Tetris Friends

Tetris Friends was a Tetris game available on its own website. Registered users were able to compare their scores with their friends and with the entire community. It was the only official Flash implementation of Tetris made by the Tetris company itself with over a million registered users. A Facebook version was released and was available until 2012. On June 1, 2019, the game is no longer available, with Tetris Battle also not available.

Gameplay details

 * ARE: No
 * Initial actions (IRS,IHS): Yes (must be unlocked)
 * T-Spin detection
 * Website version
 * 1989 and N-Blox mode: None
 * All other modes: 3-corner T
 * Facebook version
 * Ultra, Battle+, and Battle+6P mode: 3-corner T
 * BlockStar mode: None
 * All other modes: 3-corner T no kick
 * Combo bonus: Yes

Expert Plus (E+) mode:


 * The assumption is that in all modes, combos above 12 will generate 5 lines for each line cleared.

Below is a table for Normal Mode and Expert Mode (Numbers in bold are different than E+ Mode):

Modes
There are 11 game modes available. The game features 6 single player modes and 5 multiplayer modes.

Marathon
A standard marathon mode with 15 levels. The game ends once level fifteen is completed, and the score is recorded and added to the high score list if the user has a registered account.

In both versions, this mode always starts from level 1.

The website version uses the variable goal system (5 for level 1, 10 for level 2, 15 for level 3, 20 for level 4, etc.).

The Facebook version has a different goal system (5 for levels 1-5, 10 for levels 6-10, and 15 for levels 11-15).

Scoring Strategy
Tetris Friends has a goal system where the way to get to the next level is to clear a certain number of goal lines that increases as the levels do. The optimal way to acheive a high score is using the Single-single combo strategy:

Post specifically about facebook tetris scoring strategy

YouTube - Higher Tetris Splash and Facebook Tetris marathon score's

Sprint
Clear 40 lines as fast as possible. Level is not selectable and fixed to 1. This is an excellent mode to practice in because it is the only 1P mode which has the same game mechanics as Arena with Expert Mode. The time required to clear all the lines is recorded as the score. When you reach the top of the screen, you lose the game, and the score will not be recorded.

Sprint 5P (Sprint 4P in Facebook)
In Sprint 5P, the player is playing against four opponents in Sprint mode. Opponents are just previously recorded games that were played by other people, or even the players themselves, based on your current rank. This mode uses slower gravity than normal Sprint and therefore has a heavy time penalty for all twists.

Arena
Arena is the only live multiplayer mode. This mode features realtime multiplayer for 2-6 players. There are currently 20 player ranks and 4 player classes. The player is awarded points based on how well they do, how many lines of garbage they sent, and how many people they KO'd.

