How to Play Tetris with the 'bastet' Command (with examples)

Bastet is a terminal-based game that brings the joy of Tetris to your command line. Named after the ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet, the game shuffles its colored blocks in a challenging fashion, often intentionally giving you the least desired Tetris piece to keep you sharp! With Bastet, you can enjoy a classic game of Tetris right in your terminal with various controls to navigate, rotate, drop pieces, pause, or quit the game entirely.

Start a Tetris Game

Code:

bastet

Motivation:
Starting a game is the first step to immerse yourself into the world of Tetris using Bastet. It allows you to engage in a strategic puzzle exercise that can be a fun way to take short breaks or challenge yourself to beat your previous high scores.

Explanation:
Running the command bastet initiates the Tetris game in your terminal. This command doesn’t require additional arguments, keeping it simple to launch the game directly.

Example Output:
When you enter the command, you’ll see the Tetris playfield appear in your terminal, with the Tetris blocks starting to appear at the top of the screen, waiting for your command to position them as they drop.

Navigate the Piece Horizontally

Code:

Left|Right arrow key

Motivation:
Navigating the Tetris pieces horizontally is essential as it allows players to align the pieces into uniform lines to clear rows, maximizing the gameplay strategy and keeping the stack from reaching the top.

Explanation:
Pressing the left arrow key moves the current Tetris piece one space to the left, while the right arrow key shifts it one space to the right. This key usage helps in positioning the pieces efficiently.

Example Output:
Upon pressing the arrow keys, you’ll observe the current piece moving left or right across the playfield, enabling you to strategically align it with existing pieces.

Rotate the Piece Clockwise or Counterclockwise

Code:

Spacebar|Up arrow key

Motivation:
Rotating the pieces allows players to fit the various shapes into gaps and clear lines efficiently, making it a fundamental mechanic in Tetris gameplay.

Explanation:
The spacebar or up arrow key command rotates the current piece in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Rotation is pivotal for making the pieces fit into desired configurations.

Example Output:
As you press either key, the Tetris piece on your screen will rotate, changing its orientation. This ability helps in adapting the pieces to the current scenario on the board to optimize space.

Soft Drop the Piece

Code:

<Down arrow key>

Motivation:
Soft dropping hastens the downward movement of the active piece, allowing you to quickly position it in its desired location without waiting for the automatic drop, which can speed up gameplay and increase efficiency.

Explanation:
The down arrow key enables the piece to move downwards faster than its usual pace, giving you control over its descent rate.

Example Output:
While holding the down arrow, you’ll notice the piece moving downward faster until it either reaches the pile or the bottom of the board.

Hard Drop the Piece

Code:

<Enter>

Motivation:
A hard drop instantly places the piece in its final position, which is beneficial when executing a fast-paced strategy to maximize points and prepare for the next piece swiftly.

Explanation:
Pressing the enter key causes the active Tetris piece to fall immediately to the lowest possible point it can fit within the board.

Example Output:
With this command, the piece races down to fill any available space at the bottom, allowing you to rapidly clear lines.

Pause the Game

Code:

p

Motivation:
Pausing the game is crucial when real-life interruptions occur, allowing you to halt gameplay and resume exactly where you left off without losing progress.

Explanation:
By typing ‘p’, the game goes into a paused state, stopping all movements and allowing you to step away without worrying about losing your place.

Example Output:
Once paused, the game screen will freeze, and a notification may display indicating that the game is currently on hold.

Quit the Game

Code:

<Ctrl> + C

Motivation:
Being able to quit the game conveniently lets players exit the game when they’re done playing or need to close it abruptly, ensuring a graceful exit from the terminal without system errors.

Explanation:
Pressing the combination of Ctrl and C keys instructs the terminal to interrupt the current operation, effectively closing the game.

Example Output:
Upon executing this command combination, the terminal will cease displaying the Tetris game, returning you to the regular command line interface.

Conclusion:

Using the Bastet command in your terminal offers a unique and accessible gaming experience. Through these various inputs, you can control your Tetris pieces, pause when needed, and quit when you’re ready, all from the comfort of your command line environment. Whether it’s for leisure or enhancing your agility in problem-solving, Bastet brings the beloved challenges of Tetris wherever you have your terminal.