You’ve played the game – now you can read the book. Created by the Russian Alexey Pajitnov, the simple but addictive videogame Tetris became a worldwide phenomenon. Like today’s favourite Pokémon GO, it had players across the globe hooked, sometimes alarmingly so.
In 1984, Pajitnov created his masterpiece of tumbling geometric shapes in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. When the game emerged from behind the Iron Curtain it became an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari and Sega – game developers big and small all wanted to monetise this irresistible craze. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications and outright theft.
Tetris: The Games People Play explores the game’s creation in the 1980s and its subsequent success, while also delving deep into the role games play in art, culture and commerce. Adapted for virtually every videogame console, Tetris was a computing sensation, but most will remember playing it on Nintendo’s Game Boy.
New York Times bestselling author Box Brown takes us into the complex history of Tetris, reflecting on its wider impact on our culture during the time of the Cold War. Brown is the writer and illustrator of the award-winning Andre The Giant: Life and Legend, which tells the story of the French wrestler and actor. His latest book has all the intrigue of a classic spy thriller and is as captivating as the game itself. Perfect for fans of games, graphic novels and geek culture alike.
Tetris is published in the UK by SelfMadeHero.
Tetris is published in North America by First Second
