Have a few minutes to kill here and there? Sandtrix could be what you need. It's free, has a Linux version and got the attention of Tetris Holding, LLC under the previous name Setris so it got a DMCA takedown but now it's back. But for how long?
The original page on itch.io for Setris is gone and just has a link to the copyright complaint from Tetris Holdings, because the Setris name was so similar (and it noted the use of a "Russian Folk Song Registered Trademark") on top of that. So the developer has renamed it to Sandtrix and put it back up. I wasn't even aware of it until now thanks to the DMCA so it's actually given it a bit of a boost.
Quite a fun spin on the basic idea of falling blocks. They come down in the usual shapes, but when they hit the bottom or some sand already there, they crumble into pieces. You need to cover an entire row from left to right in one colour to have it vanish and up your score. Really sweet to kill a few minutes.
Head to the itch.io page to check it out.
Looking around it probably got the attention of Tetris Holding because Kotaku and RPS both covered it recently when it was called Setris. So they must have people constantly looking around for anything resembling Tetris to strike.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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16 comments
hardpenguin Jun 6, 2023
Developers are being hounded because of the Tetris trademark for decades now. Which is why we are seeing titles like "falling blocks" or "form a line".
5 Likes, Who?
That one inovative idea. I've tried it for the last 10m, it's fun and a bit weird to play after all those decades playing the original one. It is stimulating enough for me to want to play it again.
3 Likes, Who?
So they must have people constantly looking around for anything resembling Tetris to strike.They do! They're very protective of their trademarks - though I'm not sure how they've gotten one on Korobeiniki, unless it applies to a specific modern-day arrangement that they own?
As soon as I saw the article, I was instantly reminded of a very old homebrew Tetris clone that was originally called Tetanus, but then ended up being renamed to "Lockjaw".
Anyway, I'm glad that this has had more attention drawn to it as a result of the legal stuff - I quite like Tetris and fun clones thereof, and will have to take a look at this one.
3 Likes, Who?
hardpenguin Jun 6, 2023
No wonder they changed the nameAccording to this page, it was ultimately lawsuited out of existence, too, and I found this statement (presumably published afterwards?) to be eye-opening. Looks like Sandtrix got off lightly!
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pleasereadthemanual Jun 6, 2023
Wait, the DMCA can be used for Trademark cases as well as Copyright cases? I thought, you know, being the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it was only for Copyright...
Actually, you CAN'T use DMCA takedowns for trademarks: https://theholmesfirm.com/takedown-notices-why-trademarks-and-copyrights-are-so-valuable-but-can-lead-to-damages-for-infringers/
But itch.io has some guidelines in their acceptable use terms which say games shouldn't infringe on trademarks, as Tetris Holding quotes.
Anyway, this DMCA takedown notice is pretty confusing.
They say they're the copyright holders of some registrations regarding Tetris:
So I looked up PA (Performing Arts) 412170 on cocatalog.loc.gov, the US government's copyright database for works registered after 1978. You haven't needed to register copyright for your works for about 100 years because it is applied automatically, but it's useful in the US if you want to litigate. No other countries have a copyright registration process anymore.
Anyway, the website is pretty terrible and confusing. Once I figured out how to search the site, I realized there is next to no information about these records, so that was pretty pointless. Setris was not redistributing Tetris, nor did they reproduce Tetris assets like the images, so this is irrelevant anyway. Copyright infringement exists in only a limited form in video games (game mechanics, and any other functional elements—in addition to the overall idea—of a game are not copyrightable). Not grounds for a DMCA...
So, I did search for this trademark registration, but all I could find was this 1937 registration which is dead.
You can't trademark the content of songs, anyway...what are they claiming Setris did? Used the name of the song, "Russian Folk Song"? What is the name of the song? Incredibly confusing. More than likely this is standard legalese to establish Tetris Holding as the owner of relevant trademarks.
In any case, here's an interesting aside about Tetris' music in all its incarnations: https://www.kmfa.org/pages/3159-the-cross-cultural-tetris-theme-song
This Russian Folk song is over 130 years old, and is well and truly in the public domain, but that doesn't matter at all for trademarks, of course.
This makes perfect sense. Setris is very similar to Tetris, and it's a pretty similar game. Classic trademark infringement.
