Blockout

n/a

Blockout

System(s): Sega Mega Drive

Publisher: Electronic Arts (US, Europe), Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP), Tec Toy (Brazil)

Developer: California Dreams, Logical Design Works

Distributor: Tec Toy (BR)

Original system(s): PC

Sound driver: Electronic Arts/Rob Hubbard

Genre: Puzzle^[1]^[2]

Number of players: 1-2

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1991-11-01^[2]	¥6,0006,000	G-4059
US	1991-06^[3]	$49.9549.95^[4]	705501
EU	1991-07^[5]^[6]		E175SMX
UK	1991-07^[5]^[6]	£34.9934.99^[7]^[8]	E175SMX
AU	199x
BR	199x

Non-Sega versions

Blockout (ブロックアウト) is a puzzle game developed by California Dreams and published by Electronic Arts for the Sega Mega Drive in 1991. It has also been released for other consoles and computers.

Gameplay

The game is a falling block puzzle game that can be seen as a 3D Tetris. The game uses a top-down perspective, looking down into a three-dimensional rectangular pit, with the objective being to clear "floors" rather than lines. Like Tetris, the player is given a series of shapes made up of cubes, which fall one at a time into the pit. The player loses if the pit fills with pieces such that additional pieces can no longer be dropped.

Pieces can be repositioned using the D-Pad or rotated on all three axes with (x-axis), (y-axis), or (z-axis). Grid lines appear on the walls of the pit to help the player position the shapes, and the pieces are rendered as wireframes that can be seen through. Pieces can be dropped with START , and the game can be paused with +. Once any part of a piece comes to rest on the floor of the pit or on top of an already-placed cube, the player has a moment in which to move the piece before it is frozen in place and the next piece starts to drop. Each layer of placed pieces in the pit is colored differently to indicate their depth (with a bar appearing to the side of the pit showing the level of each color). Once a solid layer of cubes is formed with no gaps, it disappears, and all cubes above it drop toward the bottom of the pit to fill the space.

There is a single-player endless mode as well as a two-player competitive mode. In the single-player mode, the player plays to achieve a high score, and the game continues until lost. Clearing multiple floors with a single pieces awards more points, and completely clearing the pit awards a "Blockout" bonus. Pieces drop more quickly as the game progresses. In the two-player mode, each player has a separate pit. When one player clears a floor, the floor of the other player's pit is raised by one level. If the player completely clears the pit (achieving a "Blockout"), the number of layers sent to the opponent is doubled. Layers can cancel each other out if both players clear floors at the same time. A player wins the match by being the first to clear a set number of floors (15 by default) or if the other player's pit fills and can no longer fit additional pieces.

In either mode, players can determine the dimensions of the pit and the block set. The dimensions that can be set are the depth (between 3 and 12 in single-player or between 3 and 10 in two-player), the width (between 3 and 7), and the height (between 3 and 7). The block sets are Flat, Basic, or Extended, with each set increasing in complexity and difficulty. The Flat set contains 8 shapes and resembles the tetrominoes from Tetris, but with the addition of a three-cube "L" shape and with one-, two-, and three-cube straight pieces replacing the "I" shape. The Basic set is similar to the Flat set and contains 7 shapes, but some of the pieces are three-dimensional rather than flat. The Extended set contains 41 shapes, many of which are three-dimensional.

History

Release

Though the game resembles Tetris, it is not a licensed Tetris game. A similar game, Welltris, was designed by Tetris designer Alexey Pajitnov and released in 1989 (the same year as the original PC release of Blockout). It also involves blocks falling into a pit from a top-down perspective, but it follows different rules (with pieces falling on the walls of the pit rather than inside).

Legacy

Like Tetris, the formula behind Blockout has been recycled and rebranded numerous times, including by Nintendo and T&E Soft as 3D Tetris for the Virtual Boy in 1996.

