Willis Gibson on the 2023 Traditional Tetris World Championship
David “aGameScout” McDonald
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David “aGameScout” McDonald
Willis Gibson on the 2023 Traditional Tetris World Championship
David “aGameScout” McDonald
In sure video video games, often the sport beats the participant and never the opposite manner round. However final month, 13-year-old Willis Gibson of Oklahoma grew to become the primary particular person believed to ever beat the unique Nintendo model of Tetris.
Thirty-four years after Tetris was first launched, Gibson ended up advancing to date that the sport itself couldn’t sustain with him. At stage 157, he reached the infamous “kill display” — the purpose within the recreation the place it turns into unplayable due to limitations with the sport’s unique programming. It took him lower than 39 minutes.
“What occurs is you get to date that programmers that made the sport, they by no means anticipated you to make it that far. And so the sport begins breaking down and finally it simply stops,” mentioned Gibson.
How uncommon was his accomplishment? Earlier than this, solely synthetic intelligence had been attributed with reaching the kill display.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, below the identify “Blue Scuti,” Gibson might be seen saying “simply please crash” because the Tetris stacks fall quicker and quicker. Moments later, the display freezes and he collapses in triumph.
“Oh my god, sure! I’ll go out,” he says in pure shock, his rating on the display studying the maxed out determine of 999999. (Gibson says his precise last rating was 6.8 million.)
YouTube
In basic Tetris, gamers stack otherwise formed blocks as they fall. Gamers can rotate the blocks in numerous instructions, and the aim is to type them into strong traces. When the blocks type a strong line, they then disappear. If the uncleared items attain the highest of the display, the sport ends. Over time, the blocks fall quicker and quicker, making the sport tougher.
“[What drew me to Tetris] was primarily its simplicity. It is simple to start out enjoying it and perceive it, however it’s very tough to grasp it,” mentioned Gibson.
Gibson has been enjoying in tournaments since 2021. In October, he was the youngest particular person to make it to the Traditional Tetris World Championship, the place he positioned third.
In response to the Tetris Firm, over 520 million models of Tetris have been offered worldwide, making it one of many prime promoting video games of all time. Soviet software program engineer Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris in 1985. It was launched by Nintendo Leisure System 4 years later.
Gibson mentioned he is been enjoying since he was 11 years outdated and sometimes performs for 3 to 5 hours per day.
He devoted the record-setting win to his father, Adam Gibson, who died final month.
