Adjustris

Player notes

About this game

Adjustris is a falling-block puzzle game created by Dave VanEe for the PDRoms Coding Competition in 2005 and later cleaned up for a source release in 2017. A round follows the familiar rhythm of positioning falling pieces to complete horizontal lines, but the game changes the formula by letting players design the pieces that will appear. Four built-in sets provide a quick starting point, while four editable slots turn the cartridge into a small puzzle construction kit.

The main game rewards clean stacking rather than frantic inputs. Pieces can rotate in either direction, and every ten cleared lines advances the level and increases the drop speed. The unusual shapes in later sets make open wells and flat surfaces harder to preserve, so checking the next piece before committing to a narrow gap matters. High scores are stored separately for each set, which makes experimenting with a custom collection feel like creating a new rule set rather than merely changing the graphics.

The piece editor is the feature that gives Adjustris its identity. Players can toggle individual blocks, move the center of rotation, choose clockwise, counter-clockwise, or fixed behavior, and decide whether a piece spins or wobbles. Tile appearance and piece order can also be changed before the set is saved to a battery-backed slot. Because the rotation point is editable, two shapes with the same outline can behave very differently in play.

For a first run, start with built-in Set 1 and learn how quickly the speed changes after ten lines. Keep one side of the board lower than the other so long or awkward shapes still have a safe landing place. In the editor, begin with compact pieces of three or four blocks; very wide shapes and off-center rotation points are better saved for deliberate challenge sets. The result is both a solid score game and an accessible example of how a Game Boy title can expose its own design tools.