Willis Gibson on the 2023 Classic Tetris World Championship

David “aGameScout” McDonald

disguise caption

toggle caption

David “aGameScout” McDonald

Willis Gibson on the 2023 Classic Tetris World Championship

David “aGameScout” McDonald

In sure video video games, often the sport beats the participant and never the opposite approach round. But final month, 13-year-old Willis Gibson of Oklahoma turned the primary particular person believed to ever beat the unique Nintendo model of Tetris.

Thirty-four years after Tetris was first launched, Gibson ended up advancing to this point that the sport itself couldn’t sustain with him. At stage 157, he reached the infamous “kill screen” — the purpose within the sport the place it turns into unplayable due to limitations with the sport’s authentic programming. It took him lower than 39 minutes.

“What happens is you get so far that programmers that made the game, they never expected you to make it that far. And so the game starts breaking down and eventually it just stops,” mentioned Gibson.

How uncommon was his accomplishment? Before this, solely synthetic intelligence had been attributed with reaching the kill display.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, beneath the title “Blue Scuti,” Gibson may be seen saying “just please crash” because the Tetris stacks fall quicker and quicker. Moments later, the display freezes and he collapses in triumph.

“Oh my god, yes! I’m going to pass out,” he says in pure shock, his rating on the display studying the maxed out determine of 999999. (Gibson says his precise ultimate rating was 6.8 million.)

In traditional Tetris, gamers stack otherwise formed blocks as they fall. Players can rotate the blocks in numerous instructions, and the aim is to type them into stable strains. When the blocks type a stable line, they then disappear. If the uncleared items attain the highest of the display, the sport ends. Over time, the blocks fall quicker and quicker, making the sport harder.

“[What drew me to Tetris] was mainly its simplicity. It’s easy to start playing it and understand it, but it’s very difficult to master it,” mentioned Gibson.

Gibson has been enjoying in tournaments since 2021. In October, he was the youngest particular person to make it to the Classic Tetris World Championship, the place he positioned third.

According to the Tetris Company, over 520 million models of Tetris have been offered worldwide, making it one of many high promoting video games of all time. Soviet software program engineer Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris in 1985. It was launched by Nintendo Entertainment System 4 years later.

Gibson mentioned he is been enjoying since he was 11 years previous and usually performs for 3 to 5 hours per day.

He devoted the record-setting win to his father, Adam Gibson, who died final month.