Unsolved Tetris Mysteries With Creator Alexy Pajitnov & Designer Henk Rogers

Unsolved Tetris Mysteries With Creator Alexy Pajitnov & Designer Henk Rogers | Ars Technica

Рет қаралды 172,581

Күн бұрын

Today Ars Technica welcomes Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov and Managing Director of The Tetris Company Henk Rogers to answer some burning questions about the origins of the iconic puzzle game and its deceptive complexity. What programming language was the first-ever version of the game written in? How did they create the iconic Tetris music? What’s the real best strategy? Get answers to these questions and more directly from the minds behind the game.
Tetris is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.
Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Brad Wickham
Editor: Shandor Garrison
Talent: Alexy Pajitnov, Henk Rogers
Line Producer: Joe Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas
Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez
Production Manager: Eric Martinez
Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila
Camera Operator: Brittany Berger
Audio:Gabe Quiroga
Production Assistant: Ryan Coppola
Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
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Пікірлер: 381

@ceryneianhinds Жыл бұрын

I am so pleased Alexey is getting the recognition he so rightfully deserves

@Fukthm-ir3zs Жыл бұрын

When did he not?!🤣

@Fukthm-ir3zs Жыл бұрын

Dudes been banging around for decades

@somecallmesean_ Жыл бұрын

Back in the eighties until Henk Rogers and Nintendo got the rights

@19x51 Жыл бұрын

This is a Soviet game, more precisely, a Russian game that conquered the world

@redracer2004 10 ай бұрын

The Russians did conquer the world one way or another@@19x51

@Str0b0 Жыл бұрын

Gotta love Alexey Pajitnov. Such a sympathetic character.

@19x51 Жыл бұрын

This is a Soviet game, more precisely, a Russian game that conquered the world

@leociresi4292 11 ай бұрын

The most Russian thing in the world is Tetris Effect

@Exigentable 8 ай бұрын

@19x51 relax there, Kafka. It's just a hunk of code.

@nnaheim. 5 күн бұрын

He is KGB, he is spy

@diasporadica Жыл бұрын

I am happy to see their real-life friendship depicted so well in the recent movie.

@MrYogurcik77 Жыл бұрын

Yes, very nice movie 💪

@19x51 Жыл бұрын

This is a Soviet game, more precisely, a Russian game that conquered the world

@ahuachapan2 Жыл бұрын

Yes. They are married and expecting their second child: Tatiana Russova.

@WhatAboutZoidberg Жыл бұрын

So happy Alexy is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He made one of, if not the greatest game of all time. He basically made chess in the modern era.

@19x51 Жыл бұрын

This is a Soviet game, more precisely, a Russian game that conquered the world

@urielperez4101 Жыл бұрын

@@19x51 ok buddy we get it🤣no need to repeat yourself under every comment you see

@19x51 Жыл бұрын

@@urielperez4101 Est-ce que je répète?

@ryoukaip 11 ай бұрын

@@19x51yes you do, stop spamming

@EvidentlyFire 3 ай бұрын

@@19x51are Russia paying you? lol. btw soccer is an english game, its a little more popular

@deadfr0g Жыл бұрын

There’s an important idea in game design that complexity is like a resource or currency (debt the player is asked to take on) that the designer uses to generate or “buy” depth: in general, you need to add complexity to a game to create more depth in it. Within this framework, the elegance of a game’s design is often thought of as the abstract ratio of how much depth you’ve been able to squeeze out of how little complexity. It is by this measure that Tetris is frequently cited as being perhaps the most elegant video game ever made.

@justcuz8202 11 ай бұрын

If I may, what are some examples of both "depth" and "complexity" in the concept you've described, here? It was a lot of language, but not a lot of description, haha.

