The History of NES Tetris World Records

Introduction

• Tetris: A beloved classic game with a lasting legacy.
• Popular on almost every gaming platform.
• The NES version released in 1989 is the most iconic.
• Tetris has extensive tournaments and a storied chase for the high score world record.

Key Concepts in NES Tetris

Scoring System

• Points are accumulated by clearing lines.
• Most valuable: Tetrises (using a long piece to clear four lines).
• Players leave a column open to drop long bars for Tetrises.

Level System

• Higher levels yield more points per line cleared.
• Level 19 is the hardest with blocks descending every two frames.
• After 130 lines at level 18, the game shifts to level 19, then one level every 10 lines.
• Level 29 is the 'kill screen'; pieces descend too fast to manage.

Early History and Claims

Early Max Outs

• Reports of maxing out (999,999 points) go back to the early '90s.
• Notable players: Thor Aakland, Scott Anderson, JW Tetrisd.
• Early claims lacked full video proof.

First Recorded Max Out

• 2001: Jonas Neubauer claims a max out.
• 2005: Jonas records and provides video proof.
• Set a score of 999,999 points, the first known video of such a record.

Rise of Competitive NES Tetris

Early Competitions and Players

• Competitions emerged between 2008-2014 with many players hitting max outs.
• Two methods of competing: earliest max out and highest score possible.
• Harry Hong, Matt Buco, Terry Purcell notable players.

Uncap Code

• Developed by Josh Tuls in 2015; allowed scoring beyond the six-digit limit.
• Harry Hong first to utilize it, reaching scores beyond 1 million.

Rise of Heavyweights

Jonas Neubauer and Competitive Era

• Jonas pioneered many strategies and won numerous championships.
• Achieved a max out and various high scores, then backed off from chasing the absolute high score.

Entry of Corian (Japanese Player)

• Introduced hypertapping (rapid manual pressing of the controller) for high-speed play.
• Raised records to new levels using hypertapping advantages.
• First to consistently play at kill screen speeds.

The Age of Hypertappers

Young Prodigies and New Techniques

• Younger players like Joseph Saelee adapted hypertapping, dominating tournaments.
• Jonas Neubauer continued to dominate but passed the torch after heavy competition.

Rising Stars and Growing Popularity

• Joseph Saelee broke into the scene, winning championships and improving records.
• Use of hypertapping broadened, allowing for longer play times and higher scores.

Introduction of Rolling Technique

Discovering Rolling

• Cheese introduces rolling: leveraging the back of the controller for rapid d-pad presses.
• Rolling allows precision at high speeds, leading to longer durations at kill screen speeds.

Rolling Revolution

• Series of records broken using rolling: Cheese performs at unprecedented levels.
• Scores reach levels previously thought impossible.

Achievements and New Milestones

Epic Runs

• Players like Eric ICX, Huff, and others achieve incredible levels at superhuman speeds.
• Introduction of the 10 million point ambition.

Alex Thatch's Game

• Achieved an official 10 million point game and continued higher.
• Unveils potential of Tetris gameplay, with Alex creating new paradigms.

Glitches and Kill Screens

Glitches in High-Level Tetris

• Levels beyond standard play begin showing graphical glitches.
• Level 155 and higher approach unplayable conditions.

Pursuit of the Game Crash

• Goal achieved by Blue Scooty and Fractal: crashing the game via surpassing level 155.
• This was a groundbreaking moment in NES Tetris history.

Conclusion

• NES Tetris has evolved significantly, reaching unparalleled heights.
• Emphasis has shifted from just scoring to enduring and surviving extreme conditions.
• The game continues to inspire and challenge players worldwide.

Future Prospects

• Continuous exploration of game mechanics and furthering player capabilities.
• Tension between pursuit of high scores and endurance challenges remains a significant driving force.