Block Out is a 3D puzzle video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that expands on the Tetris concept by introducing polycubes that fall into a three-dimensional play area. Players aim to create complete horizontal layers by manipulating and rotating pieces in various dimensions. The NES version offers a cooperative two-player mode and features unique controls tailored to the console's hardware.
The game is the logical extension of Tetris into the third dimension. In regular Tetris, the player manipulates a set of tetrominoes which fall into a two-dimensional pit (seen from the side). The aim is to solve a real-time packing problem by forming complete rows, which then disappear and score points. Poor play leads to incomplete rows, caused by inefficient arrangements of tiles; these rows do not disappear, giving the player progressively less space and less time to play subsequent pieces. Similarly, in Blockout, the player manipulates a set of polycubes which fall into a three-dimensional pit (seen from above; the pieces appear in the foreground and fall away). The pieces can be rotated around all three axes, and moved horizontally and vertically. The aim is to form complete layers
The NES version of Block Out is nearly exactly the same as the versions released on other platforms, however was based on Technos arcade rendition of the original, which offered features like a two-player co-op mode. The controls are a little different this time around, when you take into consideration the number of keys on a computer keyboard when compared to the buttons on an NES controller. But if you have ever played the version for the Atari Lynx or the Sega Genesis, you know how the controls can be. It just takes some time to learn them.
