Written by: Shauli Zacks

Whether you’re a child of the ’80s and ’90s looking for nostalgia or you enjoy a quick game that makes you think – Tetris is the perfect game for you.

Electronic Arts (EA) used to have an excellent version of Tetris, but they recently removed the option to download the game, so I went and found the next best version of the game. Follow the steps below and download it for free today.

How to Download Tetris for Free

  1. Click on the Download button on the sidebar to jump directly to the Tetris download page on the Crystal Systems website.
  2. Click on the Download Now button. I had some trouble downloading the game while using Chrome; I had to right-click my mouse and choose the Open link in new tab option for the download to begin. I tested it on Firefox and Microsoft Edge, and the download started once I clicked the button.
    Download Tetris
  3. After the file downloads to your computer, double click on the file to open the installation wizard.
  4. As you follow the instructions in the installation wizard, you will come to a page for downloading a program called WinLock. This is one of the Crystal Office programs, and there is no way to skip the step or refuse the installation. However, it doesn’t install the WinLock software, just browser notifications for the program, which you can turn off in your browser settings.
    WinLock crystal Systems
  5. After you click Next, Tetris will be installed and automatically on your computer.

How to Completely Uninstall Tetris

If you’re done playing Tetris, you can easily uninstall the game from your computer. Check out the free alternatives for Tetris for some more exciting games.

  1. Type in Add or Remove Programs in the Windows search bar.
    Add or Remove Program
  2. Scroll through the list of programs until you find Tetris and click uninstall.
    Uninstall Tetris
  3. The uninstallation wizard will completely remove Tetris from your computer.

Tetris Overview

Tetris offers more than just entertainment; it also enhances your cognitive abilities. While the blocks descend, you’ll be required to think, assess, strategize, and tackle challenges. As you clear lines and progress to higher levels, the game’s pace intensifies, presenting greater difficulty.

Tetris Game Play

Tetris uses the same seven shapes as the original Nintendo game. The only thing missing is the classic Tetris music.

How to Score Points

Each piece has a set value when it starts to fall on the board. Each time you move or rotate the piece, it decreases the point value. Therefore, if points are important for you, think about where each piece will go so that you can retain as much value as possible for each piece.

You can earn more points by removing multiple lines at once:

  • One Row: 100 points
  • Two Rows: 200 points
  • Three Rows: 400 points
  • Four Rows: 800 points

If you have the piece preview feature turned on, it will reduce the amount of possible points. Tetris saves your scores and adds them to your personal leaderboard. Challenge yourself or others in your house and see who can have the most points.

Tetris Features

Once you get the hang of Tetris, you might find the beginning of a game slow. You can find this by changing the starting level. The piece’s falling speed increases with each level.

Tetris Starting levels.

Change your Starting Level to increase the game speed

If just adding speed isn’t enough for you, go to the Starting Rows feature in the options menu and add randomly placed pieces on the board. This adds a whole new challenge to the game as you have to fill in the gaps to create lines.

Starting rows

The game begins with randomly placed blocks on the board

Tips and Strategies

  • If you’re new to Tetris, use the Piece Preview option. This shows you what the next piece is, and it will help you decide where to place the current piece.
  • Try to avoid building tall stacks. When possible, spread the pieces out on the same level, making it easier to remove them.
  • While getting 4 lines in a row, or a “Tetris,” is worth the most amount of points, intentionally leaving a deep hole that only the skinny stick can fit in can backfire pretty quickly.
  • When the piece falls on a surface, if you act fast, you can move it one space to the right or left.

Free Alternatives to Tetris

  • Minecraft: Let your imagination run wild and build all types of structures, creatures, cities, and more when you play the super popular, multiplayer online game, Minecraft. Invite your friends to your world or go and see what they’re doing. Just beware of the night monsters, and use your imagination to protect your characters.
  • Roblox: Roblox is a multiplayer gaming platform with millions of games that were created by other Roblox players. Team up with friends and have beauty contests, navigate your way around obstacle courses, play first shooter games, and much more. You can also create your own game and let your imagination run wild.

FAQ

Is Tetris really free?

There are many different versions of Tetris online. Some are free, while others may cost money. I found a completely free version of Tetris, and you can download it for free by following the steps listed above.
Is Tetris safe?

I tested the Tetris file in VirusTotal, which scans the file with 70 premium antivirus programs, and none of them found any viruses or malware. The installer does install a browser ad for one of the developer’s other products. This can be annoying, but not harmful to your computer or your online security.

Can I play Tetris online with friends?

Unfortunately, Tetris is a single-player game, and there are no ways to challenge your friends directly. However, you can track your scores on the leaderboard and share them with your friends to determine the Tetris champ.
Download Tetris now!