Tetris : the games people play

Title:

Author:

Brown, Box, author.

Personal Author:

Brown, Box, author.

ISBN:

9781626723153

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

253 pages : color illustrations ; 22 cm

General Note:

Chiefly illustrations.

Abstract:

"It is, perhaps, the perfect video game. Simple yet addictive, Tetris delivers an irresistible, unending puzzle that has players hooked. Play it long enough and you'll see those brightly colored geometric shapes everywhere. You'll see them in your dreams. Alexey Pajitnov had big ideas about games. In 1984, he created Tetris in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. Once Tetris emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it was an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari, Sega--game developers big and small all wanted Tetris. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications, and outright theft. In this graphic novel, New York Times--bestselling author Box Brown untangles this complex history and delves deep into the role games play in art, culture, and commerce. For the first time and in unparalleled detail, Tetris: The Games People Play tells the true story of the world's most popular video game."--Page [2] of cover.

Reading Level:

GN 600 Lexile.

Personal Subject:

Pajitnov, Alexey, 1956--Comic books, strips, etc.

Subject Term:

Computer games -- History -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Genre:

Graphic novels.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Hull Street	Book	794.8 B878	Searching... Unknown
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Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

For fans of Tetris on Apple TV+, read the true story of Henk Rogers, Alexey Pajitnov, and the perfect game.

Simple yet addictive, Tetris delivers an irresistible, unending puzzle that has players hooked. Play it long enough and you'll see those brightly colored geometric shapes everywhere. You'll see them in your dreams.

Alexey Pajitnov had big ideas about games. In 1984, he created Tetris in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. Once Tetris emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it was an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari, Sega--game developers big and small all wanted Tetris. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications, and outright theft.

In this graphic novel, New York Times -bestselling author Box Brown untangles this complex history and delves deep into the role games play in art, culture, and commerce. For the first time and in unparalleled detail, Tetris: The Games People Play tells the true story of the world's most popular video game.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

A graphic narrative that clarifies a complicated series of international negotiations, making the story interesting even for those who dont care about video games.An ambitious and accomplished illustrator, Brown (Andre the Giant, 2014, etc.) streamlines a story that encompasses Japanese technology, Russian software development, American licensing, international business practices, and a worldwide obsession sparked by a simple game. He also provides context that traces the creative impulse for designing games back to cave paintings and suggests that, from earliest recorded history, the player isnt just having an imaginative experience. Theyre practicing analytical and strategic skills. But most of all, fun is the motivator for all of this! Browns book is much more fun than most accounts of business deals, as the narrative shows how a puzzle gaming craze began in Russia, a country where copyrights and royalties were foreign concepts and where early Tetris passed from hand to hand. The idea of selling the game as a product never crossed his mind, writes the author of Soviet software developer Alexey Pajitnov. Though the game lacked the rich visuals or propensity for violence that would mark other video game sensations, it became globally contagious. People played so much and so often that they experienced visual hallucinations, writes the author. People would continue to see Tetris pieces falling after theyd stopped playing. It became known as the Tetris Effect. It also became a gold mine and sparked plenty of disputes as foreign rights and emerging technologies led to contentious legal battles. When the Tetris merry-go-round stopped, Pajitnov was initially left with no compensation. Any money that might have gone to him went to the Soviet government.They couldnt even pay him a bonus. Ultimately, it ended well for Tetris creator, who moved to the United States, where he was pursuing his true passion in life and was belatedly rewarded for his efforts. A clean and engaging visual style supports a story that sustains narrative drive, humanizing the characters and making readers care about every development. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.