In this article we will talk about the incredible journey of Tetris, from the Soviet Union to the world.
Tetris is one of the most popular and iconic games of all time, Played by millions of players around the world.
The incredible journey of tetris begins in 1984 with the russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov, the game has a fascinating and curious history, from legal disputes to pop culture influence.
The first version of Tetris was created on a Soviet computer called Elektronika 60 while Pajitnov worked at the Dorodnitsyn Computer Center in Moscow.
Because the game was originally called “Tetrominoes” because it consisted of geometric pieces made of four squares.
Later the name was changed to Tetris, which is a combination of the words “tetra” (four) and “tennis” (Pajitnov’s favorite sport).
However, the success of Tetris soon spread throughout the Soviet Union, and, in 1986, the American video game company Atari became interested in launching the game in the United States.
However, the Tetris copyright dispute turned out to be one of the most complex cases in the history of video games.
Copyright
Tetris copyright was shared between the Soviet government and the USSR Academy of Sciences, which employed Pajitnov.
Atari made a deal with Spectrum HoloByte, an American company that secured the distribution rights for Tetris in the West.
However, Elektronorgtechnica, a Soviet state-owned company, claimed to have exclusive rights to the game.
However, this led to a series of legal battles that dragged on for years.
Meanwhile, Tetris' popularity only grew and the game was released on several platforms, including the Nintendo Game Boy, which became a huge success in 1989.
It was the first time Tetris was played on a portable console and helped further popularize the game across the world.
Furthermore, Tetris has had a significant impact on culture pop, appearing in many films, TV shows and songs. One of the most famous Tetris-inspired songs is “Korobeiniki,” a Russian folk song that became the game's theme song in the West.
The song became so famous that even today many people associate it with the melody to Tetris gameplay.
Tetris is a fascinating game that has a unique history and is full of curiosities.
Whether due to the legal dispute over copyright or its influence on pop culture, Tetris remains one of the most loved and played games of all time.
Curiosities
Tetris was inspired by the Pentominoes puzzle, which consists of tiles made up of five squares instead of four.
The game was created by Alexey Pajitnov while working at Dorodnitsyn Computing Center in Moscow, where he was responsible for hardware testing.
The name “Tetris” is a combination of the words “tetra” (four) and “tennis” (Pajitnov’s favorite sport).
The Tetris theme song is based on a Russian folk song called “Korobeiniki.”.
The game was originally designed to be played on Soviet computers, but it ended up becoming a worldwide success.
The Nintendo Game Boy version of Tetris sold more than 35 million of copies and is considered one of the best versions of the game.
There are more than 70 official versions of Tetris developed by several companies around the world.
Tetris is often cited as an example of a “perfect game”, a game that is simple enough to be easy to understand, but complex enough to be challenging.
The game is considered so addictive that the World Health Organization listed it as a mental disorder.
In 2020, a Tetris player broke the world record by playing for more than 30 hours straight without stopping.
Conclusion
Tetris is an iconic and fascinating game that has been loved by gamers around the world for more than three decades.
From its creation by Alexey Pajitnov to legal disputes over copyright, Tetris has a curious and interesting history.
With its simple and challenging gameplay, the game is considered an example of “perfect game” and has been praised for its ability to addict players for hours on end.
With more than 70 official versions around the world and a world record for gameplay of over 30 hours straight, Tetris continues to delight players of all ages and it's a classic of electronic games that never goes out of style.
