Tetris : the games people play /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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 provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Tetris is widely considered one of the best and most universal games of all time, but as Brown's (Andre the Giant: Life and Legend) smart, well-paced history relates, there's more to the story than just falling blocks. In 1984, Tetris is invented by Alexey Pajitnov, a Russian computer scientist, who shares the game with his friends and eventually sneaks it out from behind the Iron Curtain. When the head of a U.K.-based software company glimpses it at a Hungarian technology institute, he immediately recognizes its money-making potential. A series of misunderstandings and outright lies lead to the illegal licensing of the rights, and soon every major game company in the world wants a piece of it. The backroom deals, last-minute contract changes, and hectic trips to Moscow make for a quick and addictive tale that captures all the international drama. Brown's drawings are simple but highly effective, using a black, white, and yellow color scheme to evoke the limited or nonexistent graphics available to Alexey. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up-Brown immerses readers in the complicated origins of one of the world's most popular video games, Tetris. Its creator, Alexey Pajitnov, was a computer scientist who became obsessed with how games and puzzles affected human psychology. Before long, Pajitnov became caught up in a prototype he'd designed based on a childhood game and shared it with his friends. Soon all of Moscow was consumed by what would eventually be called "the game that escaped the USSR." The art style is reminiscent of the Cyanide and Happiness comic but whimsical in tone. It also cleverly mimics the structure of Tetris itself: straightforward and engaging, without any extra bells and whistles. With the recent Nintendo release of the hit cell phone game Pokémon Go, this title is a timely explanation of the origins of the gaming world, particularly when it comes to the rivalries among various gaming companies. The story resonates and will appeal to fans of Jim Ottaviani's Feynman and Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. VERDICT This quick, thoughtful read will find an audience among teens interested in pursuing a career in video game design or those who wonder just how video games like Tetris have spread like wildfire.-Chantalle Uzan, New York Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

When Russian software designer Alexy Pajitnov created a nifty electronic puzzle called Tetris, it was mostly as an experiment in the psychology of human gaming habits. But it didn't take long to realize he had created something that resonated with almost every person who played it. What happened next could almost be considered another element of gaming. Which of the big companies would win the rights to sell it worldwide? The race to bring Tetris to arcade and home markets around the globe found Nintendo, Sega, and Atari in a high-stakes battle filled with cultural and language barriers, major miscommunication, and at least a few high-risk gambles. Simply illustrated in a sequential panel format, the charming black-and-white drawings convey high-concept ideas in a clever, succinct manner. While the lengthy business negotiations can be difficult to follow, the broader discussion surrounding the intersection of art, games, and competition is fascinating. Engaging and informative, this offers a unique perspective on the role gaming has played throughout history.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2016 Booklist

Kirkus Book 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.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Brian "Box" Brown is an Eisner Award-winning author whose comics have appeared in the New York Times , Playboy , and New York magazine. His books include the New York Times -bestselling Andre the Giant: Life and Legend , Tetris: The Games People Play , Is This Guy for Real? : The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman , Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America , Child Star , and Accidental Czar (with writer Andrew S. Weiss). boxbrown.com