Tetris (Game Boy video game)#Tetris DX

File:GB Tetris.png

File:Tetris-gravity-simple.svg

In terms of gameplay, the Game Boy version of Tetris is similar to the versions that were released on other platforms at the time. A pseudorandom sequence of tetromino shapes, composed of four square blocks each, fall down the playing field, which is 10 blocks wide by 18 blocks high. The object of the game is to manipulate the tetrominoes by moving each one sideways and rotating it by 90-degree units with the aim of creating a horizontal line of blocks without gaps. When one or more such lines are created, they disappear, and the blocks above (if any) move down by the number of lines cleared. As in most standard versions of Tetris, blocks do not automatically fall into open gaps when lines are cleared.

As the game progresses, the tetrominoes fall faster. The game ends when at least part of a tetromino extends beyond the top of the playfield when setting in place. The player can normally see which block will appear next in a window off to the side of the playing field, but this feature can be toggled during the game.{{cite web|title=Tetris|url=http://www.nindb.net/game/tetris.html|access-date=March 14, 2008|work=NinDB}} Points are awarded based on the current level and number of lines cleared. The level increases each time the player clears ten lines, as does the speed of falling tetrominoes. The player may adjust the difficulty before beginning a game by selecting a starting level or choosing to pre-fill the play area with a given number of lines of randomly placed blocks. After completing a particular height, the player is treated to a cutscene of a rocket of various types being launched, eventually capping off with Russians dancing and the Buran shuttle being launched.

This version of Tetris includes a two-player mode, in which each player's objective is to remain in play for longer than their opponent. Each player plays with a separate Game Boy and Tetris Game Pak, with the two consoles connected via the Game Link Cable. When a player scores a Double, Triple, or Tetris, incomplete rows of blocks are added to the bottom of the opponent's stack, causing it to rise.

File:Alexey Pajitnov January 2008 cropped.jpg, the designer of the original Tetris, called the Game Boy version his favorite.]]

Tetris was first created in 1985{{Cite web |title=Tetris {{!}} video game {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tetris |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} by Alexey Pajitnov. In 1988, Pajitnov teamed with fellow Soviet Academy of Sciences researchers Dmitry Pavlovsky, and Vadim Gerasimov to create a new two-player version of Tetris that ran on PCs.{{cite web|last=Gerasimov|first=Vadim|url=https://vadim.oversigma.com/Tetris.htm|title=Original Tetris: Story and Download|work=vadim.oversigma.com|access-date=June 10, 2007}} The game was soon licensed by Andromeda Software executive Robert Stein, who sublicensed the game to multiple publishers in different territories. In 1988, Henk Rogers of Bullet-Proof Software noticed the US home computer version at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in a Spectrum HoloByte booth. Finding himself hooked to the game, he pursued the rights to publish Tetris in Japan, and secured licenses from both Spectrum HoloByte, who held the North American computer license, and Atari Games, which had produced the American arcade version under a sublicense from Mirrorsoft, which had the rights for the European computer market. Knowing Nintendo was planning to release the Game Boy, Rogers approached Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa to suggest Tetris as the perfect bundled launch game. Arakawa questioned the idea, having planned to bundle Super Mario Land, but Rogers countered by stating that though a Mario game would promote the Game Boy to young boys, Tetris would promote it to everyone.{{cite web |url=http://stars.ign.com/dor/objects/919431/Alexey-Pajitnov/videos/tetris_spc_e3_01.html |title=Alexey Pajitnov Stars Interview – Video Interview: Alexey Pajitnov Pt. 1 |date=June 13, 2009 |author=Staff |website=IGN |access-date=June 13, 2009}} Rogers was told to pursue the rights; he approached Stein to seek rights for it to be distributed with the Game Boy.{{cite book |title=High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Video Games |first1=Rusel |last1=DeMaria |last2=Wilson|first2= Johnny L.|edition=2 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |year=2003 |isbn=0-07-223172-6}}