@chupasaurus 9 ай бұрын

@@justcuz8202 I'll to rephrase the OP and add examples (using board games). Complexity is basically amount of rules, while depth is how much knowledge, specific techniques and so on those generate. Clear example is chess vs checkers: same board, the former has 6 distinct pieces and a dozen of rules, the latter has 2 pieces and like 3 rules; if compare them, chess has more depth because it has complexity which enables it. The whole another story is go/baduk/weiqi: a different board, one piece, 6 rules of what to do with them, and a depth that doesn't end in this galaxy because it's so abstract.

@fistsop Жыл бұрын

That man right there made the greatest video game of all time.

@LordmonkeyTRM Жыл бұрын

Wait he's not Sid Meier...

@Larryboy2701 Жыл бұрын

One of the greatest for sure. It may not be the greatest for me, but Tetris is one of the few video games I would label as “perfect”

@V3ntilator Жыл бұрын

It's so perfect Nintendo bundled it with Gameboy instead of Super Mario.

@yekker2245 Жыл бұрын

I play it everyday ✌️

@Projectz1122 Жыл бұрын

The movie on Apple+ was really good. Very cool to see the creators in the flesh and their thoughts about the game, thanks.

@MuscarV2 Жыл бұрын

The creator* They say right in the video who they are, yet you somehow failed to understand any of that... how?

@Projectz1122 Жыл бұрын

@@MuscarV2 Creators as in one who invented the game, one who brought it to mainstream audiences and who both founded the Tetris Company. Why I specifically said creators and not inventors. I see what you're meaning, possible poor word usage on my part.

@canofnothing Жыл бұрын

It's great to hear these two talk about things like the rotation system, randomization and a bit of the programming involved. Usually in interviews we just hear them talk about the history and legacy of the game. There's a different kind of enthusiasm that seems to come out when they discuss the smaller details.

@HandleToBeDetermined Жыл бұрын

Tetris is a timeless masterpiece not only in gaming, but for humanity as a whole. Long live the Tetrimino!

@leociresi4292 11 ай бұрын

I remember learning how to play Tetris on the Game Boy, gosh the memories

@charlottearanea7507 Жыл бұрын

0:20 What at the first version of Tetris like? 1:20 What is the origin of the name "Tetris"? 1:50 What programming language was Tetris originally made in? 3:09 How did Tetris make the best song in gaming ever? 4:23 What do the dancer and space shuttle endings mean? 5:17 How does the game decide which piece to give you? 7:37 How many lines of code is used to make Tetris? 8:55 Do the pieces have official names? 9:57 Do the creators of Tetris get the Tetris Effect? 10:18 Is tucking a bug or a feature? 11:14 What is Pajitnov and Rogers' biggest disagreement? 12:48 What is the definitive version of Tetris? 13:59 What is your preferred strategy, cascade, Tetris, or T-spin? 15:18 Do you use the Hold piece? 15:48 What is the story of the creators of Tetris? 16:50 What role did Tetris have in ending the Cold War?

@TonyTheTGR Жыл бұрын

BUMP

@Tackleqb Жыл бұрын

I love how Alexey calls the game his baby. It sure is and he should be proud. The game is addicting as addicting as f!

@maxheedrum100 Жыл бұрын

This is the best example of synchronicity; the look of the blocks they chose for the second version of Tetris fit in with the 'Memphis aesthetic' of the 1980s perfectly. The game could not have come into being at any other time.

@ADreamingTraveler Жыл бұрын

The ending is really great. At the end of the day we're all humans that love playing and experiencing the same things in life and shouldn't let things like politics dehumanize others.

@lonewolf36s Жыл бұрын

"People attribute intelligence to randomness" - @7:30 That was profound. Such an awesome self coop interview here. As a programmer I very much enjoyed this in all regards.

@potterinhe11 Жыл бұрын

For me, the 'Tetris Effect' transpires as a complete version of the game that I can play in my mind, where I remember where every piece is and they are even randomized properly.

