Games like Tetris Attack: 8 honest picks
Tetris Attack has never been re-released, so anyone who loved the rising stack and the chains ends up searching for something like it. Here are eight games that scratch the same itch, with where each one runs today, whether it has online versus, and what it costs. Cascade Puzzle is on the list because this is our site. The others are here because they are good.
At a glance
| Game | Platform | Online versus | Download needed | Price |
|---|
| Panel Attack | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, rollback | Yes | Free |
| Panel de Pon | Switch Online | Through Switch Online | Switch app | Subscription |
| Pokémon Puzzle League | N64; Switch Online + Expansion Pack | Through Switch Online | Switch app | Subscription |
| Planet Puzzle League | Nintendo DS | No longer | Cartridge | Used cart |
| Pokémon Puzzle Challenge | Game Boy Color | No | Cartridge | Used cart |
| Dr. Mario & Puzzle League | Game Boy Advance | No | Cartridge | Used cart |
| Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 | Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC | Yes | Yes | Paid |
| Cascade Puzzle | Any browser | Yes, rollback | No | Free |
1. Panel Attack
The competitive scene's home. Panel Attack is a free, open-source Panel de Pon engine for Windows, Mac and Linux with rollback netcode, ranked online play, replays and training modes. If you want to play Tetris Attack against serious opponents, this is where they are. It is download-only, so it does not run on a phone or in a browser.
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux. Online versus: yes, rollback. Price: free.
2. Panel de Pon (Nintendo Switch Online)
The 1995 Super Famicom original, in Japanese, in the Switch Online Super Famicom app. This is the game Tetris Attack was made from, story mode and all, with the fairies the West never got. Two-player works through the app's online mode.
Platform: Nintendo Switch. Online versus: through Switch Online. Price: Switch Online subscription.
3. Pokémon Puzzle League
The N64 version from 2000, with Pokémon trainers, a 3D board mode and the fastest top-level play in the official series. It joined the Switch Online Nintendo 64 library in 2023, which is the easiest legal way to play an original Puzzle League today.
Platform: Nintendo 64; Nintendo Switch with the Expansion Pack. Online versus: through Switch Online. Price: Expansion Pack subscription.
4. Planet Puzzle League
The 2007 DS entry, played with the stylus, which suits the swap mechanic well. It had online play over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which closed in 2014, so it is now a single-player and local-wireless game. Still the best portable version.
Platform: Nintendo DS. Online versus: no longer. Price: original cartridge.
5. Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
The Game Boy Color version from 2000, with Pokémon Gold and Silver characters. A smaller screen and a slower pace, and the full chain and garbage system underneath. Good if you want the mechanic in your pocket with no phone involved.
Platform: Game Boy Color. Online versus: no. Price: original cartridge.
6. Dr. Mario & Puzzle League
A 2005 Game Boy Advance double pack. The Puzzle League half is a clean, complete version of the mechanic with two-player over a link cable. It is the one most people forget exists.
Platform: Game Boy Advance. Online versus: no. Price: original cartridge.
7. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
Not the same mechanic, but the closest thing on modern consoles to a fast, competitive falling-block versus with online play and a real player base. Puyo chains give the same feeling of setting up a board and watching it pay off. Try it if the games above are not on hand.
Platform: Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC. Online versus: yes. Price: paid.
8. Cascade Puzzle
Ours. A browser game in the Panel de Pon lineage with a bot ladder, real-time online versus with room codes, and a daily puzzle mode with a streak. It runs on phones and desktops with nothing to install, and the engine is tuned to the classic Normal preset, with every timing published in the mechanics reference.
Platform: any browser. Online versus: yes, rollback. Price: free.
Which ones have online multiplayer?
- Panel Attack: yes, ranked and casual online, on a computer. The strongest players are here.
- Panel de Pon and Pokémon Puzzle League: yes, through Nintendo Switch Online, so both players need a Switch and a subscription.
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2: yes, on consoles and PC, paid.
- Cascade Puzzle: yes, 1v1 in the browser. Send a friend a room link and play phone against phone, or phone against laptop. Free, no account.
- Planet Puzzle League, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge and Dr. Mario & Puzzle League: no online play today. Two-player needs a second console and a cable or local wireless.
Which ones work on a phone?
None of the Nintendo games run on a phone, and Panel Attack is desktop-only. The only option on this list that plays on a phone is Cascade Puzzle, in the browser with touch controls: drag a panel sideways to swap, hold the raise button to push the stack.
Which one should you pick?
- Serious competition: Panel Attack.
- The originals, with a subscription you may already have: Panel de Pon or Pokémon Puzzle League on Switch Online.
- Right now, on your phone, free: Cascade Puzzle versus.
More in Cascade Puzzle
Frequently asked questions
Which game is closest to Tetris Attack?
Panel de Pon and Pokémon Puzzle League are the same game under other names, both on Nintendo Switch Online. Panel Attack is the closest fan-made version and the home of competitive play. Cascade Puzzle is the browser option, free and on phones.
Is Panel Attack free?
Yes. Panel Attack is free and open source, with online play for Windows, Mac and Linux. It needs a download.
Can I play Tetris Attack on my phone?
Not the original. For the same mechanic on a phone, Cascade Puzzle's versus mode runs in the browser with touch controls and no download.
Which game like Tetris Attack can I play online with a friend for free?
Panel Attack is free with online play on Windows, Mac and Linux. Cascade Puzzle is free in the browser: create a private room, send your friend the link, and play on phones or computers with no account.
Is Tetris Attack on Switch?
No. Panel de Pon and Pokémon Puzzle League are on Nintendo Switch Online. Tetris Attack itself has never been re-released.
Cascade is an independent game, not affiliated with Nintendo or The Tetris Company.