Ah, yes, the popular block game that even generations of today have come to know has finally been conquered. In what seems like an impossible and unbeatable game, Tetris finally meets its match with a young player.
Let’s rewind a bit: Tetris is a puzzle video game from 1985 created by a Soviet software engineer named Alexey Pajitnov. The mechanics are as simple as stacking different-shaped blocks, fitting them together like puzzle pieces where they eventually clear at some point once the blocks fit perfectly together, which earns the player points.
Along with its iconic background music, Tetris has been published across various platforms, with video game developers adding twists and variations of their own.
Three decades after Alexey created the game, a 13-year-old named Willis “Blue Scuti” Gibson reached level 157 before the game crashes—or what the gaming community calls a game’s “final kill screen.”
Classic games like Tetris may go to higher levels until the corrupted screen prevents players from moving on, thus ending the game. It’s not unlike most video games nowadays, with specific hours for beating the game.
Of course, with classic games like Tetris, what appears to be a repetitive stage turns out more difficult than the previous one. For example, Tetris blocks fall faster with every level, making it almost impossible for most players to get past level ten, perhaps.
However, Blue Scuti made it up to level 157, where players thought, through past investigations, that the kill screen appeared on level 155.
- Nostalgic computer shop games we used to play
- 4 reasons why retro games remain popular as ever
- Memorable mobile games we played when we were young
Tetris techniques pros developed
If you think e-sports only included multiplayer online battle royales (MOBAs) or first-person shooters (FPS), classic video game tournaments have been held even before the concept of e-sports.
Hardcore players have been developing techniques to try and surpass the challenges of Tetris since Nintendo first released it for the Entertainment System (NES) in 1989.
Early techniques fans have formulated (using the classic NES controller) is through a special grip called “hypertapping.” This lets players vibrate their finger over the D-pad at least ten times per second. This lets players control the speed at which blocks move laterally by holding the D-pad’s down button.
Yes, pro players did spend their time mastering the technique, allowing people like Thor Aackerlund (2011) and Joseph Salee (2018 and 2019) to dominate the classic Tetris.
Another developed technique—called the “rolling”—lets players nudge the D-pad on a finger on the other side of the controller, which will allow a quick series of directional button presses.
Blue Scuti is making it big for 2024
It’s just the first few days of the new year, and we are already seeing achievements such as this young man’s new record for classic Tetris.
While no one knows for sure if there are more levels beyond 157 before the game crashes, one thing is for sure: Blue Scuti ‘beats’ the game through determination and skills, two things that we could all learn from and inspire us as we carry on the rest of 2024.
What do you think about this accomplishment? What are other classic video games you want to see beaten? Let us know your thoughts.