Big blocks keep on … um, falling? Exactly 25 years ago this month, the first “working” game of “Tetris” was played by Russian creator Alexey Pajitnov. A year later, the game was commercialized and quickly went on to become a worldwide phenomenon. From “Tetris Blast” to “Tetris Attack” to “Tetris Party,” this game has been revived time and time again over the years and appeared on almost every gaming system there is. Here’s a look at a few of the reasons we keep coming back for more.
1. It’s timeless
Despite its age, you don’t need to spend a lot of time explaining how to play “Tetris.” People just get it. After all, it’s human nature to want to fit things together. And therein lies the universal beauty of “Tetris.” Arrange multiform Tetriminoes into neatly organized rows and you’ve basically got it. Try to fill four solid rows to score a “Tetris,” and whatever you do, don’t let the stacking blocks fill their way to the top. It’s an elegant gameplay concept that has continued to suck players in for more than two decades.
2. It’s addictive
Just when you think you’ve mastered the game, “Tetris” throws a wrench into the cog, by gradually supplying the falling blocks with chocolates, caffeinated soda, and all manner of sweets behind the scenes. The result: The little boogers drop at an increasing pace, forcing you to pick up your game and goading you to play on. Five hours and a hundred games later, you’ll wonder what the heck happened.
3. It has catchy music
“Tetris” could have shipped with snooze-inducing music, or with a melody that got old real fast. But it didn’t. Instead, players have been known to spontaneously break out into Russian “Barnynyas” (that traditional squat dance with lots of knee bending) after listening to the game’s mesmerizing title track. And any song that can do that, while cheering on my fancy puzzle work for hours on end, is a winner in my book.
4. It’s rated no. 1 by castaways
If you were exiled to a faraway island, and were somehow permitted to take one game (and a lifetime’s supply of batteries) with you, what game would you take? The overwhelming and informed answer to that hypothetical question has always been “Tetris,” partly due to the previously mentioned reasons, but mostly because the game can be played forever and cannot be beat. It’s the ultimate pastime for a life of isolation.
5. It’s the greatest game of all time
“Tetris” is far from the most exciting or influential game ever made. In fact, it’s rather rudimentary. Even so, it’s regularly named the “greatest game of all time” by both the enthusiast and mainstream press. Even Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says so, and he knows a thing or two about design. No wonder the game has been re-released more than any other, according to Guinness World Records.
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