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Tetris celebrates 25 years of falling blocks

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On June 6, 2009, 10:13 PM

Originally created by computer engineer Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris is one of the most recognized games of all video game history. Pajitnov designed the game as a distraction while working on an Elektronika 60 computer for the Computing Centre of the Soviet Academy of Sciences.


After a process uniting a series of mathematical puzzles and diversions, Tetris’ core concept was born. He titled his creation by combining the name of his favorite sport, tennis, and “tetra”, a numerical prefix commonly used in Greek and Latin. The game’s debut was on the IBM computer, but it didn’t see widespread popularity until it launched on Nintendo’s Game Boy, having sold over 35 million copies.

Despite its vast recognition, Tetris’ royalties were claimed by the Kremlin until Pajitnov moved to the US and regained its rights in 1996. Today, over 70 million copies of the game have been sold on nearly every platform imaginable and countless freeware versions are available online. Here’s to 25 years of shape-shifting blocks and humming the Korobeiniki.

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User Comments: 4

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  1. Ah, the good ol' days... I still have my old Game Boy with Tetris and Donkey Kong Island somewhere here.

  2. Staff

    Between the old Game Boy days and on my mobile many years later for a second round, I have had a blast playing this game. The best puzzle game ever in my book.

  3. * Hums Tetris song "Korobeiniki" * =D.

    One of the greatest games and song choices, still play it on occasion and love it!

  4. I picked up my first copy of Tetris in an alley one day while walking through it, took it home and dusted it off... played in my Game Boy with no trouble.

    Thats why cartridges kicked ass!

    These days, I turn to emulators for such needs.

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