A Cross-Play Public Beta Test for Tetris Effect: Connected is officially launching, giving players across multiple platforms an interactive experience with one another. Alongside the beta testing is an update that introduces new features such as Spectator mode, PAL mode, and Zone Battle.
According to developer, Enhance Games, the game will undergo Public Beta Test on June 23 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Which, in practice, implies a play experience between platforms.
The Tetris Effect: Connected Multiplayer Expansion brings Cross-Platform multiplayer, Spectator Mode, and more this Summer! 📣
Public Beta Test starts on June 23rd, and all owners on @Xbox, @PlayStation, and @EpicGames are invited! 🙌
💻 Read more: https://t.co/dhucgIAdzG pic.twitter.com/2xWuY3zFBJ
— Enhance (@enhance_exp) June 16, 2021
New Features
Bringing that feature across a broader spectrum of players is the Room ID. Although the game already features multiplayer experience previously, the involvement has been restricted to people within their friend’s list. With the Room ID functionality, players can now engage a play with others from a different platform. Making it more exciting is the fact that even strangers can now play with one another via the same feature.
Playing with the intent to build a reputation indeed presents a good motivation to play competitively with Tetris Effect: Connected. While there are means about this using today’s tools, the game is now offering something more native—a Spectator mode. Through this feature, up to six people in the community can lay witness to any match as it happens. But that would be dependent upon the type of match that’s taking place. Furthermore, they can also add to the overall atmosphere as well through the use of emotes.
Too Fast
Players who are finding the game’s default speed to be a little too fast will find benefit in its two new modes. One is a European-style PAL mode, which is popularly known as the slower counterpart of the NTSC. Even more sluggish still is the other mode, which is the Zone Battle. Unlike PAL mode, this particular style of play involves a “longer entry delay and slower horizontal movement”. It is worth mentioning, however, that both of these modes are limited only to Friend and Local matches. Consequently, nullifying any notion of getting an unfair advantage when playing competitively at the global stage.
Tetris Effect in Hindsight
Tetris Effect was initially released as an exclusive PS4 title, with a following VR support. Since then, the game has made its way to PC, which, too, has auxiliary VR functionality with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. But, in November 2020, the game saw its enhanced version with Tetris Effect: Connected. It launched on Microsoft platforms, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Image used courtesy of Xbox/YouTube Screenshot