Tetris (NES) and Tetris DX (GBC) are now on Switch Online
Neither game has been re-released before
Nintendo has added both its NES and Game Boy Color versions of Tetris to Nintendo Switch Online.
The company had previously announced that the NES version of Tetris would be added on December 12, but the addition of GBC game Tetris DX has come as an added surprise.
Neither the 1989 NES version nor the 1998 Game Boy Color version were ever added to the Virtual Console on previous Nintendo systems, meaning this is the first time either game has ever been officially re-released.
Tetris DX is a colourised version of the original Game Boy version of Tetris (which is already on Switch Online) and also adds new features like profiles, a save feature to track high scores and the option to play a versus game against the CPU.
While it’s always been popular among retro players, the NES version of Tetris has enjoyed something of a rejuvenation in recent years as a competitive eSport.
The release of the NES version almost coincides with the one-year anniversary of the first recorded instance of someone ever managing to ‘beat’ the game.
On December 21 last year, 13-year-old Willis Gibson (also known as Blue Scuti) became the first person to reach the ‘killscreen’ of NES Tetris by reaching level 157 and forcing the game to freeze.
A special message from the creator of Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov, to celebrate the release of two classic Tetris games, now available on #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline members!
☑️ Tetris®
☑️ Tetris® DX pic.twitter.com/zVLF1aFxDd— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 12, 2024
The addition of each game brings the NES / Famicom library on Switch Online up to 90 games (79 in the west), and the Game Boy / Game Boy Color library up to 36 (33 in the west).
A standard Switch Online subscription, which costs £3.49/€3.99/$3.99 for a one-month membership and £17.99/€19.99/$19.99 for a 12-month membership, gives access to libraries of NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.
Players who pay extra for the Switch Online Expansion Pack also get access to Nintendo 64, Mega Drive / Genesis and Game Boy Advance libraries.
