TGM legend

Standard and usual acronyms File:50%.png

• TGM : Tetris The Grand Master (is often used to refer to the serie in general).
• TAP : Tetris The Absolute Grand Master 2 +.
• Ti  : Tetris The Grand Master 3 Terror Instinct.
• ARS : Arika Rotation System.
• SRS : Super Rotation System.
• IRS : Initial Rotating System.
• IHS : Initial Holding System.
• GRS : Grade Recognition System.
• TLS : Temporary Landing System.
• TTC : The Tetris Company.
• BPS : Bullet Proof Software / Blue Planet Software (right ?).
  
  
  
  
  

Basic Terms File:25%.png

There is a lot of appelation standard on Tetris Games and TGM have interesting specification. To avoid confusion we list here the basic. All term are not yet listed, and the order is still not fixed.

Block File:25%.png

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The Block is a single square grid cell. It is used in several way like the garbage, stack, Active and next Tetrimino and so on.

TetraminoFile:75%.png

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In Japanese or even in general common usage, the word "block" can refer to both Tetramino piece or single grid cell. Another annoying fact, is that there is several syntaxe for the same word :

• Tetramino (commonly used is Japan)
• Tetromino (mathematical term)
• Tetrimino (TTC term)

To avoid any confusion we will alway use the word "Tetramino" instead of "block", "piece" or "tetra".

4 blocks arranged into a shape give the tetramino. There is 7 differents tetramino, each one with a specific color. TGM inherits its piece colors and rotation rules from Sega's 1988 arcade version of Tetris. But with the release of Ti and ACE, SRS has been added, witch mean different initial orientation and block color shape. It is also a common usage to refering to them by a single letter instead of color :

I, L, J, S, Z, T and O Tetramino from the ARS.

I, L, J, S, Z, T and O Tetramino from the SRS.

Tetrion File:25%.png

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Sometimes called the "outfit Frame" or more simply the "box that surround the game". Certainly you have never hear about this word and you will never use it but this is the official designation from TTC and i just mension it for avoiding confusion between game part description and for example, the next definition.

TAP Easy

TAP Master

TAP Death

TAP TGM+

PlayField File:25%.png

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The playfield is surrounded by the tetrion. The standard size is fixed to a grid of 10 blocks length and 20 blocks height. In fact the playfield usable space is 22 blocks height. 2 "vanished lines" are available on the upper part of the Tetrion. If you stack Tetrimino on this 2 lines the blocks remaining on this part are not visible, but still exist. They will become visible again with next cleared lines.

SRS Vanish zone example.

Stack File:25%.png

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Each time a tetramino is locked in the playfield, it become part of the stack. Building perfect stack is the very essence of all Tetris game witch mean stacking tetramino in a clean manner without encircled hole. Several other Tetris games propose stacking challenge and TGM have it's own like the '>' shape secret grade.

' > ' Secret grade.

Garbage File:25%.png

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Garbage is also part of the stack but is the consequence of your VS opponent multiple cleared lines. Garbage Appear from the bottom of the playfield and push up the current Stack. Generally grey filled lines with an empty hole (the hole position determination is actually unclear), the garbage lines count is directly dependant of the opponent cleared rows count.
Garbage also appear in Ti Shirase mode from level ??? to level ??? in in defined time interval...

Row File:25%.png

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Filling a line without hole, will produce a row, also simply called "cleared line". rows are always deleted before the next tetramino distribution. All stack part upon the row are dropped down to the row equivalent. there is 4 differents row denominations :

• Single : 1 row.
• Double : 2 rows.
• Triple : 3 rows.
• Tetris : 4 rows.

There is no explicit denomination when you clear more rows (eg. Big mode).

Tetris File:25%.png

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Erasing 4 rows is rewarded as a Tetris.

Combo File:25%.png

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uninterrupted Rows sequence from a distributed tetramino continuation. Usually, a Combo reward more points especially for rows that follow a Tetris (eg TGM & TAP).

Bravo File:25%.png

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When you succeed to clear all playfield stack content after a row. You are rewarded with a "Bravo" pop up screen (a.k.a. "All clear"). On TGM and TAP, you earn extra bonus points by multiplying current combo by 4.

Frame File:25%.png

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Before being a game, Tetris is basically a program. The frame is the shortest time indice in TGM. The game is running to a fixed value of 60 frames per seconds. A lot of Technical concept analysis use the Frame as scale value instead of seconds.

• Input retreive data
• Main program processing
• Output update (display/sound)

Step File:25%.png

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Step definition.

Move/shift File:25%.png

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Move definition.

Rotation File:25%.png

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Rotation definition.

Delayed Auto Shift (DAS) File:25%.png

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DAS definition.

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Gravity Unit (G)File:25%.png

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Gravity definition. it shows [drop lines / frame]. TGM field's height is 20, so max is 20G.

0.0156G

1G

5G

20G

Drop File:25%.png

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Drop definition.

Sonic Drop File:25%.png

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Sonic Drop definition. force landing a current block.

lock Delay File:25%.png

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Lock Delay definition.

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Initial Rotating System (IRS) File:25%.png

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IRS definition.

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Initial Holding System (IHS)File:25%.png

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IHS definition.

Temporary Landing System (TLS) File:25%.png

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TLS definition.

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Level File:25%.png

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Level definition. it shows game progress state. Level = Number of appeared Blocks + Number of erased Lines.

Level Step File:25%.png

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LevelStep definition. Normally the level increases by a block appearing, but if the level is x99(like 099, 199, ...) then we can increase Level only to erase lines.

Grade Recognition System (GRS) File:25%.png

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GRS definition.

WallKick File:25%.png

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WallKick definition.

Synchro File:25%.png

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Synchro definition.

Arika Rotating System (ARS) File:25%.png

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ARS definition.

Super Rotating System (SRS) File:25%.png

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SRS definition.

ARE File:75%.png

ARE is the period of time between the lockdown of the previous piece and the appearance of the next piece. Depending on the level, the amount of ARE may shorten.

During ARE

During ARE, the player must wait for the next piece to appear, and cannot actively cause anything to happen. However, ARE serves as a time for the player to input DAS, IRS and IHS actions which will be processed in the moment ARE finishes and the next piece appears.

Word Origin

ARE is a word of Japanese origin, and though it looks like an acronym, it does not stand for anything. It derives from the Japanese word, "あれ (are)," pronounced "a ray" quickly. The word "あれ" is a demonstrative pronoun, literally translating to "it" or "that". Japanese players originally referred to this in-between time using the word "あれ" as there was no good word to describe it. The capital letter alphabet form "ARE" (pronounced ay arr ee) became popular when someone wrote it in that form, possibly owing to its cooler, acronym-like look.

The Existence and Lack of ARE

ARE is a vital gameplay factor in TGM, as its existence allows for many systems like 20G, DAS, IRS and IHS to exist. They do not exist, however, in popular American versions such as Tetrinet and most Tetris Worlds-compliant games. It is debated whether the lack of ARE is a requirement in the World guidelines or not; TGM3 (Ti) and TGMA in particular, do have ARE even though they seem to follow the guidelines.