@leociresi4292 11 ай бұрын

IKR. I can look at a tiled wall or floor and instantly know hoe to set up a C-Spin

@pomettini Жыл бұрын

Never thought that Henk Rogers was such a programming language nerd

@themilkmaiden Жыл бұрын

This is one of the best game dev Q&As I have ever seen, informative, likeable relatable devs, no bs

@C.I... Жыл бұрын

He designed Hexic too? I love playing Hexic on my Zune with my own music as the soundtrack! I suppose it is a bit like Tetris with a more strategic flavour - so strategic that I am yet to win lol.

@MarinM87 Жыл бұрын

Hexic is a prime example of how someone who did something so beautiful as is Tetris can still bring more to videogames. Truly another masterpiece but not as known.

@PedroSilvahf Жыл бұрын

If Hexic is still the same game i played a lot of years ago then it is kinda hard to beat it. You have to make 3 black pieces and put them together to eliminate the set and its done. It took me way too much time to make it happen but when i saw some guy playing on youtube and filling the screen with black pieces. That was the moment i stopped, it just doesn't get inside my head how this is possible.

@RyanVentura604 Жыл бұрын

All respect to both men! Love to see they still love this game so much.

@The_Cadaver Жыл бұрын

Legends. Hexic HD is one of my favorite puzzle games of all time too.

@tamertamertamer4874 11 ай бұрын

It’s really nice to see how far programming has come. Now a lot of programmers can easily code a basic version of Tetris really fast with all the tools we have today

@mickeymaus1 Жыл бұрын

Very nice and likeable interview - thank you both for that. 😊 I personally never really liked Tetris very much but I absolutely see the impact and importance of Tetris had to the gaming industry at all. And it’s very nice to see that the creator itself now become the credits.

@ryanhoulihan Жыл бұрын

Okay now I need to go suit shopping

@SavvySavant Жыл бұрын

The first time I played tetris on gameboy, it was like a sneak peak into another world... An utterly unique puzzler with Russian culture sprinkled throughout.. I knew nothing of Russia as a kid (it was an enigma).. Finding out about it in the music and iconography was a really memorable experience as child.. Brilliant game.. 👍

@leociresi4292 11 ай бұрын

In the Nintendo version of Tetris, when you beat the hardest level, a cartoon plays with fiddlers, dancers, and the tops of the Kremlin take off like rockets

@shepherdsgamingrun Жыл бұрын

4:40 The version of Tetris shown is not the one Henk Rogers worked on. That one was programmed by rival Tengen, who thought they had the rights for Tetris at the time.

@medicalwei Жыл бұрын

And tetrio screenshot around 9:48 I hope they don't take down this video though

@fixedfunshow Жыл бұрын

@@medicalwei yep triggered me lol

@iamnotmcm Жыл бұрын

@@fixedfunshowtetrio is so fun though play it i promise it wont ruin your life

@shanedavison6371 Жыл бұрын

I get the vibe these guys really are best friends. Awesome interview.

@losalfajoresok Жыл бұрын

This was so wholesome!

@LeesReviews69 Жыл бұрын

I didn’t know the history of Tetris was so extravagant until this movie, and I was one of the Gameboy/Tetris buyers. You guys rock!

@kelownatechkid Жыл бұрын

I will never give up my game boy color specifically because of Tetris! Thank you Alexey and Henk!

@TheVeryGenericUsername Жыл бұрын

Oh look, Tetrio!

@boxboy7999 Жыл бұрын

Yeah someone at ars technica is getting in trouble

@FlameMage2 Жыл бұрын

Henk seems like a really swell dude! Great at explanations and these were some pretty well picked out questions.

@hemmojito Жыл бұрын

You just feel that he looks over the rim of his teacup. Love people like that

@BdR76 Жыл бұрын

Tetris is such classic game, the story about how it was first programmed to where Nintendo first published their version is just fascinating, and it's great to see Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers are still friends after all these years. 😃 I wonder though, if they ever heard of the msdos game *Shariki* ? That game has a similar story, it's an endless puzzle action game created by a Russian student (Yevgeny Alemzhin) but that game was later just copied as *Bejeweled* and ultimately he never became as rich and famous, even though match3 games are also played everywhere today.

