Tetris 99 Adds New Kirby Theme This Weekend

Nintendo is holding another crossover event in Tetris 99 this weekend. The online puzzler's 19th Maximus Cup competition kicks off this Thursday, January 7, and this time, the prize is a theme based on the recent Kirby spin-off, Kirby Fighters 2.

Like previous Maximus Cups, this weekend's event is a point-based competition. You'll earn points depending on how well you place each round, and if you can amass 100 points by the end of the event, you'll unlock the aforementioned Kirby Fighters 2 theme.

The Maximus Cup runs until 10:59 PM PT on January 11 (1:59 AM ET on January 12). You'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to participate in the event. Individual memberships cost $4 for one month, $8 for three months, and $20 for one year, while an annual Family Plan costs $35 and covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts.

Kirby Fighters 2 launched for Switch last September and is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring various Kirby characters and power-ups. We scored the game a 6/10 in our Kirby Fighters 2 review and called it "a solid entry point into the fighting genre" that was marred by steep difficulty spikes in its story mode. You can download a free demo of the game from the Switch eShop.

In other news, Switch Online subscribers can grab another free item pack for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For a limited time, Nintendo is giving away the Spirit Board Challenge Pack 7, which includes a handful of items that will help you overcome tough opponents in the game's Spirit Board mode. Like previous freebies, however, you'll need to have an active, paid membership to claim the pack.