Welcome!
Welcome to NES Tetris, a website created to focus on the classic Tetris video game made for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Welcome to NES Tetris, a website created to focus on the classic Tetris video game made for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Alexey Pajitnov, creator of Tetris
Even if you do not play video games, you have heard of Tetris. So what is Tetris? Tetris is one of the most iconic and enduring video games of all time. It was created by Russian computer scientist Alexey Pajitnov in 1985.
The game's name is a combination of the Greek word "tetra," meaning four (for the four-block shapes), and "tennis," Pajitnov's favorite sport. The gameplay is deceptively simple. Players manipulate falling geometric shapes called by rotating and moving them horizontally as they descend. The objective is to create solid horizontal lines without any gaps. When a complete line is formed, it disappears, and the player earns points. The game ends when the all the pieces fills and reaches the top of the playfield.
Pentominoes
In 1985, while trying to recreate a favorite puzzle game from his childhood called pentominoes, Pajitnov quickly realized that although he was able to successfully create it, there was a problem. It was boring. Once the player figured it out, the game ended too quickly and with no incentive to replay it. So instead, Pajitnov imagined a different type of game consisting of a descent of random pieces that the player would turn to fill rows. Pajitnov felt that the game would be needlessly complicated with twelve different shape variations, so he scaled the concept down to four-block shapes of which there are seven variants. He called these 7 unique pieces tetrominoes.
But now there was a another problem. Once the pieces fell and the rows were filled, the game would end too early, even though it was much more engageing with the falling tetrominoes pieces. His next modification is the key to Tetris. Once a player filled one line, it disappeared. This not only gives the player a sense of achievement, but allows the game to keep going. And with that, the addictive puzzle game sensation of Tetris was born.
The first version of Tetris, on the Electronika 60 computer
Initially, Tetris was first developed on an Electronika 60 computer while he was working at the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Because the Electronika 60 had no graphical interface, Pajitnov modelled the field and pieces using parentheses. Tetris quickly gained popularity among Pajitnov's friends and work colleagues. Later, it would be reprogramed to work on more compatible computers such as IBM's and included colored pieces and even a scoreboard.
Tetris would eventually go on to gain international attention when it was bundled with the Game Boy handheld console in 1989. The portable nature of the Game Boy and the addictive nature of Tetris contributed to the game's widespread success. Tetris became a cultural phenomenon, appealing to players of all ages and skill levels.
Tetris on the Nintendo Game boy
Over the years, Tetris has been released on virtually every gaming platform, from arcade machines to modern consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. The game has evolved with new features and variations while retaining its core gameplay. Different versions of Tetris have been developed, including competitive multiplayer modes and themed editions.
Tetris has transcended its original gaming context, influencing popular culture, art, and even scientific research. Its timeless appeal and simplicity have made Tetris a classic in the world of video games, continuing to captivate players and inspire game designers decades after its creation.
The story of Tetris by Norman Caruso (Gaming Historian)
But the history of Tetris does not simply end there. From poor Alexey Pajitnov not being able to make a single penny from his creation for over a decade, Nintendo and Atari fighting for the rights to it along with the very powerful Robert Maxwell, it is truly a story for the ages.
I highly recommend you watch The story of Tetris by Norman Caruso (Gaming Historian) on YouTube. It is an excellent documentary that truly covers the history of Tetris very well. Check it out!
Alternatively, you can read more about it here.