Maps in arena: [http://fumen.zui.jp/?v110@/dQpibkzmbIwib0lssmb8ehbQpjbYimbkzjbIwsbAo?U2Alvs2AhJEfETorVBlvs2ACzDfETIXBBlvs2AhJEfETYJ+?Blvs2ADtDfETY5OBlvV6BlkAAAZd4ljb6lhb1lIw2lIw1lg?b0lIw0lIw0lIw0lIw0lgbEY2lwN3lgb0lIwMR2lgb8e0lgb?1lKwssIw0lEYhb1l8e3libcD3lMRsbAAANdTphbUpgbMRgb?NRgbTp8eMRhbMRhbRp8egb4GOR4GMRgbQp8eMRgbMRgb4Gg?b4GgbYiEYjbMRgbNRYiEYMRgbORgbMRgbYiFYMR4GMR4GMR?gbEYZiEYNRgbORbiIYgbZipbAAANdzNhbyNMRwNhbMRhboU?ORxNgbMRoU8eoU0lZiwNMRhb8eKw0lYiwNORoUIw2l8eoUM?RqUIw0lJwQpoUMRoUKw2lQpFYoUIw0lIw0lMRoUQpEYQpJw?0lJwgbpUWpIwoUQppbAAAWdEYlbHYjbGY6GibQp0lsUhbZi?8exNEYwNEY1laiPR4GlzIwBf4GibXK9e4GsslbJwgbLYss4?GpbAAAtdYisUxNgbYimboURpMRVpkzPRcDPRQpdiEYZi0l4?G3NgbVKRRUKqbAAAzbQpkzlbkzRpkzlbkzRpkzYijbYikzQ?paijbaiRpYiQphbQpYiTpYiQphbQpYiSpkzYiQphbQpYikz?RpkzYiQphbQpYikzRpkzYiQphbQpYikzRpkzYiQphbQpYik?zRpkzYiQphbQpYikzRpkzYiQphbQpYikzRpkzgbYipUYigb?kzRpssgbYipUYigbssQpMRgbYiMRdDMRUKgbMRgb0loUhbw?NgboU0lgb8eQpEY8eNRQpEYQp8eQphbYipUYihbSpZipUZi?RppbAwNdADHfhDvYHDBQGMSA1ds2BzXHDBQmsRA1jJ+BYAA?AAzbwNcDlbcDxNcDlbcDxNcDoUjboUcDwNqUjbqUxNoUwNh?bwNoUzNoUwNhbwNoUyNcDoUwNhbwNoUcDxNcDoUwNhbwNoU?cDxNcDoUwNhbwNoUcDwNMR4GEYMRhb0lssgb0lNRYijbYiM?R0lNR8eEYhbEY8eMR0lNR8eoUhboU8eMR0lNR8eoUhboU8e?MR0lNR8eoUhboU8eMR0lNR8eoUhboU8eMR0lNR8eEYhbEY8?eMR0lMRZijbZi0lPRhb3lpbAAApb8ekz8ejb8e0l8eQp8eY?ijbss8eIw8ekz8ejb8e0l8eQp8eYijbss8eIw8ekz8ejb8e?0l8eQp8eYijbss8eIw8ekz8ejb8e0l8eQp8eYijbss8eIw8?ekz8ejb8e0l8eQp8eYijbss8eIwgbIwgbEYhbcD4GwN4G0l?MRoUwNhbwN8eMREYgb0loUMRhbMRoUEY4G0lMREYoUhboUY?iMREYgb0lpUhbpUEY4G0lMREYoUhboUYiMREYgb0lpUhbpU?EY4G0lMREYMRhbMRYiMREYgb0lMRwNhbwNMREY4G0lgb8eE?YhbcDoU4GEYpbAAApbEYcDEYjbEYMREYwNEYoUjbUKEY4GE?YcDEYjbEYMREYwNEYoUjbUKEY4GEYcDEYjbEYMREYwNEYoU?jbUKEY4GEYcDEYjbEYMREYwNEYssnzYiEY4GYiwNYi0lhb0?lYigbYiEYIwss0lhb0lYiIwMRYigbIw0lhb0lIwQpYiEYIw?ss0lhb0lYiIwMRYigbYi0lhb0lYiQpYiEYIwss0lhb0lYiI?wMRYigbIw0lhb0lIwQpYiEYIw8e0lhb0loUIwMRYigbIw0l?hb0lIwQpYiEYIwss0lhb0lYiIwMRYigbIw0lhb0lIwQpYiE?YYi8e0lhb0loUYiMRpbAAAxchDhbPRhbQRdDMRhbMRdDMRE?YVKEYZiEYUKcDEYYicDoUYitsYipUYi8eMR9eRp8eNR8eoU?4GcDoU9eoU5GoUQphbQplzMRhbQpgbwNgbMR1lhbwNgb0lF?Y0lIwgb0lFY0lEYVKEYZiEYUKcDEYYicDoUYitsYipUYi/e?Rp8eMR9epbAAANdvUgboUUKgbbK2NgbxN0lYigbEYgbIwFY?ssQpUKMRdDwN4GgbcDgbEYYiEYMRgb8egbNRoUQpgbEY5Gw?NQp5GMRUKssQppU0lgbpUQp8ewNkzVK8egbVKMRFYMRxN0l?YiwNgb8eoUpbAAAsd8eRpEYcDRpoUEY8eEY1lMREYgb0lwN?MRoU8e1lEYMR1lYiwNEYgbtsoUwNgbssYiQpoUEYtsgboUt?s8eYiIwgblz4GUKgbkzss0lQpIwlzgb4GlzYisspbAwNeAU?E7QEJGFfETYJ+Blvs2ADtDfETY5OBlvV6BlkAAAZd5lkb3l?ibHY1loUwNpUgbqU9eYiNREYgbrU8eEYMRFYNRUKMR+exNo?UMRVKMRwN8eyNoUVKcDUK+e5G1N0lxNcDwNpbAAALd0lnb1?libQRgb0lgbkzhbPR1lgbQpQR8e0l8eoUQpIwGYYisslz8e?QpJwGYsskzvskzssEYLwQpsslzssMwMRoUsskzssMwORVpg?bMRpbAAALdMRnbNRnbNRgbcDlbNRgbcDkbORgbdDibMReDM?ReDibdDwN4GfDgbfDMRwNhb4GEYUKoUUKcD0lIw4GoUMRwN?EYwNdDYiQp0l4GoUUKEYgbMRgbIwpbAAAId1lnb1lnb0lob?1lnb1lnb0lob1lgbMREYkb1lhbwNMRdDEY4G8eUKoUgb9eI?wYi0lQpMRQpgbQpYi0lQpIwYissMRgbwNQp4GpbAAAIdNRn?bNRnbMRobNRnbNRibozQpibpzRpgblz+ehbMRoUCfgboU+e?MReDFY0lEYIwZiEYcDGY0lEYIwYiIwpbAAA1dhDibjDgbdD?GYibLYgbIYib/Ggb/GpbAwNMAl/m9BFwDfE038vB fumen]