Production credits

Original Design by: Alexander Ustaszewski
Genesis Programming by: Edwin W. Reich, Jr., Steve Hayes
Graphics by: Gary Martin
Sound and Music by: Michael Bartlow
Technical Director: Richard Hicks
Produced by: Richard Robbins
Assistant Producers: Jeff Haas, John Manley
Special Thanks To: John Tomlinson

Source:

In-game credits^[9]

Magazine articles

Main article: Blockout/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in (FR) #1: "Juillet/Août 1991" (1991-06-18)

Print advert in (RU) #33: "xxxx xxxx" (1997-08-07)
also published in:

(RU) #34: "xxxx xxxx" (1997-09-01)^[10]
(RU) #35: "xxxx xxxx" (1997-10-18)^[11]
(RU) #36: "xxxx xxxx" (1997-12-07)^[12]

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(RU)

70

^[13]

(JP)

NTSC-J

65

^[14]

(UK)

PAL

76

^[15]

(RU)

60

^[16]

(UK)

86

^[17]

(JP)

NTSC-J

68

^[18]

(UK)

91

^[19]

(DE)

67

^[20]

(JP)

NTSC-J

60

^[21]

(ES)

82

^[22]

(FR)

PAL

85

^[23]

(UK)

81

^[24]

(JP)

NTSC-J

59

^[25]

(UK)

PAL

67

^[26]

(UK)

PAL

65

^[27]

(FR)

PAL

70

^[28]

(UK)

91

^[29]

(UK)

PAL

91

^[30]

(UK)

PAL

88

^[31]

(UK)

91

^[32]

(UK)

91

^[33]

(DE)

74

^[34]

(UK)

PAL

69

^[7]

(UK)

PAL

89

^[35]

(UK)

PAL

100

^[36]

(UK)

PAL

76

^[37]

(JP)

NTSC-J

60

^[38]

(FR)

70

^[39]

(RU)

78

^[40]

(DE)

75

^[41]

	76
Based on 30 reviews

Blockout

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US (cardboard)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU (Yellow Cart)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU (Grey Cart)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Blockout/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32	5e2966f1
MD5	c324d9a3cbfa530996b6ad202686627b
SHA-1	f6620d3b712f3bd333d0bb355c08cf992af6e12d

128kB

1991-06

Cartridge (US/EU)

EA version

References

NEC Retro has more information related to Blockout

↑ File:Blockout MD JP Box.jpg
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/m4jqg-zVjc4/m/CtgIp_BuV7sJ
↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 46
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 File:SouthWalesEcho UK 1991-07-20 Page 14.jpg
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-07-01), page 10
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 Raze, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-08-29), page 48
↑ Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 23
↑ File:Blockout MD credits.pdf
↑ Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-09-01), page 2
↑ Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-10-18), page 78
↑ Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-12-07), page 89
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 56
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1991" (JP; 1991-10-08), page 38
↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 127
↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 36
↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 52
↑ Famitsu, "1991-11-08" (JP; 1991-10-25), page 38
↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
↑ Gamers, "Dezember/Januar 1993" (DE; 1992-11-19), page 101
↑ Hippon Super, "December 1991" (JP; 1991-11-05), page 88
↑ Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 46
↑ Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 189
↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 63
↑ Mega Drive Fan, "January 1992" (JP; 1991-12-07), page 101
↑ Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 19
↑ Mega, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-15), page 83
↑ Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 84
↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76
↑ MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 49
↑ MegaTech, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-20), page 113
↑ Mean Machines, "June 1991" (UK; 1991-05-29), page 68
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
↑ Power Play, "8/91" (DE; 1991-07-1x), page 128
↑ Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 22
↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 52
↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
↑ Tilt, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-xx), page 86
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
↑ Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 87

Blockout
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Magazine articles \| Reception \| Region coding \| Bootlegs No results

Tetris and Tetris-like games for Sega systems/developed by Sega
Sega: Tetris (1989) \| Flash Point (Mega Drive) (1989) \| Bloxeed (1989) \| Sega Tetris (1999) \| Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection (2006) \| Tetris Giant (2010) \| Puyo Puyo Tetris (2014) \| Tetris (2019) \| Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (2020)
Third-Party: Blockout (1991) \| Tetris Plus (1996) \| Tetris S (1996) \| Tetris 4D (1998) \| The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition (2000) \| Tetris Kiwamemichi (2004) \| Tetris The Grand Master 4: The Masters of Round (unreleased)
Unlicensed: FA Tetris (1990) \| Super Columns (1990) \| Super Tetris (19xx) \| Flashpoint (19xx)
Tetris related media
	(1989) \| (1990) \| (2006) \| (2020)

