A 13-year-old Willis Gibson, known as Blue Scuti, has made history by becoming the first human to beat the unbeatable Nintendo Entertainment System version of Tetris. This feat, accomplished on December 21, 2023, challenges the beliefs of the original Tetris designers, who considered it unattainable due to the game’s endless design.
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Willis Gibson conquered Tetris involved playing the game at increasingly frenetic speeds for a 40 minutes during a livestream.
This achievement contradicts the previous understanding that only artificial intelligence could surpass certain levels of the game.
The NES version of Tetris had, until Gibson’s victory, only been beaten by AI, leveraging near-instant perception and decision-making.
The game’s difficulty increases as it progresses, doubling in speed at level 29 and introducing changing block colors from violent pink to nearly invisible dark blocks.
Willis Gibson’s gameplay set new world records for high score, levels played, and lines cleared, but it also reached the point where the game crashed.
During the gameplay, he completed 157 levels, a feat that was unimaginable as players could only advance up to level 29 until a few years ago.
After successfully beating Tetris, Willis Gibson’s reaction was captured in a video uploaded on YouTube. He exclaimed, “I’m going to pass out, I can’t feel my fingers,” showing the intensity associated with the achievement. The video showcased the genuine thrill Gibson experienced after his gameplay.
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Willis Gibson, who has been playing Tetris since the age of 11, expressed his disbelief at crashing the game and beating it. He shared on YouTube, “When I started playing this game, I never expected to ever crash the game or beat it. This run was also the Overall Score, Level, Lines, and 19 Score world record.”
His dedication to Tetris and mastery of the game is evident in his consistent practice, evident by his participation and success in gaming tournaments.
The 13 year old prodigy finished third in the 2023 Classic Tetris World Championships, showcasing his skills among top competitive players.
Over the years, Tetris enthusiasts have explored various strategies to push the game’s limits. In 2010, professional competitive gamer Thor Aackerlund reached level 30 using a technique called hypertapping, involving vibrating the fingers to move the controller faster than the in-game speed.
Willis Gibson’s use of the rolling controller technique, a new method of holding and using the NES controller, played a role in his success.
This technique involves rolling fingers on the bottom of the controller to apply pressure and manipulate the D-pad for block movements.
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Tetris, created by Soviet engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, became a global phenomenon after its release on the NES in 1989.
The game’s simplicity, involving arranging falling blocks to create solid rows, with increasing speed levels, has contributed to its popularity.
The game’s design, with blocks falling faster as players progress, presented a challenge that was initially believed to have a maximum limit at level 29.
However, gamers continuously pushed boundaries, discovering new techniques and achieving higher levels in tournaments like the Classic Tetris World Championship.
Tetris’s legacy lies in its simplicity and difficulty, proving that sometimes, simpler games can stand the test of time. The game’s ability to present new challenges and engage players of any age or background contributes to its timeless allure.
Willis Gibson’s achievement is a chapter to Tetris’s storied history, showcasing that even after 40 years, there are still uncharted territories within the game waiting to be explored.
Willis Gibson’s dedication to Tetris, practicing approximately 20 hours a week, paid off in this achievement. His use of the rolling controller technique, a newer method of holding and using the NES controller.
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