There are many unique and different takes on Tetris, more than there ever were before. From the iridescent visuals of Tetris Effect to the chaotic Tetris 99, each of these new versions try something new with the classic formula, to the point where it may become overwhelming for some. Fortunately, if one wants to return to an older version of the game, a fan has created a new version of the NES title that now contains some modern elements.

The "hard drop" mechanic is a maneuver that exists in newer Tetris games, allowing players to press up on the D-pad to immediately place the Tetrimino in the spot it is above. This mechanic was originally not available in the NES version, instead making players wait for the block to slowly drop.

RELATED: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 Adding New Sonic the Hedgehog Content

The admin of the site Grid Bugs, Stephen Sherratt, has reverse engineered the code of Tetris for the NES, adding in the "hard drop" mechanic to this classic version. Adding a brand-new mechanic to any game isn't simple, however. Sheratt said he had to modify the very code that the game runs on, a lengthy and complicated process that he further details on his site.

Part of this process included adding an outline of the Tetrimino so that players know where their drop will land, which is pivotal for this mechanic to work. For those that are interested in trying this rework for themselves, Sherratt has uploaded the modified code to GitHub for others to see.

Tetris, while still simple at its core, has still found success in its many ambitious new takes. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 features an elaborate story mode, and Tetris Effect Connected recently released on Xbox Game Pass. Despite these existing, it is still cool that a fan was able to update one of the original versions with a modern quality-of-life feature, bridging the gap between modern and classic Tetris fans.

MORE: 10 Things You Never Knew About The Origins Of Tetris

Source: Grid Bugs