@UmbrellaSound Жыл бұрын

I'd say he didn't become famous or influential as Alexey because similar games were made since 1985. SameGame was first of the bunch. Shariki was too late to the party to claim proper originality. Although I agree that Bejeweled just straight up copy pasted Shariki. :(

@martin0499 Жыл бұрын

I'd like to hear if Alexey seen the video "Complete History Of The Soviet Union, Arranged To The Melody Of Tetris", it's an incredible piece of internet and video game history.

@Mackaber Жыл бұрын

Thank you Ars for this. This was really heartwarming. I was smiling the whole way

@dosnostalgic Жыл бұрын

13:18 When Alexey mentions the version "ported to PC", I have a feeling that he didn't mean the Spectrum Holobyte 1988 PC version, which is the one shown, but probably the 1986 Academysoft version he himself co-created with Vadim Gerasimov.

@ICONmachines Жыл бұрын

Absolutely LEGENDS! ❤

@dontomaso11 Жыл бұрын

Love the look of these two dudes :)

@brianbjur4796 Жыл бұрын

It’s like if George Carlin was two people

@GameplayandTalk Жыл бұрын

That was a really fun Q&A session. Thanks, Ars!

@waynekeenansvideos Жыл бұрын

That was really awesome, thanks. I really enjoyed the movie too.

@Err_InvalidName 4 ай бұрын

When a movie about your game also serves as a bio pic. Now that’s a T spin … or Tetris

@Protofall Жыл бұрын

Alexy was the first world champ. I love you, you comedian! Really enjoyed the movie too!

@eurapeon Жыл бұрын

That was wonderful. Thank you

@swanseawales1979 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant interview, thanks for posting

@Sctn187 8 ай бұрын

They both seem so cool glad I got to see this.

@UXXV Жыл бұрын

Well does Ars! This was gold!

@macidraws1705 Жыл бұрын

The fact that Alexy calls Tetris his baby❤❤ 17:28

@vksasdgaming9472 Жыл бұрын

Alexei Pajitnov definitely earned his money. It woukd still be awesome to see how well can he play Tetris on NES. World's best players go to about two million points. World Champion got nicely gold-colored T-piece until death of heptuple-champion Jonas Neubauer and after that it's been J-piece.

@iamnotmcm Жыл бұрын

WR is well over 6 million depending on whether or not you’re talking about NTSC or PAL versions

@BangkokZed 2 ай бұрын

I first saw programmers at the Minsk University playing a Tetris-like game in 1983. The game was played on a green screen, with shapes denoted by 'X' symbols. According to Wikipedia, AP released the game in 1985. This story is similar to the lightbulb, prior to Edison, numerous other innovators had similar ideas, which he perfected and commercialized.

@rutabaga9863 Жыл бұрын

tetrio jumpscare

@DeborahAbelha Жыл бұрын

Lovely seeing both ❤just watched the movie thrilling

@estusflask982 Жыл бұрын

2 legends. Great game. Great movie too.

@Guest_0011 Жыл бұрын

Alexy is rocking that tetris shirt for sure

@DavinciWhite Жыл бұрын

I think the best part of the movie is all these videos we are getting to know better the "behind the iron curtain" / making of the game

@leociresi4292 11 ай бұрын

Original Tetris 4 lines was a big deal Tetris Effect, Octoris, Dodecatris, Decahextris, Perfectris, Ultimatris, Kirbtris, Impossibilitris, Possibly Infinitris

@jesmarlesmar Жыл бұрын

I LOVE THIS! thanx for this!

@mudden Жыл бұрын

Since I got the Nintendo Switch I've been playing more Tetris than ever due to the Tetris 99 included in the console! What a great game it is!

@GoGoGadgetAsh Ай бұрын

I have loved Tetris since I first time I played it on a demo Nintendo Game Boy in a Target store back in 1989! Now, I play as many versions of Tetris as I can get my hands on. It is my favorite game of all time. Thank you so much for Tetris! I wish I could give this video more than one thumbs up! I will do it here in the comments. 👍👍👍👍

@IceKoldKilla Жыл бұрын

I've been obsessed lately. Playing the Game Boy version on Switch, Tetris 99 and on my PS5 been playing Tetris Effect: Connected.

