Hitting Your Stride In Marathon Mode
With our suggestions, you'll be able to take down Marathon mode with ease!
Marathon Mode has been a mainstay in Tetris for quite some time. It's the basic mode where new players cut their teeth, and long-time fans revisit to see if they're still up to snuff. It's you, all seven Tetriminos, and fifteen rounds to show what you can do.
Can you manage to hang in there and pass all fifteen levels? While it may seem like a daunting task at first, we have some tricks to help you snag a Marathon victory!
Slow and Steady
Photo Credit: © Electronic Arts
As you play Marathon mode, you’ll first notice how the Tetriminos all fall at a certain speed. Then, every time you clear 10 lines, how the pace picks up. When starting a Marathon match, the temptation to Hard Drop Tetriminos can be palpable. Instead, use these slower moments to plan out the path ahead.
Let the Tetriminos slowly drop towards the bottom of the Matrix, while also keeping an eye on what's coming up next. When you reach the faster levels, you won't have much time to contemplate your moves.
It's during the earlier stages where you can see how your stack will take shape, and also what approaches work best for you. Once you learn by going slow-and-steady, you'll be in a much better place when Tetriminos start falling at lightning speeds!
My Mistake
Photo Credit: © Tetris Online
After playing a number of Marathon rounds, you'll start to hit your stride. You'll get into a rhythm of where you know exactly where to place your Tetriminos, and how to build your stack for future success. Unfortunately, you can throw yourself off balance by making mistakes.
Should you misplace a Tetrimino try not to worry, as it happens to the best of us. Even Tetris professionals will miss a beat and place something incorrectly from time to time.
The key is how you recover! It's important to stay calm and figure out how to rectify things. More often than not, the Tetrimino you need is on its way to help set things straight. Sometimes what first appears as a mistake can actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise!
Tune to the Music
Photo Credit: © Tetris Online
While you may think it's a funny notion at first, the music of Tetris can be a huge benefit to your gameplay. Finding the right song to go along with your Tetrimino stacking can help get you into the right mindset.
Music has been an absolutely huge part of Tetris over the years, and it can be the extra push you need to survive Marathon mode. Have a particular Tetris tune you like to hear when playing? Make sure you pump up the volume and let it blast as you're Hard Dropping Tetriminos.
Or perhaps you'd like to take a more chill approach? If so, load up your own playlist on your stereo and go the sound effect route for gameplay. Find the music that best fits your Tetris vibe. It's all about creating an environment where you're primed for success.
While there may be times when the task seems near impossible, you will beat Marathon mode. The best advice for Marathon is the same for any tough situation. All you have to do is keep at it! Practice makes perfect in Tetris, and we promise you'll eventually hit that perfect 150 line clear.
To warm up your Marathon skills, be sure to play a few rounds of Tetris right here on our website!