However, after several months passed, Stein had not signed to contract for the rights for the Game Boy, and Rogers learned that another person had approached Nintendo with the idea of a Game Boy Tetris. Requesting more time from Arakawa, he traveled to Moscow to speak with the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations's bureau for computer hardware and software export, called Elektronorgtechnica or ELORG, and Pajitnov. During this time, Nintendo approached Spectrum HoloByte on the prospect of a Game Boy Tetris, causing Mirrorsoft to send a representative, Kevin Maxwell, to Moscow to secure rights for the Game Boy version. Meanwhile, Rogers negotiated for the rights for Tetris on the Game Boy, noting in a later interview that the government officials did not understand the concept of intellectual property, and were looking for greater payment than Rogers or Nintendo could afford. However, it was revealed that the Tetris property had not actually been licensed to anyone because Stein had secured the rights from Pajitnov directly and not from the Russian authority.{{cite book |title=Invisible Engines: How Software Platforms Drive Innovation and Transform Industries |last1=Evans |first1=David Sparks |first2=Andrei|last2=Hagiu|first3=Richard|last3=Schmalensee|edition=Illustrated |publisher=MIT Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-262-05085-4}} Russia sent a fax to Maxwell in England with 48 hours to respond, but due to being in Russia at the time Maxwell did not receive the fax, and the handheld rights were given to Rogers. Rogers licensed the handheld rights to Nintendo. During this time Rogers discovered that the home console rights were actually not properly licensed, and in March 1989, Arakawa, and Nintendo vice president Howard Lincoln, working with Rogers, secured exclusive rights for console distribution of Tetris. However, Tetris{{'}}s production was delayed due to an ongoing legal battle with Atari Games over their home publishing subsidiary Tengen's version of Tetris for the NES and the game was released in Japan two months after the Game Boy's release there.{{cite book |last1=Sheff |first1=David |author-link=David Sheff |first2=Andy|last2=Eddy|year=1993 |title=Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World |publisher=Random House, Inc. (New York) |isbn=0-679-40469-4}} Bullet-Proof Software is mentioned as a copyright holder and the sub-licensor of the Tetris handheld rights to Nintendo on the game's startup screen.{{cite video game |title=Tetris |developer=Nintendo |publisher=Nintendo |date=June 14, 1989 |scene=startup screen}}

The main soundtrack for Tetris was created by Nintendo's accomplished composer Hirokazu Tanaka.{{cite web |url=http://www.hirokazutanaka.com/works/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119020328/http://www.hirokazutanaka.com/works/ |title=Works |work=Sporadic Vacuum |publisher=Hirokazu Tanaka |access-date=December 8, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=January 19, 2011}} The player can select one of three types of background music during the game or play with sound effects only. Two of the songs are arrangements of works from other composers: "Type A" is based on the Russian folk song "Korobeiniki" (also known as "Korobushka"), and "Type C" is an arranged version of "French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814: Menuet" (transposed to F♯ minor) by Johann Sebastian Bach.{{cite web |url=http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/opera-classical/68670/video-game-music-composers |title=Ode to joysticks |first=Brent |last=DiCrescenzo |date=November 13–19, 2008 |work=Time Out Chicago: Opera & Classical |access-date=December 20, 2010}}{{cite web |url=https://www.squareenixmusic.com/composers/tanaka/biography.shtml |title=Hirokazu Tanaka Biography |first=Chris |last=Greening |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=December 20, 2010}} In an early version that was only released in Japan with an estimated 25,000 copies sold, the "Type A" song is "Minuet".{{cite web|title=Tetris (Game Boy)|url=https://tcrf.net/Tetris_(Game_Boy)|access-date=February 13, 2019|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor}} The compositions "Type A" and "Type B" can be unlocked in the Super Smash Bros. series, where "Type A" can be played on the stage, "Luigi's Mansion" in Brawl and for Wii U, and "Type B" can be played on the stage, "Luigi's Mansion" in Brawl, and "Wuhu Island" in for Wii U, both can be played on any miscellaneous Nintendo series stage in Ultimate.

The victory fanfares played after completing levels are different arrangements of "Trepak", from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker.

