Rules
Overview
Classic Tetris Monthly is a series of tournaments based on the Tetris game published by Nintendo and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. Players compete in a single-elimination tournament with emulators or consoles with the unmodified game or any of the approved ROMs. Any controller/device is allowed so long as there is one button per input and no turbo functions. Competitors of all ages may compete. However, local laws may restrict monetary rewards to certain age groups. CTM will follow local guidelines when rewarding cash prizes.
ROMs, Hardware, Controllers, Game Genie Codes, and Emulators Guide
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Approved NTSC ROMs
- – Tetris Gym v3.0+
- – “Hydrant” SPS ROM
- – Unmodified 1989 Release
Approved Hardware & Consoles
- – All
Controllers
- – One button per input.
- – No turbo functions
Preferred Game Genie Codes for Competition
- – OPIPEX – Rocket Skip
- – NNAOOK or ENAOOK – Score Uncap
- – AEPXLL – Disable Pausing
- – IZVOXAIA TZVOUALP – Level 7 colors swap
- – TPNPGVYL – No flash on Tetrises
Preferred Emulators
- – Mesen
- – Nestopia
- – Retroarch with either core: 1 frame runahead, no shaders
Banned Emulators
- – None
Handcam/Facecam
- – Masters Event: Facecam and Handcam is required. Ideally, position a single camera to capture both your face and hand motions.
- – Challengers Circuit: Handcam is required while Facecam is strongly preferred.
- – Futures Circuit, Hopefuls Circuit, Community Tournaments: Handcam and Facecam are voluntary and not required, but still preferred.
Qualifying
- To join CTM in an upcoming month, you will need to follow the instructions below on https://go.ctm.gg to submit a qualifier.
- You will need a Twitch account to compete, as well as a Discord account to join our server.
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Start Streaming on Twitch. Show us your stencil scene. If you don't have the stencil downloaded, download from
- Clear the high scores, play a game to score over 10,000, then enter the given authword in your high scores.
- Begin your timer. We recommend Livesplit or the built in OBS script timer.
- Submit the requested scores shown on your scoreboard. Scores not on the scoreboard will not count.
- Once qualifying has ended, brackets will be created. Should you wish to withdraw, do so within 24 hours after qualifying has ended. No penalty will be given to players who withdraw during this timeframe.
- Withdrawing after brackets have been formed or during the competitive play will result in an Official Dropout. If you have two Official Dropouts in a six month period, you will be asked to sit out/abstain from participating in CTM for two months.
- No OCR may be used (MaxoutClub, NEStrisChamps, etc.). Raw gameplay capture only.
- Likewise, no hertz display or other major alteration from a default 1989 NES cart during gameplay.
- Do not use rocket skip game genie codes. Please use Qual Mode on Tetris Gym.
- No keyboard buttons larger than 1u (your typical letters on a QWERTY keyboard) may be used.
- Pausing during qualifying is prohibited.
- QUALIFYING SPECIFICS
- 1 hour on timer, Average of your top two scores. Morelando Ranking Method for Community tournaments.
- 39 Linecap: With patched rom, halt mode on 39. Unpatched, 329 lines + your final line clear that takes you to or past 330 lines.
- Morelando Method for Community Tournament placement in addition to below. Elo ranking and Qual rankings are averaged, tiebreaker going to the qual score. TLDR; more informed seeding in Community.
- If you have a PB higher than 1,300,000 or have competed in Mega Masters, Masters, Challengers, or Futures, you must qualify with a handcam.
Competition
- In Masters Event, Challengers Circuit, Futures Circuit, Hopefuls Circuit, and Community T1, players compete beginning on level 18.
- Masters will require a cam with both hands and face visible.
- Masters will use a Level 39 2xks Super Killscreen. Challengers and below will use either Level 39 halt or, if agreed by the players before the match, can use the 2xks super killscreen.
- In Community Tournaments T2 and below, players alternate between level selection with the lower seed selecting first.
- In Community Tournaments T2-T3, players can choose level 15 or 18.
- In Community Tournaments T4-T5, players can choose level 12, 15, or 18.
- In Community Tournaments T6 and below, players can choose level 9, 12, or 15.
- Points over 999,999 count.
- Players are allowed to use same piece sets (SPS) if each player possesses an identical approved ROM and agree before the match begins. A test game may be played to ensure SPS, then increase the seed. Once agreed to, SPS must be used throughout the remainder of the match.
- All matches are best of five games where the victor of each game is determined by the highest score when both players have topped out. Pausing during a match is heavily discouraged. Pauses could result in disqualification of the game if the tournament staff determines it was used for a competitive advantage.
- Players should make their best effort to ensure a stable internet connection and begin matches at the same time as their opponent. A restreamer may ask players to restart OBS in between games should the delay give a perceived advantage.
- Tournament winners receive the Discord winner role of their tournament while all participants of each tournament are entitled to the Discord player role of said tournament.
- Players must be in the Discord server to participate.
- Pausing during a match is prohibited.
Superstreams - Masters, Challengers, Futures, Hopefuls
- Superstreams are scheduled with the players and superstreamers on Discord.
- If you miss a scheduled match, it’s considered an Official Dropout. A match is considered missed if you are 15 minutes late for the scheduled broadcast start time with no prior notice. If you are playing in the second match of a multi-match broadcast, your 15 minute counter starts 40 minutes after the scheduled broadcast start time. If you have a reasonable excuse on or before the 15th of the month, a superstream can be rescheduled if Tournament Ambassadors & Super Streamers are notified at least 2 hours before the stream.
Restreaming
- Restreamers are the lifeblood of a vibrant competitive scene. Commentators are vital to maintaining the energy of each match.
- If you wish to schedule with a restreamer, first schedule an agreeable time and date with your competitor. You may use the #scheduling channel for your convenience.
- Due dates for each match will be posted alongside their respective bracket.
- After confirming the time/date, request a restreamer in the #restreamer-scheduling channel.
- Matches are reported using the guidelines in #reporting.
- To learn how to restream for the community, visit #restreaming for details and questions.
MaxoutClub
- The value of restreamers cannot be understated. Players should make every effort to connect with a restreamer for their match.
- A match should be requested in #restreamer-scheduling 24 hours before the match time.
- Players should then ping the @Restreamer needed in 60 minutes role 1 hour before the match.
- If both of the above are completed and no restreamers are available, players may compete via MaxoutClub.
- One player must stream the match to their Twitch account so a public record of the match is maintained.
- The match is then reported as the same process described above.