Tetris, the iconic puzzle game that took the world by storm after being included with the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989, not only became a bestseller but also defined a genre. Despite its massive success that led to various iterations and spin-offs like Hatris, Welltris, Wordtris, Tetris 2, Tetris DS, and the mesmerizing Tetris Effect, a sequel titled 'Tetris Reversed' never saw the light of day—until now.
This lost project's origins trace back to Croatian developer Vedran Klanac, who, upon attending the NLGD Festival of Games in The Netherlands in 2011, offered his skills to the "OneBigGame" project. The project aimed to leverage the creative powers of famous designers to benefit charitable causes. Some months later, Klingac received a call from Martin de Ronde of Guerrilla Games who had managed to secure an agreement with Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov to work on a new Tetris prototype.
During the unveiling at the GDC panel, Pajitnov detailed the game's unique concept: a twist on the traditional rules. 'Tetris Reversed' wasn't about strategically dropping and clearing blocks at the bottom of the screen. Instead, it focused on engaging the player to use the entire playfield. Drawing inspiration from board games where the objective is to occupy space efficiently, Pajitnov imagined reversing the game's core mechanics. Instead of placing pieces in the playfield, the player would use them to 'eat' or erase pre-placed blocks. This fundamental shift promised a completely new challenge to Tetris enthusiasts.
With De Ronde as an intermediary, conveying design concepts from Pajitnov, Klanac took on the task of coding the game in his personal time using his engine. Between March and November 2012, a prototype was built, showcasing the game's potential. However, the year ended, and so did the momentum of the project. For three years, 'Tetris Reversed' sat dormant, and Pajitnov believed that it was gone for good.
Yet the tale of 'Tetris Reversed' wasn't over. Thanks to the efforts of business development professional Vlad Micu, Pajitnov and Klanac were united for the first time at GDC 2024. Micu had found out that Klanac still possessed the prototype. A special GDC panel featuring industry veterans Kate Edwards, Vlad Micu, Alexey Pajitnov, and Vedran Klanac brought the forgotten prototype back into the limelight.
Thrilled with the reemergence of his once-lost creation, Pajitnov likened 'Tetris Reversed' to a puzzle for the intellectually gifted, a "300 IQ" variation of the original Tetris. The gameplay's complexity was evident in the demonstration, highlighting that even after decades, the Tetris concept could still be reinvented to pose new challenges.
The revival of this prototype opened the door to numerous possibilities, including its potential release. Fans are eager to delve into this unknown chapter of Tetris history, and while it currently remains in prototype form, the interest surrounding it is palpable.
Beyond the Tetris realm, fans continue to find novel uses for gaming equipment, like the NES Expansion Port, and create fan-inspired tributes such as the prequel 'Sonic Overture '95,' based on Sonic the Hedgehog's original concept art. While technologies evolve, the drive for innovation and adoration for gaming's golden classics remain as robust as ever.
With a newfound interest in such a complex iteration of a beloved game like Tetris, 'Tetris Reversed' may morph from being a historical footnote to a sought-after gaming experience. The future may hold the release of this high IQ variant of Tetris, letting players across the globe test their strategic limits in this reimagined puzzle environment.
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