[:File:Blockout_MD_JP_Box.jpg_p-1] File:Blockout MD JP Box.jpg

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20200720095133.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Fhard.2Fmegadrive.2Fsoftware.html-2] 2.0 ^2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)

[https:.2F.2Fgroups.google.com.2Fg.2Frec.games.video.2Fc.2Fm4jqg-zVjc4.2Fm.2FCtgIp_BuV7sJ-3] ttps://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/m4jqg-zVjc4/m/CtgIp_BuV7sJ

[:File:VG.26CE_US_31.pdf_p46-4] VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 46

[:File:SouthWalesEcho_UK_1991-07-20_Page_14.jpg_p-5] 5.0 ^5.1 File:SouthWalesEcho UK 1991-07-20 Page 14.jpg

[:File:CTW_UK_343.pdf_p10-6] 6.0 ^6.1 Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-07-01), page 10

[:File:Raze_UK_12.pdf_p48-7] 7.0 ^7.1 Raze, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-08-29), page 48

[:File:SegaPower_UK_21.pdf_p23-8] Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 23

[:File:Blockout_MD_credits.pdf_p-9] File:Blockout MD credits.pdf

[10] Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-09-01), page 2

[11] Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-10-18), page 78

[12] Velikiy Drakon, "xxxx xxxx" (RU; 1997-12-07), page 89

[13] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 56

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1991-11.pdf_p38-14] Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1991" (JP; 1991-10-08), page 38

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p127-15] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 127

[16] Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 36

[:File:CVG_UK_116.pdf_p52-17] Computer & Video Games, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-15), page 52

[:File:Famitsu_JP_0151.pdf_p38-18] Famitsu, "1991-11-08" (JP; 1991-10-25), page 38

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p80-19] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80

[:File:Gamers_DE_1993-01.pdf_p101-20] Gamers, "Dezember/Januar 1993" (DE; 1992-11-19), page 101

[21] Hippon Super, "December 1991" (JP; 1991-11-05), page 88

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_001.pdf_p46-22] Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 46

[:File:Joystick_FR_019.pdf_p189-23] Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 189

[:File:MDAG_UK_05.pdf_p63-24] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 63

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1992-01.pdf_p101-25] Mega Drive Fan, "January 1992" (JP; 1991-12-07), page 101

[:File:Mega_UK_09.pdf_p19-26] Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 19

[:File:Mega_UK_11.pdf_p83-27] Mega, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-15), page 83

[:File:MegaForce_FR_02.pdf_p84-28] Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 84

[:File:MegaTech_UK_01.pdf_p76-29] MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76

[:File:MegaTech_UK_02.pdf_p49-30] MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 49

[:File:MegaTech_UK_20.pdf_p113-31] MegaTech, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-20), page 113

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_09.pdf_p68-32] Mean Machines, "June 1991" (UK; 1991-05-29), page 68

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p137-33] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1991-08.pdf_p128-34] Power Play, "8/91" (DE; 1991-07-1x), page 128

[:File:SegaPower_UK_21.pdf_p22-35] Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 22

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p52-36] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 52

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p64-37] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p87-38] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87

[:File:Tilt_FR_093.pdf_p86-39] Tilt, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-xx), page 86

[40] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1991-03.pdf_p87-41] Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 87

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[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

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[38]

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Tetris and Tetris-like games for Sega systems/developed by Sega
Sega: Tetris (1989) \| Flash Point (Mega Drive) (1989) \| Bloxeed (1989) \| Sega Tetris (1999) \| Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection (2006) \| Tetris Giant (2010) \| Puyo Puyo Tetris (2014) \| Tetris (2019) \| Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (2020)
Third-Party: Blockout (1991) \| Tetris Plus (1996) \| Tetris S (1996) \| Tetris 4D (1998) \| The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition (2000) \| Tetris Kiwamemichi (2004) \| Tetris The Grand Master 4: The Masters of Round (unreleased)
Unlicensed: FA Tetris (1990) \| Super Columns (1990) \| Super Tetris (19xx) \| Flashpoint (19xx)
Tetris related media
	(1989) \| (1990) \| (2006) \| (2020)

Blockout

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

History

Release

Legacy

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

References