Tengen Tetris (Prototype B)

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Title Screen
Tengen Tetris (Prototype B)
Build name N/A
Dump status Released, redump needed
Dumped by Steve Lin
Released by Hidden Palace
File release date January 1, 2022
Origin EPROM cartridge
Labels N/A
Game Tengen Tetris
System NES
Genre Puzzle
Final build JP Unreleased
EU Unreleased
US N/A
Release date JP Unreleased
EU Unreleased
US May 1989
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A prototype of Tengen Tetris for the NES.

Notes

  • Has a different and more basic-looking intro screen, with a more basic logo. The menu music is different, using a theme that was never heard in the final game.
    • There are no fireworks on this screen, in this version.
    • In the copyright text, "(C)1987 ACADEMYSOFT-ELORG." begins with a "TM", in this version.
    • The copyright text also shows "(C)1988 TENGEN." instead of "(C)1988 TENGEN".
  • The screen border is visually very different, and is green and red instead of blue.
  • The main menu has a different logo to the one used in the final, notably including "TENGEN PRESENTS" above it.
    • The differences in the Tetris logo also carry into the gameplay HUD.
  • The autodemo is not properly recorded yet, so the demo places all the blocks to the left of the screen, quickly resulting in a game over.
    • The main menu music continues into the autodemo rather than the demo being silent.
  • The only options on the main menu are "1 PLAYER" and "2 PLAYER" - there are no cooperative or versus computer modes.
  • The menus - aside from the title screen - are missing their licensing info.
  • There are no handicap or music menus, and only two tracks (Bradinsky in 1 player mode, Loginska in 2 player mode) play in-game.
  • The HUD at the top of the screen in the menus is wider than in the final game.
    • Additionally, the rows are "HIGH SCORE", "SCORE" and "LINES", rather than "SCORE", "LINES" and "LEVEL".
  • The menu sound effects differ from the final.
  • The blocks all have a different look, with each block being represented by a unique pattern. The blocks look much more primitive than they do in the final as they lack defined borders or a 3D design.
    • The block stats on the right half of the screen do not feature images of the blocks underneath; instead, they're identified by that respective block's unique pattern.
  • The "STATS" text is lower than it is in the final.
  • The "HIGH SCORE" is set to 0 by default instead of 17000, and the high score in the HUD is placed a bit differently to how it appears in the final.
  • The "PAUSE" text does not have a red border around it, in this version.
  • The "GAME OVER" text has a blue border instead of a red one.
  • There are no Russian dancers or bonus screen each level increase - instead, the game continues as if nothing important had happened.
    • Also, the level increases every 10 lines, instead of every 30.
  • Blocks hold the same colour and pattern when they drop, rather than changing to a different colour like they do in the final.
  • The block dropping sound differs from the final.
  • Blocks often cannot be turned when they are pressed against the wall.
  • There is no high score screen after gameplay.
  • Score numbers for individually placed blocks are always white instead of appearing in multiple colours.
  • Lines clear instantly without any visual effects.
    • Unlike Prototype C, when multiple lines are cleared they all disappear simultaneously, like Prototypes A and D.
    • They also do not show text indicating how many lines have been scored ("SINGLE", "DOUBLE", etc).
    • The blocks do not clear from left to right as they do in the final, instead all blocks in a row clear simultaneously.

Screenshots


Files

File Type Date Size Comment SHA-1
Tengen Tetris (Prototype B).nes ROM file 2000-03-20 01:08:02 40 KB ROM file. d41e4981ce5b6c58ed73b31c2510d95af950d563

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Frank Cifaldi at the Video Game History Foundation and the anonymous donor for this part of the lot! A huge thanks to Hwd45 for researching this prototype!

See also