One of the most popular and addictive video games the world has ever known is having a birthday. (Via Flickr / FHKE)
That's right, "Tetris" is celebrating its 30th.
And to celebrate, Ubisoft will release "Tetris Ultimate," a revamped version of the iconic game. It'll be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this summer, with a PC release expected sometime this fall. (Via IGN)
According to a press release from Ubisoft, the new game features six different game modes — Marathon, Battle, Power-Up Battle, Ultra, Endless and Spirit. Up to four people can play, but it's unclear if all those players need to be local or if online play is included as well.
The finer details are still unclear, but none other than "Tetris" creator himself Alexey Pajitnov will reportedly make an appearance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo next week to give us more info. (Via YouTube / Rev3Games)
Pajitnov told GameSpot he developed the classic game way back in 1984 while he was working as a programmer at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"He named it 'Tetris' as a portmanteau word between 'tetromino,' which is the shape of the block, and 'tennis,' because he apparently liked the game." (Via Time)
"I did play a lot with this kind of strange prototype, and I can't stop myself. And then I let people play, and I realized that it's not myself who is cuckoo." (Via BBC)
The game obviously hasn't changed in the 30 years since then. Neither has its incredibly addictive nature.
And other games that have recently surged in popularity share some of "Tetris"' characteristics. Take "Candy Crush," for example: There's no real ending and no payoff for beating the game — you're just playing to beat the high score. (Via YouTube / TOA k)
We guess some games just never go out of style. Happy birthday, "Tetris"!
