In a stunning display of skill and determination, thirteen-year-old Tetris prodigy Willis “Blue Scuti” Gibson has accomplished what many believed to be impossible – conquering the NES version of Tetris, a feat that has eluded even the most dedicated fans for 34 years.
Impossible Tetris NES Beaten by 13 year old (Blue Scuti) for the first time in 34 years
The NES version of Tetris is notorious for its relentless difficulty, with even seasoned experts struggling to surpass level 38 before the game becomes an insurmountable challenge. However, Gibson, using a technique known as “rolling” introduced in 2021, rewrote the history of Tetris by reaching an astonishing level 157, hitting what enthusiasts are now dubbing the “final killscreen.”
A recent video chronicles the community’s collective journey towards overcoming the hurdles of this legendary version of Tetris, devoid of modern features like piece storage. The groundbreaking technique of “rolling,” which involves utilizing the bottom of the controller, revolutionized the Tetris community, resulting in a wave of new world records.
As players delved deeper into the game’s complexities, they uncovered corrupted colors, such as “Charcoal” and “Dusk,” making blocks nearly indistinguishable. An investigation revealed a game-crashing point at level 155, leading to a new killscreen – a term for a corrupted screen that halts a player’s progress in classic games.
The climax arrived in December 2023, when Gibson, a relatively unknown player, faced off against Justin “Fractal” Yu, the reigning Classic Tetris world champion. The two raced to reach the new killscreen and “beat” Tetris. Despite missing the initial crash point, Blue Scuti persevered, achieving the killscreen at level 157, marking a historic moment for the Tetris community.
While the achievement was monumental, Tetris enthusiasts are already eyeing new challenges. If players manage to navigate the growing number of crash points, they could theoretically reach level 255, featuring a pure red color scheme. Surpassing this level would bring players back to Level 0, completing the cycle and truly conquering Tetris’ final frontier.
The Tetris community, invigorated by this recent triumph, eagerly anticipates what new horizons they can explore in the iconic game that has captivated gamers for decades. As Blue Scuti’s victory demonstrates, the journey is never truly done in the ever-evolving world of Tetris.
