capcom did a good job of working with the Disney license, which is something they did regularly on the previous console generations.
As I’ve gone over a few sets of reviews for N64 games, I’ve noticed that imports get brought up. This is a little confusing to me. When you bring up an example, it should be more relevant to what you’re talking about. Talking about a Japanese exclusive isn’t all that helpful. Maybe Tetris 64 was mentioned all the time in gaming magazines in the late 1990s, but I don’t remember anyone talking about it.
There are a few other N64 games I want to get to in the next few weeks. I also need to get some horror games reviewed. At some point, I did need to get back to making YouTube videos. It has been a while since I’ve done that. For now, I’m enjoying writing about games more than trying to force myself to make a video review.
If you liked this post, check out some of my other posts on Puzzle games. Such as Dr. Mario 64 or The New Tetris.