Difference between revisions of "Tetris"

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{{otherPage|desc=the Mega Drive Mini version|page=Tetris (Mega Drive Mini)}}
 
{{Bob
 
{{Bob
 
| bobscreen=Tetris Arcade Title.png
 
| bobscreen=Tetris Arcade Title.png
−
| publisher=[[Sega]]
+
| bobscreen2=Tetris SystemE Title.png
−
| developer=[[Sega AM1]] {{MD}} [[Sanritsu]]
+
| bobscreen3=Tetris MD TitleScreen.png
−
| system=[[Sega System 16]], [[Sega Mega Drive]], [[Sega System E]], [[Sega Mega-Tech]], [[wikipedia:Taito B System|B-System]], [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=659 Taito H-System]
+
| tab1=System 16
−
| romsize={{Arcade}} 360kB, {{MD}} 256kB
+
| tab2=System E
−
| sounddriver=
+
| tab3={{MD}}
 +
| publisher=[[Sega Enterprises, Ltd.]]
 +
| developer={{company|[[Esco Boueki]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20210904115548/http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/User:Andlabs/Sega}}|system=SYS16}}
 +
{{company|[[Sanritsu]]|system=MD}}
 +
| licensor={{company|[[Tengen]]|system=SYS16,MD}}
 +
{{company|[[Atari Games]]|system=SYS16,MD}}
 +
{{company|[[Mirrorsoft]]|system=SYS16,MD}}
 +
{{company|Andromeda Software|system=SYS16,MD}}
 +
{{company|[[Elektronorgtechnica]]|system=SYS16}}
 +
| system=[[Sega System 16]], [[Sega Mega Drive]], [[Sega System E]], [[Sega Mega-Tech]], [[Taito B-System]], [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=659 Taito H-System]
 +
| sounddriver={{MD}} Pre-[[SMPS Z80]]
 
| peripherals=
 
| peripherals=
−
| players=
+
| players=1-2
−
| genre=Puzzle
+
| genre=Puzzle{{fileref|Tetris MD JP Box.jpg}}
 
| releases={{releasesArcade
 
| releases={{releasesArcade
−
| sys16_date_jp=1988-12{{ref|https://sega-interactive.co.jp/special/history/title/tetris.html}}
+
| sys16_date_jp=1988-12{{magref|mdfan|29|75|printpage=75}}{{fileref|GameMachineDaikenkyuu Book JP.pdf|page=77}}
−
| sys16_date_us=1988
 
 
| syse_date_jp=1989
 
| syse_date_jp=1989
 +
| mega6_date_jp=19xx
 +
| megatech_date_uk=19xx
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{releasesMD
 
{{releasesMD
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}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
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{{stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (テトリス) is a 1988 arcade game developed and published by [[Sega]] for [[Sega System 16]] arcade hardware. It is a derivative of an earlier ''Tetris'' game, created by Alexey Pajitnov for Soviet Elektronika 60 terminal computers in 1984.
+
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (テトリス) is a tile-matching puzzle game based around falling blocks. The name is derived from combining the Greek numerical prefix tetra- (the falling pieces contain 4 segments) and tennis.
  
−
Though Tetris is a Russian invention, the Mega Drive version was officially released only in Japan.
+
''Tetris'' was originally created by Alexey Pajitnov; he developed the first version of the game for Soviet Elektronika 60 terminal computers. Sega produced two arcade versions (a [[System 16]] version and a [[System E]] version), a [[Mega Drive]] version, and a [[Tetris (Mega Drive Mini)|Mega Drive Mini version]].
  
 
==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
−
While the first version of ''Tetris'' (built for Russian Electronika 60 terminals) can be dated back to 1984, the first commercial versions of the game released in the West debuted in 1987, when Mirrorsoft (under license from Andromeda) began releasing the game for various home computer platforms. Sega's versions debuted in 1988, meaning they were amongst the earliest interpretations of the game.
+
[[Image:Tetris System16 Gameplay1.png|thumb|right|200px|Gameplay screenshot from the System 16 version.]]
 +
The Sega versions of ''Tetris'' are played against backgrounds seemingly sourced from around the world depicting scenes of world evolution. As the player's level increases, the background changes, developing from the earliest known history of the Earth to a futuristic city. A preview of the next Tetrimino can be seen above the ''Tetris'' playing field.
  
