Tetris

video games · puzzles · 1980s classics

Blocks from the Sky. In Tetris, colorful shapes made of four connected squares fall from the top of the screen, and you have to rotate and position them before they land. Each shape is called a tetromino, which means a piece with four squares.

Clear the Line. When you fill up a complete horizontal row with blocks from top to bottom, that whole row disappears and you earn points. The goal is to keep clearing lines and stop the pile from reaching the very top of the screen.

Made in Soviet Union. Tetris was created in the mid-1980s by Alexey Pajitnov, a brilliant computer programmer from the Soviet Union. His invention became one of the most popular games in the entire world.

Everywhere You Go. Tetris has been made for more than 70 different platforms, from arcade machines to smartphones to handheld games. There are about 220 different versions of Tetris out there, each with its own twist on the original game.

New Ideas Keep Coming. Modern versions of Tetris often add cool new game mechanics that the original didn't have, and some of these new ideas have become standard in the game. Game designers keep finding fresh ways to challenge players with this timeless puzzle.