An updated version of the game for Game Boy Color, titled Tetris DX, was developed by Nintendo and released in Japan on October 21, 1998, in North America on November 18, 1998, and in Europe and Australia in 1999. Tetris DX features battery-saved high scores and three player profiles. It has a new single-player mode against the CPU and also features two new modes of play. In "Ultra Mode", players must accumulate as many points as possible within a three-minute time period. In "40 Lines", players are timed on how quickly they can clear 40 lines of play. New music themes were added.

The Game Boy version of Tetris was released in North America and Europe as a Virtual Console game for the Nintendo 3DS on December 22, 2011{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28770/nintendo-download-december-22-2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118220442/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28770/nintendo-download-december-22-2011|title=Nintendo Download - December 22, 2011|first=Neal|last=Ronaghan|publisher=Nintendo World Report|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/12/nintendo_download_22nd_december_2011_europe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118213409/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/12/nintendo_download_22nd_december_2011_europe|title=Nintendo Download: 22nd December 2011 (Europe)|first=James|last=Newton|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Gamer Network|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}} and on December 28 in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28753/tetris-and-new-picross-coming-to-japan-eshop|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118183559/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28753/tetris-and-new-picross-coming-to-japan-eshop|title=Tetris and New Picross Coming to Japan eShop|first=Danny|last=Bivens|publisher=Nintendo World Report|date=December 23, 2011|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}} In contrast to the original version, it is not possible to play multiplayer in the Virtual Console version.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/23/tetris-review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128124356/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/23/tetris-review|title=Tetris Review|first=Lucas M.|last=Thomas|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 28, 2015|url-status=live}} The Virtual Console version of Tetris was delisted from the Nintendo eShop after December 31, 2014 in Europe{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/11/two_tetris_downloads_to_be_removed_from_the_3ds_eshop_in_europe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118200301/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/11/two_tetris_downloads_to_be_removed_from_the_3ds_eshop_in_europe|title=Two Tetris Downloads to be Removed from the 3DS eShop in Europe|first=Thomas|last=Whitehead|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Gamer Network|date=November 28, 2014|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}} and North America.{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/two_tetris_titles_pulled_from_the_3ds_eshop_in_north_america|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118193611/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/two_tetris_titles_pulled_from_the_3ds_eshop_in_north_america|title=Two Tetris Titles Pulled From the 3DS eShop in North America|first=Thomas|last=Whitehead|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Gamer Network|date=January 2, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}}

The Game Boy version was released worldwide on the Nintendo Classics service on February 8, 2023.{{cite web |title=Get a taste of old-school portable power with Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online - News - Nintendo Official Site |url=https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/get-a-taste-of-old-school-portable-power-with-game-boy-nintendo-switch-online/ |website=Nintendo |access-date=30 January 2025 |date=8 February 2023}} Unlike the release on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, multiplayer is fully supported. This version can also be played online. The Game Boy Color version was released worldwide on the service on December 11, 2024 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the series.

{{Video game reviews

| GR = GB: 90%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/585960-tetris/index.html |title=Tetris for Game Boy |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209011303/https://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/585960-tetris/index.html |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |url-status=dead}}
GBC: 81%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/198943-tetris-dx/index.html |title=Tetris DX for Game Boy Color |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209012607/https://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/198943-tetris-dx/index.html |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |url-status=dead}}

}}

Tetris has been credited as the Game Boy's killer app.{{cite magazine|date=November 1995|title=75 Power Players|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-011/page/n53/mode/2up|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=11|page=52}} It topped the Japanese sales charts during August{{ndash}}September 1989{{cite magazine |title=ファミコン通信 TOP 30 |trans-title=Famicom Tsūshin Top 30 |magazine=Famicom Tsūshin |date=September 15, 1989 |volume=1989 |issue=19}}{{cite magazine |title=ファミコン通信 TOP 30 |trans-title=Famicom Tsūshin Top 30 |magazine=Famicom Tsūshin |date=October 27, 1989 |volume=1989 |issue=22}} and from December 1989 to January 1990.{{cite magazine |title=Weekly Famimaga Hit Chart! (12/25～1/28) |magazine=Family Computer Magazine |date=23 February 1990 |publisher=Tokuma Shoten |pages=134–6 |url=https://archive.org/details/famimaga-1990-feb-23/page/134/mode/2up |lang=ja}} It also topped the US sales charts during August{{ndash}}September 1989{{cite magazine|date=October 27, 1989|title=U.S.A. TOP 10|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1989|issue=22|lang=ja}} and then December 1989.{{cite magazine|date=5 January 1990|title=U.S.A. TOP 10: '89年12月22日|trans-title=U.S.A. Top 10: 1989-12-22|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a4/Famitsu_JP_0091.pdf#page=14|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|volume=1990|issue=1/2|page=14|lang=ja}}