−
As a result, the System 16 version of ''Tetris'' plays very similarly to 1984 Electronika 60 and 1986 [[IBM PC]] versions of the game, albeit with enhanced graphics and audio (which in this case, also means the addition of music). While licensed from [[Atari Games]] (who were not interested in publishing their own ''Tetris'' arcade game in Japan), the Sega versions share little in common with the Atari Games arcade version (also from 1988), with the two games having likely been developed independently with no knowledge of each others' progress.
+
[[Image:Tetris System16 Gameplay2.png|thumb|right|200px|The background changes as the player's level increases, depicting scenes of world evolution.]]
 +
The Sega versions of ''Tetris'' are more "rigid" than later games, only allowing for pieces to be rotated if there is room (i.e. a piece is not "pushed" left or right if there is space to do so, and the player is not given the chance to rotate a piece shortly before it stops). This ruleset, called [[Sega rotation]], became a fixture in Sega's other ''Tetris''-inspired games during the late 1980s and 1990s, and became a de facto standard for Japanese ''Tetris'' games including Arika's ''[[wikipedia:Tetris: The Grand Master|Tetris: The Grand Master]]'' series (until [[The Tetris Company]] established official standards in the early 2000s).
  
−
The Sega versions of ''Tetris'' are played against backgrounds seemingly sourced from around the world, in contrast to the earlier home computer versions which seeked to capitalise on Russian imagery (to the point where they are technically known as "''TETЯIS''" rather than "''Tetris''". If four lines are cleared in one move (a "tetris"), this background changes. Also featured is a preview of the next tetromino, which is a feature carried from the Western computer versions.
+
The System 16 version of ''Tetris'' also includes a talking monkey which acts as a guide during the attract sequence. Monkeys would appear in later Sega-published ''Tetris'' titles as well. Also, while ''Tetris'' became would become synonymous with Russian folk songs (most notably, "Korobeiniki"), the Sega soundtrack is entirely original. In addition, as the speed of the game increases, the the tempo of the main theme also gets faster.
−
 
 
−
The Sega versions of ''Tetris'' are more "rigid" than later games, only allowing for pieces to be rotated if there is room (i.e. a piece is not "pushed" left or right if there is space to do so, and the player is not given the chance to rotate a piece shortly before it stops). More leeway is given to the player than the original Russian versions of the game, but the Sega versions are far less forgiving than their Atari Games/[[Tengen]] counterparts in the West.
 
−
 
 
−
Nevertheless, the ruleset, affectionately called [[Sega rotation]] became a fixture in Sega's other ''Tetris''-inspired games during the late 1980s and 1990s, and became a de facto standard for Japanese ''Tetris'' games (until [[The Tetris Company]] established official standards in the early 2000s).
 
−
 
 
−
The System 16 version of ''Tetris'' also includes a talking monkey which acts as a guide during the attract sequence. Monkeys would appear in later Sega-published ''Tetris'' titles as well. Also, while ''Tetris'' became would become synonymous with Russian folk songs (most notably, "Korobeiniki"), the Sega soundtrack is entirely original and to date has only appeared in Sega versions of ''Tetris''. In addition, as the speed of the game increases, the the tempo of the main theme also gets faster.
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
−
Complications regarding dealings with the then-communist regime of the former Soviet Union meant that during the mid-to-late 1980s, a number of companies from all over the world claimed to have the rights to ''Tetris''. ''Tetris'' had been a puzzle game created by Alexey Pajitnov and subsequently sold to the Soviet government for a planned ten yearsin around 1986.
+
''Tetris'' was conceived by Alexey Pajitnov and he developed the first version for Elektronika 60 computers. Pajitnov ceded all the rights to ''Tetris'' to the Soviet government for a ten year period in 1986. [[Elektronorgtechnica]] (or simply Elorg), an organization owned by the Soviet government at the time, would be responsible for the licensing of any ''Tetris'' rights.
  
