16-year-old Tetris NES player becomes first hit – an incredible milestone

Key insights

  • A 16-year-old Tetris player achieved the first-ever “rebirth” by beating level 255 on a special NES ROM version.
  • The player set several records in the classic game by reaching level 255 and then returning to level 0.
  • Despite being played on a special version, the performance was still impressive, with an incredible final score of 29,486.16



A Tetris The player did something that no one else has done Tetris The player has done it in the game's storied 35-year history: he is the first person to reach level 255 and achieve the mythical “rebirth,” which essentially takes the game back to the first level. The first such feat achieved live on Twitch by a 16-year-old made huge waves Tetris community and the larger gaming community in general.

Tetristhe classic puzzle game in which players strategically rotate and place falling blocks of different shapes to complete and clear horizontal lines has always enjoyed a certain level of popularity. However, interest in the quintessential original version of the video game seems to have increased significantly in recent years with the NES Tetris After 34 years, he was finally beaten late last year by a 13-year-old named Blue Scuti. While reaching the kill screen at level 157 is an amazing feat, the 16-year-old has accomplished something arguably even more impressive, setting several records in the process.


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According to a report from Ars Technica, Michael “dogplayingtetris” Artiaga achieved this milestone during a livestreaming on Twitch in front of hundreds of viewers, where he played approximately 3,300 lines in an hour and 20 minutes, something previously considered impossible. Techniques like rolling and hypertapping are being developed . The player has certainly set new standards for high-level games Tetris Gameplay, it should be noted that he played on a special version: an NES Tetris ROM that prevents it from crashing and prevents the infamous Tetris Killscreen that Blue Scuti triggered during his record attempt.


Artiaga's success on the ROM version of Tetris doesn't diminish the impressiveness of its performance, like the NES version of Tetris has its own bug in level 235 that results in a grueling 810 lines to clear for the level – all at the fastest possible drop rate in the game. The player reportedly spent 20 minutes on this level alone. After reaching level 255 and triggering the fabled “Rebirth,” Artiaga continued playing until level 91 before finally giving up. The final score of the record run was 29,486,164 points, miles above the highest scoring game of the classic Tetris.


Tetris today, Tetris tomorrow, Tetris forever


Tetris turns 40 this year and the franchise is celebrating by announcing the Tetris Forever Collection. The Tetris Forever Collection will feature over 15 games from throughout the long-running franchise's history, including titles like Hatris, Super BombBliss, And Great Tetris 3. It will also include a brand new game called Tetris time jump. Although the upcoming collection of games currently has a general release date of 2024, it's safe to say Tetris remains an extremely popular video game franchise.

Tetris cover

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