How Is SANDTRIS Different from Tetris?

SANDTRIS differs from Tetris in one core rule: you do not clear lines by filling a row. Instead, you clear by connecting the same color across the screen. The game is a browser-based project made by Franco Miranda using p5.js, inspired by SETRIS by mslivo, and the page explicitly states it is not affiliated with Tetris®. If you expect standard line-clearing Tetris, the color-connection rule is the first thing that will change how you plan every move.

The clearing rule is color-based, not row-based

In Tetris, a line disappears when every cell in that row is filled, regardless of piece color. In SANDTRIS, the page instructs: "Connect the same color across the screen to clear lines!" That means your objective is to build a continuous path of one color that spans the play area, not to pack rows tightly.

This shifts the puzzle from row management to color routing. You are tracking where each color sits and whether it can reach across the screen, rather than watching for gaps in horizontal rows.

What this changes in practice

• Placement matters by color, not just by fit. A piece that fits neatly may still be the wrong color for the connection you are building.
• You plan paths, not rows. Think of the board as a set of color networks that need to reach from one side to the other.
• Mixed stacks are less useful. Filling space with alternating colors does not advance a clear the way a filled row would in Tetris.

Falling and stacking still feel familiar

The control scheme on the page is close to classic falling-block games, so the moment-to-moment handling is not the hard part:

Because movement and rotation match what most players already know, the adjustment period is mostly mental: you are relearning what a "good" placement looks like when the win condition is a color connection rather than a completed row.

It is an independent project, not a Tetris product

The page states "NOT AFFILIATED WITH Tetris®" and credits the work as "MADE BY FRANCO MIRANDA USING P5.JS INSPIRED BY SETRIS BY MSLIVO." So SANDTRIS is a standalone browser game with its own rules, built as a tribute rather than an official Tetris variant. The inspiration credit points to SETRIS, which is where the color-connection concept originates.

Other details worth knowing before you play

• Audio and mobile support: The page notes "SFX now works on mobile!" and includes MUS and SFX toggles, so sound effects are available on phones.
• Scoring and competition: There is a "SUBMIT YOUR SCORE" option and a "Weekly Leaderboard" with a "Your Rank" display, so scores can be compared over a weekly cycle.
• Game flow: The interface includes START, PAUSED/RESUME, NEW GAME, and GAME OVER states, plus ABOUT and MUS/SFX menus.

If you want a falling-block game where the challenge is color planning rather than row packing, SANDTRIS is the right fit. If you want the classic row-clearing loop, it will feel like a different puzzle wearing familiar controls.