−
The Soviets marketed ''Tetris'' to export markets via an organisation called "Elektronorgtechnica", typically shortened to Elorg, and from 1988 onwards began to take an interest in contracting licenses for the game for non-Soviet markets. Prior to this, numerous versions of ''Tetris'' had been "unofficially" licensed and sub-licensed by British software house Andromeda, who had in turn bought the rights to a version of the game found in Hungary. [[Mirrorsoft]] and [[Spectrum HoloByte]] had published versions of ''Tetris'' in 1987 and 1988 respectively (under license from Andromeda), and there had been many unofficial knock-offs and clones for a variety of systems prior to these dates.
+
Sega of America representitive [[Steve Hanawa]] "discovered" ''Tetris'' on behalf of the company during the development of ''[[Monopoly]]''.{{ref|https://www.sega-16.com/2011/10/interview-steve-hanawa/}} Hanawa noticed the ''Monopoly'' team working on a PC version of ''Tetris'', and he became addicted to it after trying it out. Hanawa introduced ''Tetris'' to Sega of Japan, and the latter acquired the Japanese arcade and Mega Drive "rights" from [[Tengen]]. Tengen held what was believed to be the arcade and console rights at the time. The "rights" had passed through other companies before reaching Tengen; Tengen had been given the "rights" from their parent company, [[Atari Games]], Atari Games licensed them from [[Mirrorsoft]], and Mirrorsoft licensed them from Andromeda Software.
  
−
Elorg signed three deals, one allowing [[Atari Games]] to make arcade versions of ''Tetris'', another allowing [[Bullet-Proof Software]] (BPS) to create home versions in Japan, and a final deal with [[Nintendo]], which covered home console and handheld versions in the West. Most famously, a deal between BPS and Nintendo resulted in the iconic [[Game Boy]] version of ''Tetris'' being released in 1989.
+
Andromeda's belief that they had the ability to sell any arcade and console rights to ''Tetris'' stemmed from a contract between them and Elorg (signed on 10 May 1988); the contract gave Andromeda the rights to Tetris for home computers and "different types of computers"; the phrase was vague enough for Andromeda to believe that it meant things like arcade systems and consoles.
  
−
In other cases, the relationship was not as clear cut - Atari Games' attempt to port its arcade version of ''Tetris'' to the Nintendo Entertainment System (via its home console division, [[Tengen]]) resulted in a legal battle which Atari Games would lose. Since 1996 onwards the license has been held by the aptly named [[The Tetris Company]], which has handed licenses to numerous publishers over the years.
+
===Release===
 +
[[Image:Tetris MD Gameplay.png|thumb|right|200px|Gameplay screenshot from the 1989 Mega Drive version. It has become one of the rarest games in existence.]]
 +
The System 16 version of ''Tetris'' was a hit in Japan, prompting additional versions of the game to be made for different arcade hardware - one for Sega's [[Sega System E|System E]] hardware, and two for [[Taito]]'s [[Taito B System|B-System]] and [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=659 H-System] boards. The B-System versions were released as upgrade kits for Taito's ''[[Rastan Saga 2|Nastar]]'' and ''[[Master of Weapon]]''; the H-System version appears to have been sold on modified boards that previously held Taito's ''Go for the Gold'' (released overseas as ''Recordbreaker'') rather than as an upgrade kit. Although the arcade rights Sega received from Tengen were not legitimate at the time of their arcade versions' releases, those arcade versions would eventually be legitimatized after Andromeda signed a contract with Elorg on 26 February 1989 granting Andromeda the ability to sub-license arcade rights to ''Tetris'' legitimately.
  
−
While Atari Games held the rights for arcade versions of ''Tetris'', their business was based primarily in the United States. Sega of America re-resentitive [[Steve Hanawa]] "discovered" the game on behalf of the company and a deal was made for Sega to produce and market their own versions of ''Tetris'' for the Japanese arcade market. This led initially to a [[Sega System 16]] version, also in 1988, with other variants of ''Tetris'' to follow.
+
Sega planned to release their Mega Drive version of ''Tetris'' on 15 April 1989<ref>[http://retrogame-blog.com/game/megadrive-genesis/md-tetris-not-release/ Blog Post (with ad scans): "<nowiki>[思い出]</nowiki> 1989年メガドライブのテトリス未発売で起きた私達だけのテトリス事件、メガドライブミニ収録記念"]</ref>, but they suddenly cancelled shipments of the title{{magref|gamemachinejp|355|26}} after they learned the Mega Drive "rights" they acquired were bogus. It is thought that fewer than 10 cartridges were produced, and some of the copies that survived were sold in auctions for up to US$16,000 (one signed copy was infamously sold for US$1,000,000,000). In an interview with [[Hiroyuki Miyazaki]] about the Mega Drive Mini, Miyazaki stated that he would have been fired if he had known what happened to the unreleased copies.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190922222754/https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/sega-talks-sega-genesis-mini-development-process/}} Despite Sega's efforts, the game quickly became widespread in the unlicensed Mega Drive market, becoming so common as to even appear in the 1992 [[wikipedia:Jackie Chan|Jackie Chan]] film ''[[wikipedia:Police Story 3: Supercop|Police Story 3: Supercop]]''.{{fileref|References PoliceStory3Supercop Film Tetris MegaDrive.png}}
  
