Volkswagen brings Tetris and other games to its infotainment displays

AirConsole is available in 2027 vehicles and will launch with 20 games.

Volkswagen

As arguably the most unimprovable video game of all time, it's unsurprising that Tetris has been playable on nearly any console you can name. And if you drive a 2027 Volkswagen, you can add your car to that extensive list.

The iconic puzzler is one of 20 games that feature in Volkswagen's AirConsole in-vehicle entertainment offering, with Pac-Man Championship Edition and Uno Car Party also named in the press release. Developed by N-Dream, the platform is baked into the infotainment system on 2027 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan, Golf GTI, Golf R and ID vehicles.

Once you've booted up the game you want to play on the display, you use your phone as a wireless controller, but it isn't clear how many devices will be supported at launch. It doesn't sound like there will be any other compatible peripherals, so you will need to use a smart device to play games, or several for multiplayer.

Volkswagen says that some games will have ambient lighting integration with certain vehicles, which will correspond with whatever's happening in the game you're playing. There's also a custom Volkswagen version of Pac-Man, which replaces the familiar power pellets with Volkswagen logos, while fruit pickups become cars. That all sounds a bit sacrilegious to me, but fans of weird crossovers will be happy.

To access AirConsole, you'll need to be signed up to Volkswagen's In-Vehicle Premium service, which also includes Wi-Fi hotspot support, exclusive navigation features and various other connected experiences. Most 2027 vehicles come with three complimentary months of the service, but if you want to keep playing Tetris in the parking lot after that (and, sensibly, you do need to be parked to access the game library), you'll need to pay $149 per year for the privilege.