My Favorite Tetris Strategy - The Tetris Line Clear
If you're looking for a new Tetris tactic, definitely try the Tetris Line Clear!
If you’ve played Tetris for any length of time, you’ll know there are several different ways you can approach the game. Whether you prefer to use the T-Spin method, go line-by-line, or build a stack capable of scoring back-to-back Tetris Line Clears, the game is left open to a wide variety of playstyles. I’ve experimented with just about every strategy over the years, and my favorite by far is the Tetris Line Clear.
What is a Tetris Line Clear? This particular style of play focuses on the I-Tetrimino. To break it down further, the I-Tetrimino is that long, straight shape comprised of four blocks. It’s often one of the easiest Tetriminos to use, which makes it highly coveted by Tetris players. Rather than using this Tetrimino horizontally to build a quicker line, though, I prefer to use it vertically in order to garner a Tetris Line Clear.
Tetris Line Clears are one of the best ways to earn a high score in single-player modes, and are absolutely devastating when used in multiplayer; the latter being the most enjoyable way to use the Tetris Line Clear, as using it often results in your opponent being caught off-guard. If he or she has the misfortune of building their stack too high, you can use the Tetris Line Clear to send a huge wave of Garbage their way, potentially knocking them out right at the beginning of the game.
So, how exactly does the Tetris Line Clear work?
Photo Credit: © Tetris Online, Inc.
The Tetris Line Clear works when a player is comfortable rotating and fitting even the most complex of Tetriminos into place, as it requires you to build stacks without relying on the I-Tetrimino. Note that you can still use the I-Tetrimino freely if you receive one in the beginning of the game, but you’ll typically want to have one in the Hold Queue (the field to the left of the game screen where you can store a Tetrimino for later use). By keeping an I-Tetrimino in your Hold Queue, you’ll be prepared in the event your opponent slams you with a nasty pile of Garbage.
Garbage is the main reason why you want to avoid building your stack too high in Tetris, as nothing can knock you out faster than having your stack too close to the top of the Matrix. If you’re looking to utilize the Tetris Line Clear, you’ll only need to build a stack that’s 4-8 lines high, though you can go up to 12 lines. Keep in mind that building your stack higher than 10 lines can be risky, so if you’re a beginner, I strongly recommend building a stack that’s easy to manage (4-8 lines) in the event that you misplace a Tetrimino.
The key to using the Tetris Line Clear involves building a stack on either your left or right side (it doesn’t matter which). This will leave a small, open column on the end where you can drop a vertical I-Tetrimino. Once you have a stack that’s at least 4 lines high, simply rotate your next I-Tetrimino vertically, then Hard Drop it down into place to achieve a full Tetris Line Clear.
One reason why I prefer this method is because it’s generally more reliable than traditional line clears. By building your stacks around the Tetris Line Clear, you’ll be able to follow a relatively predictable pattern.
First, build your stack up at least 4 lines high, then wait for the I-Tetrimino. When the I-Tetrimino appears, rotate it into a vertical position, then Hard Drop it into place on either the left or right side of your stack (depending on where you built it). Continue to repeat this process throughout the match.
If you mess up, you can always switch over to a line-by-line method to clear your broken lines out of the way, thereby opening the path back up for the I-Tetrimino. Once you get the hang of the Tetris Line Clear, knocking out your opponents in multiplayer will be a breeze.
Plus, if your opponent utilizes the Tetris Line Clear, all you’ll need to do is make sure you’re faster than they are. This is all about practice, so remember to keep honing your skills until you become an undefeatable Tetris champion!
Don’t get discouraged if the Tetris Line Clear method doesn’t work for you, as there are other methods you can try that may suit you better. After all, the great thing about Tetris is how flexible it is. It doesn’t matter which way you clear lines in Tetris. At the end of the day, all that matters is that they’re gone for good!