−
===Release===
+
While Sega's arcade versions of ''Tetris'' could actually be legitimatized, their Mega Drive version could not - a second version of Elorg and Andromeda's computer contract (signed on 23 February 1989) had a definition of a computer added to it, and the Mega Drive version did not fit the new definition. In addition to the amended contract, a seperate contract between Elorg and [[Nintendo]] granted the latter all console rights. Despite all this, Sega was able to port the Mega Drive version over to their arcade-based [[Mega-Tech]] hardware.
−
''Sega'''s version of ''Tetris'' was a phenomenal success in Japan, prompting multiple extra versions of the game - one for [[Sega System E]] hardware, and perhaps most bizarrely, versions for [[Taito]]'s [[wikipedia:Taito B System|B-System]] and [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=659 H-System] arcade boards in Japan. The B-System versions were released as upgrade kits for Taito's ''[[Rastan Saga 2|Nastar]]'' and ''[[Master of Weapon]]''; the H-System version appears to have been sold on modified boards that previously held Taito's ''Go for the Gold'' (released overseas as ''Recordbreaker'') rather than as an upgrade kit.
 
  
−
Less successful was Sega's attempt and bringing this version to their own home system, the [[Sega Mega Drive]]. Much like Tengen's NES version, sales were blocked in Japan, likely this time by BPS, and it is thought that as little as only 10 cartridges were ever produced. It is one of the few Mega Drive games which Sega actively pretends did not exist, and what few copies survive are extremely rare collector's items, being sold in auctions for up to US$16,000 ((in)famously a signed copy was once put up US$1,000,000,000). Unlicensed copies of the game are far easier to find, however.
+
===Legacy===
 +
Atari Games, the company responsible for giving Sega the Japanese arcade rights through Tengen, stopped paying Mirrorsoft at some point. This resulted in Mirrorsoft not having enough money to pay Andromeda, and Andromeda not having enough money to pay Elorg. Because of this, Elorg decided to terminate their arcade rights deal with Andromeda in February 1992.{{ref|1=[https://books.google.com/books?id=b_N5FzzD3hsC&pg=PT500 "Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World" by David Sheff]}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20170804160939/http://www.filfre.net/2017/08/a-tale-of-the-mirror-world-part-8-life-after-tetris/}} The termination meant that Sega could no longer distribute their arcade versions of ''Tetris'' legally.
  
−
The Mega Drive release is curious as while it credits Tengen and Elorg as it probably should, it also credits [[Mirrorsoft]]. Either way, as Sega had full authority over arcade versions, the Sega Mega Drive port was brought to [[Mega-Tech]] hardware in 1989 with no problems. There is the potential that a planned Mega Drive version of ''[[Flash Point]]'' may have suffered a similar fate.
+
Despite the Mega Drive version's legal complications and subsequent cancelled release, bootleg versions of the game quickly found their way onto the unlicensed market, with reports of it's availability first appearing in November 1989.{{magref|pcw|389|3}} Notably, a bootleg copy of ''Tetris'' is seen being played in the [[wikipedia:Jackie Chan|Jackie Chan]] action film ''[[wikipedia:Police Story 3: Supercop|Police Story 3: Supercop]]''{{fileref|References PoliceStory3Supercop Film Tetris MegaDrive.png}}, which began filming around late 1991 - demonstrating just how much traction this version had gained in the unlicensed market since then.
  
