Tritus
| Developer: Davin Pearson | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: F1 Licenceware | Sound: |
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| Year: 1994 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Arcade | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 à 3 simultanés | Rating: |
8/10 | |
Titrus is a wildly chaotic twist on Tetris, designed for three players (with the computer ready to fill any vacant slots, if necessary). You and your opponents receive the same sequence of shapes to stack, but forming lines triggers all manner of nasty effects targeting the “victim” (the player marked by the “kill” indicator at the bottom of the screen). These delightful sabotages range from adding incomplete lines to the victim’s playfield to unleashing a little critter that chomps through their carefully placed blocks, leaving behind a patchwork of holes. You can squash the critter with a brick, and it’ll leave a permanent bloodstain as a keepsake. How charming!
Once a countdown expires, the “victim” passes the baton—or the bullseye—to one of their opponents, who will then enjoy being the designated recipient of all mischief generated by their rivals’ line combos. Naturally, clearing more lines at once (three or even four) ramps up the mayhem. Some standout pranks include playing in the dark, receiving “special” (read: inconveniently shaped) bricks, or the pièce de résistance: erasing the boundary walls between playfields, so your bricks invade your neighbours’ spaces.
When a player is teetering on the edge of defeat, a deus ex machina in the form of a paddle appears at the top of their screen, transforming the game into a brief round of brick breaker. This handy intervention can clear some breathing room, but don’t dawdle: if a second player hits the top of the screen while you’re still playing “bat and ball”, it’s game over for both of you. Losers!
As far as I can tell, the computer’s skill level adjusts to yours. Win a match, and prepare to be thoroughly humbled in the next one.
Note: The game can only be launched from the Workbench.
If you’re in the mood for a modern spin on the concept, check out Tricky Towers (2016).
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