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Game Info

Cover art of Tetris

3.7 / 5

20 votes

Platform
Game Boy
Genres
Puzzle
Developers
Nintendo R&D1
Release date
July 31, 1989

Summary

When Nintendo slipped Tetris onto the original Game Boy, it became more than a launch title – it turned the handheld into a cultural phenomenon. The game’s simple 10‑by‑18 grid hides a clever two‑player duel that uses the Game Link Cable; every Double, Triple or Tetris you pull sends a jagged “garbage” line to your opponent’s stack, turning a solitary puzzle into a frantic showdown. After you clear a certain height, the screen rewards you with a quirky cutscene of rockets launching and the Soviet Buran shuttle dancing, a nod to the game’s Russian roots. Composer Hirokazu Tanaka gave us three selectable tracks, including the now‑iconic “Korobeiniki” folk tune and a Bach‑inspired menu melody, while the victory fanfare borrows Tchaikovsky’s Trepak. Sales speak for themselves: the bundle moved 2.5 million units by early 1990, eventually topping 35 million copies worldwide, cementing Tetris as the Game Boy’s killer app. Critics have long praised the link mode as “ground‑breaking,” and even Alexey Pajitnov has called this handheld version his favorite, saying it stays true to his original vision.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Tetris

Multiplayer

Game modes
Cooperative