−
===Legacy===
+
Sega's versions of ''Tetris'' introduced the concept of [[Sega Rotation (Tetris)|Sega rotation]], which would influence many of the ''Tetris'' games made in the future. In addition to that, Sega's choice of music and aesthetics were adapted for the [[Sega Saturn]] game ''[[Tetris-S]]'' and the 1999 release of ''[[Sega Tetris]]''.
−
Sega's versions of ''Tetris'' are significant, as while they are typically eclipsed in the West by what Nintendo was doing with its Game Boy, the concept of [[Sega Rotation (Tetris)|Sega rotation]] influenced most ''Tetris'' games going forward. Furthermore Sega's choice of music and aesthetics were adapted for the [[Sega Saturn]] game ''[[Tetris-S]]'' and the 1999 release of ''[[Sega Tetris]]''.
 
  
−
The [[Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection]] PlayStation 2 compilation [[Sega_Ages_2500_Series_Vol._28:_Tetris_Collection#Games_included|includes]] a licensed version of this version of Tetris for the Mega Drive.
+
''[[Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection]]'', a licensed compilation of ''Tetris'' games for the [[PlayStation 2]], [[Sega_Ages_2500_Series_Vol._28:_Tetris_Collection#Games_included|includes]] the cancelled Mega Drive version of ''Tetris''.
  
 
==Production credits==
 
==Production credits==
−
{{CreditsNeeded}}
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Production credits}}
−
===Arcade version===
 
−
Discovered by [[Steve Hanawa]]
 
−
 
 
−
===Mega Drive version===
 
−
{{creditstable|
 
−
<tt>PROGRAMED BY [[Naoki Okabe|NAOKI OKABE]]</tt>
 
−
| source= Title screen (secret code){{ref|https://tcrf.net/Tetris_(Genesis)}}
 
−
}}
 
  
 
==Magazine articles==
 
==Magazine articles==
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}}
 
}}
  
−
===Mega Drive version===
+
===Mega Drive version (unreleased)===
−
{{ratings
+
{{ratings|MD}}
−
| icon=MD
 
−
| ace=89
 
−
| ace_source={{num|35|page=59|pdf=ACE UK 35.pdf}}
 
−
| segapower=100
 
−
| segapower_source={{num|23|page=54}}
 
−
}}
 
 
{{Scanbox
 
{{Scanbox
 
| console=Mega Drive
 
| console=Mega Drive
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===System E version===
 
===System E version===
 +
 +
 +
===Master System version===
 +
{{Scanbox
 +
| console=Mega Drive
 +
| region=KR
 +
| cover=Tetris SMS KR Box.jpg
 +
| cart=Tetris SMS KR Cart.jpg
 +
| carttop=Tetris SMS KR Cart Top.jpg
 +
| cartback=Tetris SMS KR Cart Back.jpg
 +
| manual=
 +
}}
  
 
==Technical information==
 
==Technical information==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Technical information}}
 
===ROM dump status===
 
===ROM dump status===
 
{{romtable|
 
{{romtable|
−
{{rom|MD|sha1=?|size=256KB|date=1989|source=Cartridge (JP)|comments=|quality=good|prototype=}}
+
{{rom|SYS16|sha1=|md5=|crc32=|size=360KB|date=1989|source=Cartridge|comments=|quality=good}}
 +
{{rom|MD|sha1=2f2b559c5855e34500e43fb5cc8aff04dd72eb56|md5=ab307f2a1d9f7b42a49f27445f711ba3|crc32=4ce90db0|size=256KB|date=1989|source=Cartridge (JP)|comments=|quality=good}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 +
{{NECRetro|italics=yes}}
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
−
{{NECRetro|italics=yes}}
 
  
 
{{TetrisOmni}}
 
{{TetrisOmni}}

Latest revision as of 00:47, 5 November 2024

For the Mega Drive Mini version, see Tetris (Mega Drive Mini).

n/a

  • System 16
  • System E
  • Sega Mega Drive

Tetris Arcade Title.png

Tetris SystemE Title.png

Tetris MD TitleScreen.png

Tetris
System(s): Sega System 16, Sega Mega Drive, Sega System E, Sega Mega-Tech, Taito B-System, Taito H-System
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Developer:
Licensor:
Arcade (System 16)
Sega Mega Drive
Tengen
Arcade (System 16)
Sega Mega Drive
Atari Games
Arcade (System 16)
Sega Mega Drive
Mirrorsoft
Arcade (System 16)
Sega Mega Drive
Andromeda Software
Arcade (System 16)
Elektronorgtechnica
Sound driver:
Sega Mega Drive
Pre-SMPS Z80
Genre: Puzzle[2]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Arcade (System 16)
JP		 ¥? ?
Arcade (System E)
JP		 ¥? ?
Arcade (Mega 6)
JP		 ¥? ?
Arcade (Mega-Tech System)
UK		 £? ?

























