Developer and publisher Arika has confirmed that Tetris: The Grand Master 4 - Absolute Eye will arrive on Nintendo Switch via the eShop on June 4, 2026 - just one week away. The game will be priced at 2,800 yen in Japan.
A Series 20 Years in the Making
The original Tetris: The Grand Master first appeared in arcades in August 1998, beloved as a version of Tetris built for dedicated players. The series continued with Tetris: The Absolute The Grand Master 2 in 2000 and Tetris: The Grand Master 3 - Terror Instinct in 2005. After a 20-year hiatus, the newest entry in the series was released on Steam on April 4, 2025. It was the first TGM game ever released on PC. The Switch release brings the game to console players for the first time.
Modes at a Glance
Tetris: The Grand Master 4 - Absolute Eye differentiates itself from other Tetris games through its multiple modes, including an Asuka mode in which Tetriminoes drop at top speed, and a Konoha mode in which the blocks are supersized. Marathon is a traditional score-attack mode, while Normal challenges players to clear lines in the fastest time. Master mode is the most demanding - Tetriminoes drop at maximum speed right from the start, and players must stack carefully to clear lines and level up as high as possible.
| Mode | Target Audience | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon | All players | Score attack |
| Normal | All players | Line-clear speed |
| Asuka | Intermediate | Top-speed drops + backstep rewind |
| Konoha | Casual/completionist | Oversized blocks, unlock illustrations |
| Master | Advanced | 20G drops from level 1 |
| Shiranui | Expert | Adjusted for Switch version |
Switch vs. Steam: What Changes
The Switch version includes a few adjustments to gameplay compared to the Steam release. Arika has outlined the key differences:
- Master mode difficulty has been adjusted, and some title names have been changed as a result.
- Shiranui mode difficulty has also been adjusted, with some title names changed accordingly.
- CPU Level 0, which was selectable in the Steam version's Shiranui mode, has been removed.
- Replay save data is now capped at approximately 16 MB - equivalent to several hundred replays depending on the mode - and players can delete replays directly from the menu.
- Only one USB keyboard connection type is supported on Switch, compared to up to six on Steam.
Pricing and Availability
Tetris: The Grand Master 4 - Absolute Eye will be available on the Nintendo eShop on June 4, 2026, priced at 2,800 yen in Japan. Western pricing has not been officially confirmed ahead of launch. The Steam version launched at $34.99.
Buy Tetris: The Grand Master 4 - Absolute Eye
Live deal tracker
Tetris: The Grand Master 4 - Absolute Eye is available now from CA$39.82 via the price comparison table above.
For hardcore puzzle fans who missed the Steam launch or prefer gaming on the go, the Switch version is a compelling option - even if the handful of mode adjustments mean it is not a straight port. The difficulty rebalancing in Master and Shiranui modes in particular is worth keeping in mind for TGM veterans who already have hundreds of hours on PC.
