Officially Confirmed Tetris Effect Hidden Levels Include Tribute to Creator

Two Tetris Effect hidden levels have been officially confirmed by The Tetris Company, alongside details on how to access them. One is a reference to the original Tetris released for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989, complete with the game’s iconic soundtrack. The second, lesser known 1984-themed secret level is only accessible by using a USB keyboard. [Thanks, Wario64!]

The Game Boy inspired secret level was fairly simple to find. According to the official announcement, many players had already found it. To unlock the level, players must participate in Tetris Effect‘s Weekend Ritual, a 24-hour long community event in which players collectively try to meet a certain goal. Once they do so, the level unlocks for the remainder of the 24-hour period. To unlock it permanently, players must reach player level 50.

According to The Tetris Company, the second 1984 level has already been found but is “not widely known about” due to the requirements to unlock it. The level requires the usage of a USB keyboard, Xbox Chat pad, or some device that doesn’t use the OS-level keyboard pop-up.

First, players must enter a code at the title screen. With PlayStation controllers, the code is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, O, X. Upon successfully entering the code, a screen with Cyrillic symbols would pop up. Then, after entering the birth date of Tetris (06061984), the new hidden stage permanently unlocks. The new mode features the original Tetris graphics for the Electronika 60. A picture of Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov can be found in the background.

If you’re interested in learning more about Tetris Effect and the multiplayer version Tetris Effect: Connected, you can check out our official review of the game. Tetris Effect is immediately available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Tetris Effect: Connected will be coming to PCs via Steam and PlayStation 4 in Summer 2021.