Sega Mega Drive
JP 		G-4007

Tetris (テトリス) is a tile-matching puzzle game based around falling blocks. The name is derived from combining the Greek numerical prefix tetra- (the falling pieces contain 4 segments) and tennis.

Tetris was originally created by Alexey Pajitnov; he developed the first version of the game for Soviet Elektronika 60 terminal computers. Sega produced two arcade versions (a System 16 version and a System E version), a Mega Drive version, and a Mega Drive Mini version.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot from the System 16 version.

The Sega versions of Tetris are played against backgrounds seemingly sourced from around the world depicting scenes of world evolution. As the player's level increases, the background changes, developing from the earliest known history of the Earth to a futuristic city. A preview of the next Tetrimino can be seen above the Tetris playing field.

The background changes as the player's level increases, depicting scenes of world evolution.

The Sega versions of Tetris are more "rigid" than later games, only allowing for pieces to be rotated if there is room (i.e. a piece is not "pushed" left or right if there is space to do so, and the player is not given the chance to rotate a piece shortly before it stops). This ruleset, called Sega rotation, became a fixture in Sega's other Tetris-inspired games during the late 1980s and 1990s, and became a de facto standard for Japanese Tetris games including Arika's Tetris: The Grand Master series (until The Tetris Company established official standards in the early 2000s).

The System 16 version of Tetris also includes a talking monkey which acts as a guide during the attract sequence. Monkeys would appear in later Sega-published Tetris titles as well. Also, while Tetris became would become synonymous with Russian folk songs (most notably, "Korobeiniki"), the Sega soundtrack is entirely original. In addition, as the speed of the game increases, the the tempo of the main theme also gets faster.

History

Tetris was conceived by Alexey Pajitnov and he developed the first version for Elektronika 60 computers. Pajitnov ceded all the rights to Tetris to the Soviet government for a ten year period in 1986. Elektronorgtechnica (or simply Elorg), an organization owned by the Soviet government at the time, would be responsible for the licensing of any Tetris rights.

Sega of America representitive Steve Hanawa "discovered" Tetris on behalf of the company during the development of Monopoly.[5] Hanawa noticed the Monopoly team working on a PC version of Tetris, and he became addicted to it after trying it out. Hanawa introduced Tetris to Sega of Japan, and the latter acquired the Japanese arcade and Mega Drive "rights" from Tengen. Tengen held what was believed to be the arcade and console rights at the time. The "rights" had passed through other companies before reaching Tengen; Tengen had been given the "rights" from their parent company, Atari Games, Atari Games licensed them from Mirrorsoft, and Mirrorsoft licensed them from Andromeda Software.

Andromeda's belief that they had the ability to sell any arcade and console rights to Tetris stemmed from a contract between them and Elorg (signed on 10 May 1988); the contract gave Andromeda the rights to Tetris for home computers and "different types of computers"; the phrase was vague enough for Andromeda to believe that it meant things like arcade systems and consoles.

Release

Gameplay screenshot from the 1989 Mega Drive version. It has become one of the rarest games in existence.

The System 16 version of Tetris was a hit in Japan, prompting additional versions of the game to be made for different arcade hardware - one for Sega's System E hardware, and two for Taito's B-System and H-System boards. The B-System versions were released as upgrade kits for Taito's Nastar and Master of Weapon; the H-System version appears to have been sold on modified boards that previously held Taito's Go for the Gold (released overseas as Recordbreaker) rather than as an upgrade kit. Although the arcade rights Sega received from Tengen were not legitimate at the time of their arcade versions' releases, those arcade versions would eventually be legitimatized after Andromeda signed a contract with Elorg on 26 February 1989 granting Andromeda the ability to sub-license arcade rights to Tetris legitimately.

