Every Tetris block – reviewed

1. The J piece

The J is a creative workhorse – like England midfielder James Milner, but smaller and more angular. It has decent attacking ability, slipping into tight gaps and regularly scoring three-liners. But its shape also makes it a good defensive performer, able to fit neatly into corners and providing a decent platform from which to build.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✭✩

2. The L piece

Does pretty much the same work as the J, but from the other side of the field.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✭✩

3. The S piece

A superbly creative block which regularly holds the key to a good score. Can be difficult to work with defensively though.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✩✩

4. The T piece

The most underrated block in the game, the T can do anything you ask of it. Its rotational abilities give it a flexibility that the other pieces just can’t compete with and it rarely lets the side down. Other blocks want to be it, or sleep with it, or both.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✭✭

5. The Z piece

A waste of space, put on this Earth by Satan to increase our blood pressure. All it takes is three of these hell-spawns in quick succession to ruin your delicate, lovingly crafted foundations. It’s the mosquito of Tetris, and we take great satisfaction in swatting it away with well-placed lines.

Stuff says ✭✩✩✩✩

6. The O piece

The boiled potato of the Tetris world: you’re never unhappy to see them, but after the 10th one in a row you’re desperate for chips.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✩✩

7. The I piece

The brash, arrogant glory-seeking star of the game. The only piece capable of scoring a Tetris, but also the one that’s most likely to go missing for minutes on end as soon as you build a perfect one-square channel for it. It’s probably off signing bras or something.

Stuff says ✭✭✭✭✩