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Tetris is comprised of a single tall, black rectangular screen. A series of coloured angular shapes fall from the top to rest at the bottom. There are six different shapes, and as they fall the player steers them left and right, and rotates them through right angles by consecutive presses of the fire button. Shapes may be dropped instantly, or paused in mid-flight, but cannot be completely removed once in motion.

The objective is to guide the shapes so that they interlink to form a solid block across the bottom of the playing screen. Whenever an unbroken horizontal bar is formed, it is immediately erased, and all the lines above are moved down to fill its place.

If the player repeatedly fails to form solid lines, the stack of shapes continues to grow until it reaches the top of the screen, at which point the game ends.

Well, from the ingenuity of Nebulus, we now have a game that takes simplicity to a ludicrous extreme. Tetris is so unbelievably simple that it seems impossible that no-one has had the idea beore.

It looks pathetically simple when you're watching, but suddenly becomes more difficult when you start playing. The graphics aren't anything special, but far from harming the gameplay, it enhances it. In any case, your senses are more than occupied with the wonderfully hypnotic soundtrack.

I hope that Tetris will finally prove to programmers that it's the gameplay and addictiveness, not extravagance and flair, that make a game enjoyable.

The best ideas are always the simplest. That's a phrase that springs to mind when considering the pros and cons of Mirrorsoft's Tetris. The graphics are adequate and the soundtrack is great, but it's the gameplay alone that provides an irresistible lure. The concept is laughably lure.

The concept is laughably simple, but it's always the game that has the last laugh: it has a voracious appetite and threatens to consume your every waking moment. Dinnertimes come and go, evenings are destroyed and sleep is a thing of the past.

You can buy it. You can look at it. You can take the cassette out of the box. But load it at your peril...

What we have here is one of the all-time computer classics. At first glance, it's difficult to believe Tetris would hold your attention for more than a few minutes - but I'm afraid that's one of the worst assumptions you could ever make. Tetris is addictive - unbelievably addictive - and it holds your attention and keeps you coming back for more.

It's an incredibly simple concept to grasp, so easy that anyone can play it - and play they do! We've been sneaking goes at every available opportunity - morning, noon and night! I can't quite put my finger on what makes it so incredibly addictive, but one thing's for sure - it's perfectly simple, and simply perfect.

Presentation 79%
Nothing to shout about, with a simple choice of ten levels, and an option for music or sound effects.

Graphics 67%
Very simple game graphics, complemented by a gorgeous title screen.

Sound 98%
An exquisite 25-minute soundtrack runs throughout.

Hookability 97%
Pure, inspired addiction.

Lastability 93%
The game gets progressively harder, but allows enough advancement to give encouragement.

Overall 94%
Addictive, original, and simply brilliant.