In 1984, video game history was made with the creation of Alexey Pajitnov’s classic hit “Tetris.” Although simplistic in its design, the game was highly addictive in its execution. The game has been adapted into numerous versions ever since it was first released from the former USSR and is available for play on nearly every gaming console today. While each version has some unique spin, the basic way to play remains the same. Players begin the game with a large open space and a single shape that slowly falls from the top of the screen. This shape is known as a tetromino and are collections of four smaller blocks into a particular shape. There are seven different tetrominoes that can fall from the top of the screen. The player’s job is to rack up as many points as possible by arranging these different tetrominoes into complete horizontal lines of 10 blocks. This can be accomplished with the press of a button to turn the tetromino 90 degrees. Once a line is completed it will disappear and the player will score points. All the blocks that sat on top of the disappeared line then move down a block. As the game progresses, the blocks will begin to fall faster the more lines the player makes disappear. This can be treacherous because the game will end if no more tetrominoes will fit in the play space.
This means that “Tetris” is one of the few games that cannot be won. A skilled player can only keep a game going so long before the increasing speed of the tetrominoes and the shrinking space forces them to lose. However, some players can go for a very long time.
While winning is impossible, the real mark of mastery is the score achieved. In some versions, players can speed up how quickly their tetrominoes fall which adds to their score. Some versions also include the ability to “hold” the next tetromino for later use. This adds an element of strategy to the game that truly pushes the player’s brain to the limit.
Senior exchange student Giovanna Navarro says that she enjoys the game “because you probe your abilities in fast thinking. It’s not like in chess when you only have to memorize plays. It helps you to improve your skills to solve problems quickly in real life.”
While several versions exist on many gaming consoles, free versions can be played via most mobile phone app stores and in any internet browser. Having played “Tetris” myself for many years I still find the experience extremely enjoyable after all this time. I once spent at least two hours just playing one single game without losing. As a gamer, it was one of the greatest achievements of my life. The best part of the game is that practically anyone can play and enjoy it. Whatever the reason that people enjoy the game, there is no doubt that – because it is so accessible on so many consoles – “Tetris” is a fast and easy way to pass the time.