Tetris is an addictive puzzle game with a curious connection to the USSR’s artificial intelligence program. Designed by researcher Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris was the first video game to be exported from the Soviet Union to the United States. You can play Tetris free online here below.
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
How To Play Tetris
The object of Tetris is to create perfectly filled groups of blocks without any gaps. As the shapes fall, players can rotate randomly presented tetrad shapes in 90-degree increments. When a horizontal line without gaps forms, it will disappear. As the game progresses, the shapes fall faster. The game ends when the board “tops out” and no more shapes are able to enter.
Tetris Game History
Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of the origional Tetris game, didn’t make any money off his creation for the first decade. All profits went to the Soviet government until Pajitnov took over licensing in 1996. Early versions of Tetris included Soviet-themed backgrounds featuring their space program and landmarks like the Kremlin.
More Tetris Fun
Since its initial release in 1984, Tetris has become an icon in both the video game industry as well as general pop culture. Versions of Tetris can be found on(Amazon link) every gaming platform, Japanese game shows, and even IRL recreations.
NERD NOTE: Alexey Pajitnov originally designed and programmed Tetris in 1984, while working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow. Pajitnov has cited pentominoes as a source of inspiration for the game. He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix “tetra-“, as all of the pieces contain four segments, and tennis, Pajitnov’s favorite sport.
Frank Wilson is a retired teacher with over 30 years of combined experience in the education, small business technology, and real estate business. He now blogs as a hobby and spends most days tinkering with old computers. Wilson is passionate about tech, enjoys fishing, and loves drinking beer.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.