Everything You Need to Know About Tetris: The Grand Master 4 – Absolute Eye on Nintendo Switch

Arika's legendary arcade series is making its return to a Nintendo platform. After a successful Steam debut in April 2025 that revived the franchise for the first time since 2005, Tetris: The Grand Master 4 – Absolute Eye is officially launching on the Nintendo Switch eShop on June 4, 2026 . The launch comes with a sharp new price point and several key gameplay changes that distinguish it from the PC version, all while perfectly aligning with the competitive Tetris calendar.

Pricing and the Simultaneous Steam Revision

On the Nintendo Switch, the game will be priced at 2,800 yen in Japan . Regional pricing for the US and European eShops has not yet been confirmed . However, developer Arika has announced a simultaneous price revision for the Steam version. Effective June 4, 2026, the PC price will drop from its current $34.99 / ¥3,545 to match the Switch's 2,800 JPY, with overseas prices adjusted according to each region . This brings both platforms into complete price alignment on launch day.

A Historic Return After Two Decades

The Switch launch is a landmark moment for the series. The last mainline entry, Tetris: The Grand Master 3 - Terror Instinct, was released in 2005. After 20 years, TGM4 arrived on Steam on April 3, 2025 to strong reviews, earning an 85% positive player rating despite its $35 price tag . While previous TGM titles have been re-released on Switch through the Arcade Archives series, this is the first time a brand-new TGM game has been playable on a Nintendo console in two decades .

Key Switch Version Differences

This is not a simple port. Arika has officially announced several gameplay and technical changes for the Switch version, according to a comparison trailer and patch notes .

Rebalanced Difficulty and Changed Ranks:
The difficulty of MASTER mode has been adjusted, and as a result, some in-game Title (rank/grade) names have been changed. The same is true for SHIRANUI mode, the game's 101-tier AI versus mode, which has also seen a difficulty rebalance and corresponding Title name changes . Arika has not specified whether these adjustments make the game easier or harder, only that the ranking criteria have shifted.

CPU Level 0 Removed:
In the Steam version, players could select a "CPU Level 0" in SHIRANUI mode, a special AI bot that unlocked after 50 plays and learned to mimic your play style . The Switch version removes this option entirely. Arika states this was done "in accordance with AI training policy requirements" in Japan, likely referring to regulations around on-device machine learning .

Limited Replay Storage:
Due to hardware constraints, replay storage on the Switch has been capped at approximately 16 MB. Arika estimates this is enough to save roughly several hundred replays, depending on the mode .

Reduced Keyboard Support:
While the PC version supports full keyboard controls, the Switch version only provides basic keyboard input for specific functions . Players will primarily need to rely on the Joy-Cons or a compatible controller.

A Perfect Companion for the CTWC TGM4 Championship

The timing of the Switch release could not be better for fans of competitive Tetris. The 17th annual Classic Tetris World Championship (CTWC) runs June 5–7, 2026 at the Pasadena Convention Center in California . The event schedule has designated Friday, June 5 as the dedicated day for the "TGM4 CHAMPIONSHIP" alongside Tetris qualifiers . Releasing on June 4 allows Switch players to practice on the new version immediately before the tournament begins, putting the console release squarely in the spotlight of the high-level competitive scene.