@rizalukman7982 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Alexei Pajitnov for creating tetris

@bar10dr Жыл бұрын

I just watched the Tetris movie, you guys are awesome

@lefthookouchmcarm4520 4 ай бұрын

Its amazing. Without both of these guys, the world wouldnt know tetris 😮

@AbstraktNG Жыл бұрын

The 2 greatest minds who made the most popular and addictive game in history

@danmozartino2864 Жыл бұрын

wooooo thank you guys !!!

@diskoBonez Жыл бұрын

Really insightful interview!

@bentationfunkiloglio Жыл бұрын

Alexy is cool. Such an inspiration.

@CoachCraigKenneth Жыл бұрын

I would love to see their reaction to playing Tetris Effect in VR

@perjalananwaktu7181 Жыл бұрын

bruh these those tetris game is legendary

@joshuabergin3087 3 күн бұрын

A game that has stood the test of time and will continue to

@danielkeo7928 Жыл бұрын

I absolutely love your game and your story is even more inspiring. I am very glad your both getting the recognition you deserve.

@elrincondedynemarkis8214 Жыл бұрын

Alexy smile is one of the best things in all universe... thanks

@lizzyboo121 Жыл бұрын

so good!!! 🩵💙❤️💜🧡💛💚

@trwijbenga Жыл бұрын

Some great guys!

@charlibiris Жыл бұрын

Guys lets not forget that this guy invented one of the best ganes ever. Like chess, crosswords etc… hes a leyend

@castries Жыл бұрын

Tetris Battle was fire!!!!!

@saicoromero1180 Жыл бұрын

My favorite game forever ! thanks kings of tetris

@tec5x5 Жыл бұрын

I adore Tetris on the NES with "C" music its such a vibe

@slowestjabroni Жыл бұрын

SO GOOD

@RifetOkic 11 ай бұрын

THIS is the kind of stuff i Love

@SlyHikari03 11 ай бұрын

Alexey! What a legend.

@BambooShadow Жыл бұрын

Nicest guys in the video game biz since the 80s!

@fotografick Жыл бұрын

I wish the talked about Tetris Effect. Not that it's the definitive version, but it is a masterpiece.

@michaellacy3699 Жыл бұрын

As Sid Meyer once said, 'a game is a series of interesting choices.'

@ilnasyah Жыл бұрын

lol surprised that henk rogers actually know how to play tetris. also, i love how this video is about Tetris yet they showed this particular non tetris game couple of times

@Blackcatlookingintonothing 15 күн бұрын

Bro Alexey so wholesome with his tetris jackets so fcking cool

@joewatts2940 5 ай бұрын

Really cool to see the real guys after the movie

@CrazyHomelessWeirdo Жыл бұрын

The key to a successful video game is that it is fun and easy for anyone regardless of skill at video games to pick up and play but hard to master. These are the hardest kind of game to make.

@CoolBeat 5 ай бұрын

incredible story ! :D love the movie

@JoffreM Жыл бұрын

how wonderful

@NinjaRunningWild Жыл бұрын

Apotris is a great GBA homebrew version of Tetris with a ton of features for anyone looking to get their fix.

@spikerthedragonbear 20 күн бұрын

Seems like the Rotation debate was even spicy in development. (I'm personally a fan of SRS-X with the wacky 180 rotations)

@dcstanda 7 ай бұрын

I love Tetris and I remember playing it on Game Boy first (even though I never owned one) and still to this day despite other games I love Tetris will always be my number one. Also I remember an online website called Tetris friends and you could play different games and against other players which I loved then a few years ago it was gone, love now you can play again online whenever and wherever. Finally Tetris Blitz on mobile (iOS and Android) I loved as it was a race against time in 2 minutes to get the best score you could get.