They then go on to say one of the claims they're pursuing is a copyright infringement...on their trademark?
They appear to be confused. Or I'm confused. You can't trademark the content of the music! You can copyright the music, but then why are they talking about the trademark? And I have no idea what this song is, because the only songs I can find for Tetris are extremely old ones in the public domain.
And now they're talking about copyright again. I really have no idea what they're trying to convey here.
Tetris Holding is completely within their right to pursue this trademark violation and I have no doubt they would win any case they bring to court. The Russian Folk Song trademark is bananas though.
What I've learned from this is that navigating government sites for copyright/trademark information is not fun.
Last edited by pleasereadthemanual on 6 June 2023 at 3:01 pm UTC
Actually, you CAN'T use DMCA takedowns for trademarks: https://theholmesfirm.com/takedown-notices-why-trademarks-and-copyrights-are-so-valuable-but-can-lead-to-damages-for-infringers/
But itch.io has some guidelines in their acceptable use terms which say games shouldn't infringe on trademarks, as Tetris Holding quotes.
Anyway, this DMCA takedown notice is pretty confusing.
They say they're the copyright holders of some registrations regarding Tetris:
Tetris Holding is the owner of copyright in the Tetris® game throughout the world, including U.S. copyright registrations PAu 1,214,036; PAu 1,214,035; PA 412,169; and PA 412,170.
So I looked up PA (Performing Arts) 412170 on cocatalog.loc.gov, the US government's copyright database for works registered after 1978. You haven't needed to register copyright for your works for about 100 years because it is applied automatically, but it's useful in the US if you want to litigate. No other countries have a copyright registration process anymore.
Anyway, the website is pretty terrible and confusing. Once I figured out how to search the site, I realized there is next to no information about these records, so that was pretty pointless. Setris was not redistributing Tetris, nor did they reproduce Tetris assets like the images, so this is irrelevant anyway. Copyright infringement exists in only a limited form in video games (game mechanics, and any other functional elements—in addition to the overall idea—of a game are not copyrightable). Not grounds for a DMCA...
Additionally, Tetris Holding is the owner of a sound trademark registrations throughout the world for the Russian folk song that plays during Tetris®, including U.S. Trademark Reg. No. 351007 (the “Russian Folk Song Registered Trademark”)
So, I did search for this trademark registration, but all I could find was this 1937 registration which is dead.
You can't trademark the content of songs, anyway...what are they claiming Setris did? Used the name of the song, "Russian Folk Song"? What is the name of the song? Incredibly confusing. More than likely this is standard legalese to establish Tetris Holding as the owner of relevant trademarks.
In any case, here's an interesting aside about Tetris' music in all its incarnations: https://www.kmfa.org/pages/3159-the-cross-cultural-tetris-theme-song
The song Type A, from the 1989 Nintendo Game Boy release of "Tetris," is a major artifact in both game music and cultural history. ... However, the true name of Tetris’ beloved theme isn’t "Type A," it’s actually Korobeiniki. Based on a Russian poem of the same name by Nikolay Nekrasov, the song is not about falling blocks but a traveling peddler who attempts to woo a woman. How did a 130-year-old Russian folk song make its way into a Japanese gaming machine?
This Russian Folk song is over 130 years old, and is well and truly in the public domain, but that doesn't matter at all for trademarks, of course.
and numerous trademark registrations around the world for the designation TETRIS, including U.S. Trademark Reg. Nos. 880871, 2362238, 3818232, and 3518292.
This makes perfect sense. Setris is very similar to Tetris, and it's a pretty similar game. Classic trademark infringement.
They then go on to say one of the claims they're pursuing is a copyright infringement...on their trademark?
This letter is a notice of infringement pursuant to § 512(c) of the U.S. Copyright Law (section 512 is known as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) (“DMCA”) ... During the Infringing Game, the music that is the subject of the Russian Folk Song Registered Trademark plays.
They appear to be confused. Or I'm confused. You can't trademark the content of the music! You can copyright the music, but then why are they talking about the trademark? And I have no idea what this song is, because the only songs I can find for Tetris are extremely old ones in the public domain.
