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More To Tetris Than Meets The Eye

by Meagan Marie on Jun 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM



In a recent interview with Gamastura, Alexey Pajitnov of Tetris fame admitted that there is more to Tetris than meets the eye. Evidently the industry pioneer has been working for nearly a decade to try and integrate multiplayer into the simple block-laying formula.

"We are working on multiplayer versions for more than 10 years, I've been trying to design it,” Pajitnov tells Gamastura. “I should admit that we are not quite there yet.”

The problem? Pajitnov believes that Tetris’ inherent intensity makes it difficult to interact with another player simultaneously – instead the focus remains on the player’s own falling blocks.

"It was quite a problem with Tetris that... the game is very intense, you know,” explains Pajitnov.  “If you play on the high level, and that's where you want to play usually. So, you play on the edge of your abilities, in terms of the speed and reaction, and everything." So, you kind of have no brain resources to observe what the other people are doing."

Pajitnov argues that there is a solution, but it that it is a difficult one to uncover.

To read the full interview with Pajitnov, click here.

The Tetris formula is time-tested and has proven near perfect in its simplicity throughout the years. What do you think of adding a multiplayer element to the equation?