Tetris Party Deluxe is a unique game to the franchise, but it still falls short of being a masterpiece.
There are a variety of modes to get you started. There are single player, multiplayer, beginner's Tetris, online, managing data, tutorial, records, and options modes.
In the single player modes, you can to marathon, computer battle, field climber, shadow, stage racer, sprint, master mode, and bombliss mode. In marathon mode, you just play regular Tetris. In computer battle, you can play against the AI opponents. In field climber, you can aid the climber to go through checkpoints to help him complete his goal. In shadow mode, you use tetriminos to fill up the shadowed space. In stage racer, you move a tetrimino through a course to reach a goal. In sprint mode, you try to clear forty lines while racing. In master mode, you try to think quickly as the tetriminos drop immediately. Finally, in bombliss mode, you use bombs to demolish the blocks.
In multiplayer, you can use versus battle/battle auto handicap to compete against three additional players. In versus field climber mode, the primary objectives are to reach the goal first or climb the highest. In versus hot lines mode, you try to clear the highlighted lines before your friends do. In versus shadow mode, the winner fills the greatest area first. In versus stage racer mode, the person who reaches the goal first wins. In duel spaces mode, you try to compete for enclosed areas that are in a wide Matrix. In co-op Tetris, you work with your friends to clear lines in a wide Matrix. In co-op versus co-op mode, you compete two-on-two in the same Matrix. In versus sprint/versus sprint auto handicap mode, who ever completed the number of lines first is the winner.
In beginner's Tetris, you can do beginner's marathon and all clear sprint. In beginner's marathon, you play with simple shapes and a small Matrix. In all clear sprint mode, you try to complete twenty clears by racing. In online mode, you can play against random people in world battle mode. You can also play against friends in friend battle mode, view your friend roster, and can adjust the Wii speak chat settings.
Finally in the balance board modes, you can use the basic balance controls in balance marathon mode. In balance ultra mode, you can play with using the basic balance board controls for three minutes. Finally, in balance computer battle, you can play against the AI opponents by using the balance board.
In records mode, you can view your personal records (personal records and performance graphs), world ranking (internet records), and results for viewing your achievements. In world ranking mode, you can view your world battle by global ranking, by country, region, and friend ranking. In world battle, you can view your global and friend ranking. In local play ranking, you can view your global and friend ranking as well.
Graphics - The graphics in Tetris Party Deluxe might not be the best looking or most realistic, but they do have some background environments. I do agree that the colors of the graphics are pretty bland and plain looking. However, your Mii avatar will appear of the screen you play any game modes. When you view the menus, the backgrounds move around and aren't animated the best.
Sound - The music is just as generic and forgettable as the graphics because it doesn't really fit into a Tetris theme music. It's pretty difficult to describe the actual music because it can sound annoying when you listen to it over and over again.
Game play - However the core game play is certainly better than the plain graphics and sounds. The controls are spot on without any major problems, and the tetriminos fall down fast from time to time. When you compete against others online, power-ups are being used to defeat your opponents. It certainly makes this more challenging, but it can also be quite frustrating that the game always ends fast and you end up losing a lot when power-ups are always being used on you.
Lasting appeal - The variety and content of different single and multiplayer modes are fun and competitive for a good while, but you might grow bored of playing Tetris in minutes or a few hours.
The good - tons of content and a variety of single and multiplayer local/online modes
The bad- online mode can be frustrating at times; graphics and sounds are too plain
Presentation- 10
Graphics- 5
Sound- 4
Game play- 8
Lasting appeal-8
GameSpot Score 7 out of 10