Ultra
2 minute ultra mode. The goal is to score as many points as possibly you can within 2 minutes. In the Facebook version, the music is selectable from 5 songs. Only "Midnite" music is available in the website version. This mode was formerly known as Tetris Solo, additionally, a 3 minute mode was also available. Level is not selectable and fixed to 1. Scores are not recorded if a player tops out.

T-Spin with wall kick is allowed even if it is played in Facebook version. However there are some graphical glitches. If you perform TST, only the score marker (the floating "+1600" text) will be displayed.

Battle 2P
In Battle 2P, the player plays against a randomly selected opponent. As in Sprint 5P mode, opponents are just the previously recorded play. The goal is to KO the opponent three times by forcing them to reach the top of the screen. Garbage lines don't have holes. They can be removed by attacking the opponent. There is a two-minute time limit. If no one has won by the end of two minutes, the player that has been KO'd the most times loses. If both have the same number of KO's, then the player that sent the most lines of garbage to the other player is the winner.

Battle 6P
In this game, you play against five other opponents. There is a target that constantly alternates between the other five players. When garbage is sent by the player, the person that the target is current pointing at is the one that receives the garbage. KO's are awarded to the person that last sent garbage to the KO'd player, so timing of attacks is important in earning KO's. The last player standing after two minutes is the winner. If multiple people have not lost, then the player with the greatest difference in KO's to loses is the winner. If that is tied, then number of lines of garbage sent is the tie-breaker, as in Battle 2P. By doing well, the players can earn stars, which promotes them to new ranks. Doing poorly will cause players to lose stars. You can select a map. (the initial block patterns, as seen in TOJ)

Game Tunings
Game fine tuning is very expensive to be bought with tokens, but cheap with rubies. Very important, after purchasing these upgrades you must customize them on your profile page under "My Tetris Style" > Advanced for them to have actual effect. Two big upgrades are DAS and ARR. There are also two other upgrades which were designed to neutralize the effect of the 0.5 second line clear delay: IHS and IRS. It is recommended first to get 5 ARR, then at least 3 DAS, then IRS and IHS.


 * DAS - Delayed Auto Shift: controls how long it takes for a piece to start sliding once you hold left or right. The maximum (fifth) value may not be recommendable without excellent system performance, namely a good network and graphics card.


 * ARR - Auto Repeat Rate: controls how fast the pieces slide left and right.


 * IHS - Initial Hold System: allows holding the next piece during line clear delay.


 * IRS - Initial Rotation System: allows the next piece to be rotated during line clear delay.

