In a historic gaming feat, a 13-year-old from Oklahoma has become the first person ever to beat the original Tetris, breaking several NES Tetris records in the process.
The achievement is noteworthy as classic video games like Tetris were initially designed to continue indefinitely, challenging players to accumulate high scores rather than reach a traditional ending.
Video games from the past often lacked conclusions, allowing players to navigate challenges until they inevitably ran out of lives or quarters. However, this design has given rise to a unique subset of gamers who aim for world records and personal bests within the confines of each game’s mechanics.
The young Tetris prodigy, Willis Gibson, known as Blue Scuti, recently made headlines by accomplishing what was once thought impossible – completing the original Tetris. The groundbreaking moment occurred 39 minutes into the game when Blue Scuti reached the elusive “kill screen,” a stage that was previously only conquered by an AI robot.
In an interview, Gibson explained,
I got the world record the same day that Fractal started his game crash grind. In that world record, I was only about 18 lines off and I just thought if I’m that close, I might as well race him for it and try and beat him to the crash.
This achievement is particularly poignant for the 13-year-old, who recently experienced the loss of his father, Adam Gibson, on December 14th, 2023. Despite the bittersweet victory, the teenage gamer dedicated his historic win to his late father, adding a deeply personal and emotional layer to the groundbreaking achievement.
The Tetris community and gaming enthusiasts alike are celebrating this remarkable accomplishment, recognizing the skill, dedication, and resilience of the young player.
Check out his unbelievable feat here:
