Tetris Wiki

Clearing over four lines[]

You cannot clear over four lines in most games, but in games with recursive gravity like Quadra and Lockjaw: The Overdose that reward a player for clearing as many lines as possible, an average player may clear nine lines or more.

i
i
i
i
i
i
TZi
TTZZgi
TgggZgggjj
ggggGgggj
gggGGGggj
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg

Drop Z or T

i
i
i
i
i
i
TZi
TTZZgi
-----1----
ggggGgggj
gggGGGggj
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
TZ
TTZZg
ggggGgggj
gggGGGggj
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
TZ
TTZZG
ggggGgggj
gggGGGggj
-----2----
-----3----
-----4----
-----5----
-----6----
-----7----
-----8----
-----9----

In Quadra, a player can clear over half the screen this way:

i
i
ii
ii
ii
iZgi
JZZgggi
JJJZgggggi
ggggggggg
ggggggggg
gggGggggg
ggGGGgggg
GGGGGGGgg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg

Drop Z

i
i
Ii
ii
ii
iZgi
JZZgggi
-----1----
ggggggggg
ggggggggg
gggGggggg
ggGGGgggg
GGGGGGGgG
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
i
i
i
i
i
Zgi
LZZgggi
iggggggggg
iggggggggg
igggGggggg
iggGGGgggg
JGGGGGGGgG
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
i
i
i
i
i
Zgi
LZZgggi
-----2----
-----3----
-----4----
-----5----
-----6----
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
GGGGGGGGg
Zg
LZZggg
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
GGGGGGGGgi
Zg
LZZggg
-----7----
-----8----
-----9----
----10----
----11----
----12----
----13----

General Tips[]

  • Avoid creating empty columns that are over ten rows high. There will be no room above the platform to place any more than one or two I tetrominoes.
  • Many cascade games use the traditional randomizer. Create the platform early to minimize the threat of an I drought.

Creating the platform[]

In Quadra, a player is encouraged to create the platform over the far left/right column as early as possible. Since duplicate I tetrominoes need to be placed above the platform, it's better to place them while stacking than to place them after you have stacked high enough. The best way to create a platform would be to build up the second to last column from the left/right wall. In Quadra, a player would often use the starting tetromino as a base, place an I on that tetromino, and then place a tetromino above the I to create the platform.

Bases[]

I
I
I
I
J
J
JJ

J Base

I
I
I
I
Z
ZZ
Z

Z Base

I
I
I
I
Z
ZZ
ZL
LLL

LZ Base

Platform[]

Dedicated Platforms

Dedicated platforms are solely used to create the overhang above the empty column.

JJ
J
J
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
OO
OO
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
T
TT
T
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
L
L
LL
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg

Cascading Platforms
Cascading platforms contribute to clearing the empty column.

J
J
JJ
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
Z
ZZ
Z
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
T
TT
gT
g
g
g
g
g
gg

Safety Platforms
If a player were to build a column too high, there are still a few countermeasures.

LL
gL
gL
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
S
SS
gS
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg
T
TT
gT
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
gg

S and Z cascade[]

In games with recursive gravity that reward for cascade complexity, such as Tetris Worlds, Tetris Mania, and Tetris Evolution, a simple way to rack up a Big Ol Cascade is by using the S or Z tetrominoes.

I
I
I
II
I
IGG
IGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG
zzGGGGGGG

Tetris Worlds allowed for up to nine cascades before clearing the last levels, so players would fit an extra one in.

i
i
i
i
II
II
IGI
IGGGI
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGss
GGGGGGGSS
GGGGGGGsS
GGGGGGggg

Unorthodox Line Clears[]

In games with recursive gravity that reward cascading line clears such as Tetris Worlds and Quadra, certain line clears discouraged in naive gravity allow the player to score a perfect clear.

S
SSgggggggg
Sgggggggg
S
----------
Sgggggggg
SSgggggggg
----------
T
gggTTTgggg
ggggggggg
T
----------
ggggggggg
ggggTggggg
----------
T
TTgggggggg
Tggggggggg
ggggggggg
T
----------
----------
ggggggggg
Tggggggggg
----------
L
L
LLgggggggg
ggggggggg
ggggggggg
L
L
----------
ggggggggg
ggggggggg
Lggggggggg
Lggggggggg
----------
----------
J
JJJggggggg
ggggggggg
J
----------
ggggggggg
Jggggggggg
----------