Which service subscription was required to download Tetris 99 for free?

The subscription required to download Tetris 99 for free was Nintendo Switch Online.

Nintendo released Tetris 99 as a free digital download for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers in February 2019. The game adapts Tetris into a battle royale: as many as 99 players compete simultaneously, sending garbage lines to opponents while trying to keep their own boards from overflowing. The subscription requirement applied to the free online version, not to services such as Apple Arcade, PlayStation Plus, or Xbox Game Pass.

Tetris 99 was announced and released on February 13, 2019, during a Nintendo Direct presentation. It was developed by Arika and published by Nintendo. Players can target specific opponents or let the game select targets according to criteria such as random players, attackers, vulnerable players, or badge totals.

The arrangement later became less absolute because Nintendo released paid downloadable content and a physical edition. The physical version included the Big Block DLC and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online voucher. That distinction explains a common mix-up: Nintendo Switch Online was the access route for the free digital download, while later retail and paid-content options changed how the game could be obtained.