A 13-year-old US teenager, known in the gaming world as "blue scuti," has achieved what was once thought impossible for humans in the classic game of Tetris. Willis Gibson, hailing from Oklahoma, became the first human to reach the elusive "kill screen" of the Nintendo version of Tetris, a feat previously accomplished only by artificial intelligence.
The mesmerizing journey unfolded in a captivating 40-minute video uploaded by Willis on YouTube. The footage showcases the intense concentration and lightning-fast reflexes required as he navigates through the challenging levels of the iconic puzzle game. The climax of the video is marked by Willis's ecstatic screams as he successfully triggers the glitch, freezing the game at Level 157.
Tetris, created by a Soviet software engineer, is a deceptively simple yet highly addictive game where players manipulate falling blocks to form solid lines. Traditionally, the game was believed to reach its limit at Level 29, as blocks descended at an unmanageable speed. However, recent innovations by the gaming community have shattered those preconceptions.
Competitive players were aware of a point where the game's code would glitch and the gameplay would cease, but until December 21, only computers had managed to reach that point. Willis, defying expectations, dropped a piece into place at Level 157, causing a line of blocks to vanish and the game to come to an unexpected halt.
The news of Willis's historic achievement spread rapidly through the gaming community, with fellow players and enthusiasts expressing their excitement. Classic Tetris World Championship president Vince Clemente acknowledged the significance of this milestone, emphasizing that it had never been done by a human before.
Tetris chief executive Maya Rogers also joined the celebrations, stating that Willis's accomplishment was a fitting tribute as the game approached its 40th anniversary in 2024.