.----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------.
| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | ______ | || | ____ ____ | || | _________ | || | _______ | || | _____ | || | _______ | |
| | |_ __ \ | || | |_ _||_ _| | || | | _ _ | | || | |_ __ \ | || | |_ _| | || | / ___ | | |
| | | |__) | | || | \ \ / / | || | |_/ | | \_| | || | | |__) | | || | | | | || | | (__ \_| | |
| | | ___/ | || | \ \/ / | || | | | | || | | __ / | || | | | | || | '.___`-. | |
| | _| |_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | |`\____) | | |
| | |_____| | || | |______| | || | |_____| | || | |____| |___| | || | |_____| | || | |_______.' | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
| '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' |
'----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------'
-------'
A terminal-based Tetris clone written in Python. Features a persistent leaderboard, AI and hint modes, and a ghost piece. Inspired by Michael Fogleman's original QBasic implementation from 2000.
- Python 3.7 or higher
- Windows only:
windows-curses(see below) - All other dependencies are Python standard library (
curses,json,os,datetime)
pip install Pytris-B1git clone https://github.com/basanta-bhandari/Pytris.git
cd Pytris
pip install .windows-curses is listed as a conditional dependency and installs automatically via pip. If running from source manually:
pip install windows-curses
python main.pyyIf installed via pip:
pytrisIf running from source:
python main.pyOn startup, the banner is printed and you are prompted for a username before the game launches:
.----------------. .----------------. ...
>>> Enter Username: basanta
basanta
a
Pressing Enter without a name sets the username to anonymous.
Select a mode from the main menu using the number keys.
| Key | Mode | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Normal | Standard Tetris |
| 2 | Hint | Ghost piece + AI suggested landing spot shown in cyan |
| 3 | Computer | Fully automated — AI plays the game |
| 4 | Leaderboard | View the top 10 scores |
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Left / Right | Move piece |
| Up | Rotate (with wall kick) |
| Down | Soft drop (+1 point per row) |
| Space | Hard drop (+2 points per row) |
| P | Pause / Resume |
| ESC | Save score and return to menu |
| Q | Save score and quit |
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 line cleared | 100 × level |
| 2 lines cleared | 300 × level |
| 3 lines cleared | 500 × level |
| 4 lines cleared | 800 × level |
| Soft drop | 1 per row |
| Hard drop | 2 per row |
Level increases every 10 lines. Fall speed increases with level.
Scores are saved to scores.json in the same directory as main.py. Each player keeps only their personal best. The top 10 are shown on the leaderboard screen.
scores.json format:
[
{
"user": "basanta",
"score": 4200,
"lines": 12,
"level": 3,
"date": "2025-02-27"
}
]
]On game over, your rank and whether you set a new personal best are shown before auto-returning to the menu after 5 seconds.
The computer mode evaluates every valid (x, rotation) placement for the current piece using a weighted heuristic:
- Completed lines: rewarded
- Gaps below pieces: penalised
- Aggregate stack height: penalised
- Bumpiness: penalised
The highest-scoring placement is chosen each turn. Hint mode uses the same logic to overlay the suggested drop position without taking control.
Pytris/
├── main.py # entire game
├── scores.json # created automatically on first game over
├── setup.py
├── requirements.txt
└── README.md
E.md
Basanta Bhandari — github.com/basanta-bhandari
