Current Events > TIL: Nintendo can never rerelease Tetris Attack on the SNES due to rights issues

(+) Yeah! (+)

Tetris Attack has actually nothing to do with Tetris; it was originally a puzzle game called "Panel de Pon" starring a bunch of fairies (and is where the Lip's Stick item in Smash Bros. comes from). Of course, such a "girly" game wouldn't fly in the West, so not only did Nintendo replace the fairies with Yoshi characters (leaving the rest of the game including the setting and most of the music untouched), but they got the rights to use the Tetris brand name to market it.

However, the President of the Tetris company came to regret this since as mentioned, the game has nothing to do with Tetris except for being a block puzzle game, and because of this, Nintendo can't ever rerelease this game again, even though its Japanese counterpart has been rereleased a number of times since in Japan (including on the Virtual Console and on the Super Famicom Classic).

Nintendo was pretty short-sighted here. Especially since it's a pretty good puzzle game that will never see the light of day again in the West, so the only way to play is to emulate.
...That, or play one of the sequels (Pokemon Puzzle League, Pokemon Puzzle Challenge, Planet Puzzle League, etc.).
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It has a 4.30 rating here. o_O

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/snes/588787-tetris-attack

Now I want to play this
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Tbh the older Tetris games aren't that great anymore

I played the Game Boy version a while back and gave up when I saw there was no more T-spins or holding pieces.
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Change the name again?
It is not the first time a game have been rereleased under a new name.
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Foppe posted...

Change the name again?
It is not the first time a game have been rereleased under a new name.

This, there's a n64 Pokemon stadium game that plays almost exactly the same
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I mean, ever heard of Micey Mouse IV on GameBoy?
No?
Also known as The Real Ghostbusters and Garfield Labyrinth.
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Its a shame is what it is. Its one of my favorite SNES games.
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they also had to take gameboy tetris off the virtual console for 3ds.

and if they make a Gameboy Classic, they won't be able to use it, which is gonna be weird since it was the pack in game originally

Is this why theres never been another Pokmon Puzzle League? I ****ing loved that game.
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I loved Tetris Attack.
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iPhone_7 posted...

Is this why theres never been another Pokmon Puzzle League? I ****ing loved that game.

There's been several since then. Just not with the Pokemon theme.

But yeah, even as a kid, I think it was weird it was called Tetris. But it's still the best puzzle game on SNES.
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Tetris Attack is a fucking awesome game.
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@iPhone_7 posted...

Is this why theres never been another Pokmon Puzzle League? I ****ing loved that game.

Pokemon Puzzle League is another issue, though not a legal one since it had nothing to do with Tetris at all. Unlike Tetris Attack, Pokemon Puzzle League has been rereleased on the Wii Virtual Console... But of course, you can no longer add funds to your Wii Shop Channel wallet, so if you don't have it by now, then you're SOL.

Pokemon Puzzle League was originally going to be a sequel to the fairy Panel de Pon on N64, but it was scrapped, and the American Nintendo development team at the time resurrected it with a Pokemon theme. Funnily enough, this game was never released in Japan.

Pokemon Puzzle League is likely one in a line of Pokemon spinoffs that were abandoned.
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I'm just happy this isn't an issue with Puyo Puyo. They just said "screw it, we're Puyo now" and have been for years.
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Zikten posted...

if they make a Gameboy Classic, they won't be able to use [tetris], which is gonna be weird since it was the pack in game originally

I heard an E3 rumor but honestly, other than mario, wario, zelda, kirby and pokemon... Gameboy Classic has nothing to offer.
Pokemon just hit the 3DS eShop so thats doubtful as well, along with the Pikachu/Eevee rumor.
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DoomSwell posted...

Zikten posted...

if they make a Gameboy Classic, they won't be able to use [tetris], which is gonna be weird since it was the pack in game originally

I heard an E3 rumor but honestly, other than mario, wario, zelda, kirby and pokemon... Gameboy Classic has nothing to offer.
Pokemon just hit the 3DS eShop so thats doubtful as well, along with the Pikachu/Eevee rumor.

Wireless capabilities shouldn't be too hard for them to add in a Game Boy Classic for Pokemon and other games that need it.

However, I could see them restricting the Suspend feature for Pokemon, since they're pretty anal about that (to be fair, one could abuse it to produce an infinite number of legendary Pokemon).
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Best puzzle game ever tbh, I haven't played any puzzle game that's ever come close.

Having a massive combo war between myself and the CPU on extra hard was fun as hell.
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I have an original copy I picked up for 2$ years ago :3
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Tetris Attack is better than any actual Tetris game
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Tetris Attack was great. Pokemon Puzzle League is great too, but I prefer those Yoshi's Island characters and sound effects.
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Why are you guys so bummed about this? There are dozens of ways to play this if you wanted. Or did you guys want a remake, too?
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It's only like $10-15 on eBay.

For some reason I thought it would be one of those super rare $100+ games.
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I don't know what is stopping them from releasing it as Panel de Pon. They likely just don't care.
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PowerMang posted...

Why are you guys so bummed about this? There are dozens of ways to play this if you wanted. Or did you guys want a remake, too?

You know how some are, gotta play it "with muh nintendo seal of approvalz, its official that way!"

While I'll eat a piece of raspberry pie.
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DoomSwell posted...

Zikten posted...

if they make a Gameboy Classic, they won't be able to use [tetris], which is gonna be weird since it was the pack in game originally

I heard an E3 rumor but honestly, other than mario, wario, zelda, kirby and pokemon... Gameboy Classic has nothing to offer.

Yeah, only like a half dozen really popular franchises (and not including stuff from Capcom or Konami or Square who have cooperated with the classic consoles), completely worthless, no reason at all to release it.
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The best Tetris game. If I still have it it's lost in my Grandma's house somewhere.
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just release it as 'Panel de Pon' in the west. Bam

also, most people have no clue who Lip is so releasing the JPN version here would be helpful for those poor saps
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I usually play Panel De Pon in the Nintendo Puzzle Collection (Japan exclusive) on Gamecube.
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mario2000 posted...

It's only like $10-15 on eBay.

For some reason I thought it would be one of those super rare $100+ games.

It probably sold lots of copies based on the name.
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I still play Tetris Attack occasionally.
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Gheb posted...

I don't know what is stopping them from releasing it as Panel de Pon. They likely just don't care.

Marketability in the West, most likely.

Though the series has already been rebranded as "Puzzle League".

DoubleDare posted...

PowerMang posted...

Why are you guys so bummed about this? There are dozens of ways to play this if you wanted. Or did you guys want a remake, too?

You know how some are, gotta play it "with muh nintendo seal of approvalz, its official that way!"

While I'll eat a piece of raspberry pie.

I actually modded it (among other games) into my SNES Classic.

fenderbender321 posted...

The game already exists and can be played. Why re-release it?

Some people would like to see an official rerelease, especially on a device that they can take with them (the Switch). They may also not be savvy enough to modify existing software. (Not to mention that modding voids the warranty of the device.)

As it stands, the only way to play is to emulate or find a working cart and a working SNES.
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Solar_Crimson posted...

Gheb posted...

I don't know what is stopping them from releasing it as Panel de Pon. They likely just don't care.

Marketability in the West, most likely.

Though the series has already been rebranded as "Puzzle League".

Oh I know. Hell they could call it Puzzle League Classic, Yoshi's Puzzle League, just Puzzle League, whatever. Nintendo just clearly doesn't think it's worth it.
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Honestly, I don't feel bad for them after how they treated Tengen.
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