Nintendo sold {{nowrap|2.5 million}} copies by early 1990, as its top seller.{{cite magazine |title=Surviving Together |magazine=Surviving Together |date=1990 |volume=20-22 |page=68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CA8rAQAAIAAJ |publisher=Committee and the Institute |quote={{nowrap|2.5 million}} copies later, Tetris is Nintendo's {{nowrap|top-selling}} title for the first few months of 1990.}} About {{nowrap|7.5 million}} copies had been sold in the United States by 1992.{{cite book |last1=Weaver |first1=Kitty D. |title=Bushels of Rubles: Soviet Youth in Transition |date=1992 |publisher=Praeger Publishing |isbn=978-0-275-93844-4 |page=149 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ruYoAAAAYAAJ |quote={{nbsp}}"If I had known it would make big money, I wouldn't have given all the rights," he says, contemplating sales of {{nowrap|7.5 million}} copies in the United States, where Tetris is standard equipment for the Nintendo Game Boy hand-held unit.}} By 1997, {{Nowrap|29.72 million}} units had been sold worldwide, including bundles.{{Cite news|last=Rothstein|first=Edward|date=December 8, 1997|title=Nintendo's Game Boy lives as nostalgia for simpler computer games catches on|work=The New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/08/business/technology-connections-nintendo-s-game-boy-lives-nostalgia-for-simpler-computer.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=25 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527052924/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/08/business/technology-connections-nintendo-s-game-boy-lives-nostalgia-for-simpler-computer.html|archive-date=2015-05-27}} As of June 2009, more than {{nowrap|35 million}} copies had been sold worldwide.{{cite web |title='Tetris' by the numbers |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/06/68024593/1 |work=USA Today |author=Saltzman, Marc |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2009}}

Official Nintendo Magazine ranked Tetris fifth on its list of the "100 Best Nintendo Games".{{cite web|last=East|first=Tom|date=March 2, 2009|title=Feature: 100 Best Nintendo Games|url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=7327|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107042512/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=7327|archive-date=January 7, 2011|access-date=March 18, 2009|work=Official Nintendo Magazine}} Game Informer{{'}}s Ben Reeves called it the best Game Boy game and a "legendary puzzle game".{{cite magazine|last=Reeves|first=Ben|date=June 24, 2011|title=The 25 Best Game Boy Games Of All Time|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/04/21/the-25-best-game-boy-games-of-all-time.aspx?amp|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214204514/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/06/24/the-25-best-game-boy-games-of-all-time.aspx|archive-date=February 14, 2017|access-date=December 6, 2013|magazine=Game Informer}} In 2019, PC Magazine included the game on their "The 10 Best Game Boy Games" commenting: "Tetris serves up addictive and challenging gameplay on the go for all ages".{{Cite web|last=Edwards|first=Benj|date=October 17, 2019|title=The 10 Best Game Boy Games|url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-10-best-game-boy-games|access-date=2022-01-25|website=PCMAG|language=en}}

In August 2008, Nintendo Power listed Tetris DX as the best Game Boy/Game Boy Color video game, stating that it meant more to handheld gaming than any other video game. They also described it as the best version of Tetris until Tetris DS was released.{{cite magazine |date=August 2008 |title=Nintendo Power – The 20th Anniversary Issue! |volume=231 |magazine= Nintendo Power |issue=231 |page=72 |publisher=Future US |location=San Francisco, California }} Alexey Pajitnov called the Game Boy version of Tetris his favorite and very close to his original version. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 26 out of 40.

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Category:1989 video games

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Category:Virtual Console games

Category:Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS