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.
Quoting: PenglingAccording 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.
Quoting: KlaasI 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
Craggles086 Jun 7, 2023
Quoting: PenglingQuoteSo 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
2fastHunter Jun 7, 2023
Quoting: Craggles086Looking 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.Quoting: Craggles086Was 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!
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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