Hidden Missions
As you complete premium missions, which cost rubies, you fill in a grid which will unlock hidden missions once you complete a row. Below are a list of the known hidden missions (acknowledgements to Bigwig, Pikiwedia, and Ravendarksky):
 * [Row 1 HM] For the Glory: Perform 10 Tetrises and 10 T-Spins in a single game of Marathon within 7 days.


 * [Row 2 HM] Hotline Deluxe: complete 10 hotlines in a single game of ultra in 7 days.

Comment: This one is annoying because by the third game the bar is so low it's easy to break above it. Losing a 2P game does not cause the 3 game consecutive to reset IIRC but breaking the limbo bar does.
 * [Row 3 HM] Limbo Bar Deluxe: Beat 3 games of 2p consecutively while staying under the limbo line.

Comment: While HMs 5 and 6 are currently unknown, this is reported to be the only mission that's fun or worthwhile.
 * [Row 4 HM] Hotlines: Complete all 40 lines on the HotLine.

Hidden Missions 5 and 6 currently do not exist because Tetris Friends has halted the development of premium missions.


 * [Row 5 HM] ?
 * [Row 6 HM] ?

Arena Modes
After progressing beyond the silver class, the option of Expert Mode and Expert Mode + become available when making a room. A Purple E or E+ in the upper right of a game room will indicate the mode. It is highly advised that all games be played in Expert + mode.

Expert Mode: Speed increase, consistent garbage shifting, and sequential targeting.


 * Speed increase means higher gravity which means that tspins are quicker and therefore more powerful. Your tspins will start to misfire if you jump back and forth from these gravity modes. The gravity in Sprint is the same as Expert mode while unfortunately Ultra, Battle 2P, Battle 6P, and even Sprint5P have that of normal gravity.


 * Consistent garbage shifting means that every discrete combo or line(s) cleared will create a hole in a different spot. In normal mode you tend to get only one giant hole which tends to make gameplay silly.


 * Sequential targeting means that the gunscope, which shows where your lines and/or items will be sent, will move predictably from left to right rather than randomly. But please be sportsman and do not abuse the targetting feature to bully other players.

Expert + Mode: Contains all features of Expert Mode plus the following: garbage block, combo attack adjustments, and extended time.


 * Garbage block was adapted from Tetris Online Japan (TOJ) and gives you an opportunity to combo to stall and/or counter your red bar. The red bar shows how many lines will be sent to you unless you combo. When you lower the red bar to counter, your lines are absorbed and none are sent to other players and those lines will not be a part of your "lines sent" total at the end of the match. Surplus lines after the red bar is eliminated will be sent.


 * Combo attack adjustments. As consistent garbage shifting makes combos much more deadly since they produce messy garbage, the number of lines sent from combos is slightly reduced as shown in the chart.


 * Extended time. The hurry-up garbage begins at 2 minutes.

Survival
This mode features similar objective as marathon, but has different goal system. Level advances by clearing every 10 lines. After beating 20 levels, you'll enter the "Bonus Level". The bonus level is semi-invisible challenge, and the game continues until you top out. This mode is available only in website version. In Facebook version it was available as a Holiday mode, but it isn't available.

1989
This mode simulates the Game Boy version of Tetris, but it is inaccurate. For example, DAS is somewhat faster, the gravity at level 15 is slower than original, and it has lock delay (Tetrominos lock down when soft dropped). In most regards, the rotation in this mode resembles the one used in Tetris DX, except only S and Z twists can be performed. Both the A and B type game can be played, but B-type game doesn't have a separate leaderboard.

N-Blox
Although this is not a real game mode, it can be played in website version.

The mode is meant to feel old-school, so most features in modern Tetris games, like Holds or longer Next Queues, do not appear.

Unlike other modes, you can't change keyboard mappings in this game.

The mode was developed by Paul Neave, who is known for his Chrome Experiments and flash games, making N-Blox the only mode in Tetris Friends developed by a third party.

Acorn Drop
A 150 lines marathon game based on the Ice Age animated film series. All pieces have the same colors and designs, that of an acorn. This was a promotional game and is no longer available.

BlockStar
This mode is a remake of the first Tetris game released on Facebook. It has classic game elements: no Hold Queue, no Ghost Piece, classic lock (no lock delay), only one piece preview, endless game time, etc.. This mode is unavailable.