The Infringing Game trespasses on the copyrights in the Tetris® game because it reproduces copyrightable expression from our client’s game and was created and is being distributed on your website without our client’s prior permission or authorization.
And now they're talking about copyright again. I really have no idea what they're trying to convey here.
Tetris Holding is completely within their right to pursue this trademark violation and I have no doubt they would win any case they bring to court. The Russian Folk Song trademark is bananas though.
What I've learned from this is that navigating government sites for copyright/trademark information is not fun.
Last edited by pleasereadthemanual on 6 June 2023 at 3:01 pm UTC
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It's funny, part of the Tetris resemblance is actually pointless from a gameplay perspective. I mean, as far as I can tell it doesn't matter much what shape the things are coming down because they just turn into sand on contact, so they could just be blobs (narrower and taller or wider and flatter) coming down and it would work the same. But they use the Tetris shapes just for the evocation of Tetris-ness.
4 Likes, Who?
It's funny, part of the Tetris resemblance is actually pointless from a gameplay perspective. I mean, as far as I can tell it doesn't matter much what shape the things are coming down because they just turn into sand on contact, so they could just be blobs (narrower and taller or wider and flatter) coming down and it would work the same. But they use the Tetris shapes just for the evocation of Tetris-ness.I have noiced ha you make frequen use of he leer , which bears an uncanny resembly o a eris block. Boh upper and lowercase, oo!
his is unaccepable, herefore I mus noify he eris lawyers immediaely!
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his is unaccepable, herefore I mus noify he eris lawyers immediaely!Even worse, the second part of the name starts with a tetronimo. The name should be changed to Purple ibrary Guy immediately
3 Likes, Who?
According to this page, it was ultimately lawsuited out of existence, too, and I found this statement (presumably published afterwards?) to be eye-opening.I can't express how frustrating it is to read about their actions.
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I can't express how frustrating it is to read about their actions.Yeah, and that view on open software comes across as downright prehistoric, considering when it was apparently said.
I'm not going to judge the present stuff on that basis, though, since people and their opinions change, and that might have happened in the meantime - I haven't heard of any more recent interviews, so I don't know either way.
Last edited by Pengling on 6 June 2023 at 9:46 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
Craggles086 Jun 7, 2023
So they must have people constantly looking around for anything resembling Tetris to strike.They do! They're very protective of their trademarks - though I'm not sure how they've gotten one on Korobeiniki, unless it applies to a specific modern-day arrangement that they own?
As soon as I saw the article, I was instantly reminded of a very old homebrew Tetris clone that was originally called Tetanus, but then ended up being renamed to "Lockjaw".
Anyway, I'm glad that this has had more attention drawn to it as a result of the legal stuff - I quite like Tetris and fun clones thereof, and will have to take a look at this one.
Yeah, We need more Tetris clones.
Kind of wish Tetris Holdings would get off their bottoms and release some Tetris Clones themselves, either that, or new content.
Sick of people sitting on their trademarks and doing nothing with them, other then a few retro titles that feel like they have been created in Flash or Java.
Looking at you Taito
Was a Tetris Clone called Falling Up that flipped the axis on you in the middle of the game. Was kinda cool.. :)
Last edited by Craggles086 on 7 June 2023 at 7:55 am UTC
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2fastHunter Jun 7, 2023
Great idea. Will there be some sort of colour blind mode? 
0 Likes
Looking at you TaitoYou can blame Square-Enix for that, since they bought Taito years ago.
That said, I quite enjoyed Bubble Bobble 4 Friends for what it was.Was a Tetris Clone called Falling Up that flipped the axis on you in the middle of the game. Was kinda cool.. :)I discovered a really good NES homebrew Tetris clone, titled "From Below"; Its twist is that there's a Kraken interfering with the game!
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Tricky Towers is my favourite 3rd-party spin on the Tetris concept... the goal is piling up the blocks instead of destroying filled up rows, and 2D-physics is applied so the tower of blocks tends to get unstable, the blocks can fall irregularly, etc
This one looks so different too! It definitely made me want to play it :)
Last edited by Marlock on 8 June 2023 at 6:58 pm UTC
This one looks so different too! It definitely made me want to play it :)
Last edited by Marlock on 8 June 2023 at 6:58 pm UTC
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