Tetris DX is Nintendo's Game Boy Color take on Tetris, developed by Nintendo R&D1. It came out in Japan on October 21, 1998, in North America on November 18, 1998, and in the UK on December 3, 1998.
The game keeps the core of the original Game Boy Tetris but adds color and save data: up to four players can store their names, high scores and a Power Rating. Next to the classic Marathon mode it offers Ultra, where you clear as many lines as possible in two minutes, 40 Lines, a race against the clock from a chosen level and height, and a Vs mode against the computer or a second player over the Game Link Cable.
Reviewers liked the additions, although some felt that owners of the original did not need it and missed part of the old background music. On December 12, 2024, Tetris DX joined Nintendo Switch Online together with the NES version of Tetris.12
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Tetris DX | Game Boy Color | Nov 18, 1998 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | テトリスDXTetorisu Derakkusu | Game Boy Color | Oct 21, 1998 | Nintendo | 2 |
| EU | Tetris DXUK date; Wikipedia lists the wider European release only as 1999 | Game Boy Color | Dec 3, 1998 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Tetris DXAdded to the Game Boy library of Nintendo Switch Online (Nintendo Classics) | Switch | Dec 12, 2024 | Nintendo | 3 |
Also known as: Tetorisu Derakkusu JP2
Box art by region
NA Tetris DX 
EU Tetris DX
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
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GameplayTetris DX (GBC)Tetris (Game Boy)
Compared with the original Game Boy Tetris, DX adds color, save slots for up to four named players with high scores and a Power Rating, and the new Ultra, 40 Lines and computer Vs modes.1
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AudioTetris DX (GBC)
Some critics missed part of the original game's background music, which DX left out.1
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DifficultyTetris DX (GBC)
Electronic Gaming Monthly found DX easier than the original because the pieces arrive in a less erratic order.1
Where to play legally today
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Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
Tetris DX (Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online)
Game Boy Color original
Checked: 2026-10-133gameinformer.com
Reception
Critics praised the new modes and mostly saw it as an improvement over the original: GameSpot gave it 9/10, Game Informer 8.5/10 and Jeuxvideo.com 16/20. Some reviewers felt owners of the original Game Boy Tetris could skip it. Several retrospective lists place it among the best Game Boy Color games.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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