Sega planned to release their Mega Drive version of Tetris on 15 April 1989[6], but they suddenly cancelled shipments of the title[7] after they learned the Mega Drive "rights" they acquired were bogus. It is thought that fewer than 10 cartridges were produced, and some of the copies that survived were sold in auctions for up to US$16,000 (one signed copy was infamously sold for US$1,000,000,000). In an interview with Hiroyuki Miyazaki about the Mega Drive Mini, Miyazaki stated that he would have been fired if he had known what happened to the unreleased copies.[8] Despite Sega's efforts, the game quickly became widespread in the unlicensed Mega Drive market, becoming so common as to even appear in the 1992 Jackie Chan film Police Story 3: Supercop.[9]

While Sega's arcade versions of Tetris could actually be legitimatized, their Mega Drive version could not - a second version of Elorg and Andromeda's computer contract (signed on 23 February 1989) had a definition of a computer added to it, and the Mega Drive version did not fit the new definition. In addition to the amended contract, a seperate contract between Elorg and Nintendo granted the latter all console rights. Despite all this, Sega was able to port the Mega Drive version over to their arcade-based Mega-Tech hardware.

Legacy

Atari Games, the company responsible for giving Sega the Japanese arcade rights through Tengen, stopped paying Mirrorsoft at some point. This resulted in Mirrorsoft not having enough money to pay Andromeda, and Andromeda not having enough money to pay Elorg. Because of this, Elorg decided to terminate their arcade rights deal with Andromeda in February 1992.[10][11] The termination meant that Sega could no longer distribute their arcade versions of Tetris legally.

Despite the Mega Drive version's legal complications and subsequent cancelled release, bootleg versions of the game quickly found their way onto the unlicensed market, with reports of it's availability first appearing in November 1989.[12] Notably, a bootleg copy of Tetris is seen being played in the Jackie Chan action film Police Story 3: Supercop[9], which began filming around late 1991 - demonstrating just how much traction this version had gained in the unlicensed market since then.

Sega's versions of Tetris introduced the concept of Sega rotation, which would influence many of the Tetris games made in the future. In addition to that, Sega's choice of music and aesthetics were adapted for the Sega Saturn game Tetris-S and the 1999 release of Sega Tetris.

Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection, a licensed compilation of Tetris games for the PlayStation 2, includes the cancelled Mega Drive version of Tetris.

Production credits

Main article: Tetris/Production credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Tetris/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Tetris Arcade JP Flyer.jpg
System 16 JP flyer
Tetris Arcade JP Flyer.jpg

Physical scans

System 16 version

Mega-Tech version

Mega-Tech,
Tetris MT cover.jpg
Cover
Tetris MegaTech Cart Back.jpgTetris MegaTech Cart.jpg
Cart

Mega Drive version (unreleased)

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
(RU)
40
[13]
(UK) NTSC-J
89
[14]
(RU)
60
[15]
(UK) NTSC-J
100
[16]
(RU)
79
[17]
Sega Mega Drive
 74
Based on
5 reviews

Tetris

Mega Drive, JP
Tetris MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Tetris MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart

System E version

Master System version

Mega Drive, KR
Tetris SMS KR Box.jpg
Cover
Tetris SMS KR Cart Top.jpg
Tetris SMS KR Cart Back.jpgTetris SMS KR Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Tetris/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Arcade (System 16)
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
360kB 1989 Cartridge
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 4ce90db0
MD5 ab307f2a1d9f7b42a49f27445f711ba3
SHA-1 2f2b559c5855e34500e43fb5cc8aff04dd72eb56
256kB 1989 Cartridge (JP)

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Tetris
  1. ↑ http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/User:Andlabs/Sega (Wayback Machine: 2021-09-04 11:55)
  2. ↑ File:Tetris MD JP Box.jpg
  3. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 75
  4. ↑ Game Machine Daikenkyuu (JP; 1989-10-15), page 77
  5. ↑ https://www.sega-16.com/2011/10/interview-steve-hanawa/
  6. ↑ Blog Post (with ad scans): "[思い出] 1989年メガドライブのテトリス未発売で起きた私達だけのテトリス事件、メガドライブミニ収録記念"
  7. ↑ Game Machine, "1989-05-01" (JP; 1989-05-01), page 26
  8. ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/sega-talks-sega-genesis-mini-development-process/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-09-22 22:27)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:References PoliceStory3Supercop Film Tetris MegaDrive.png
  10. ↑ "Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World" by David Sheff
  11. ↑ http://www.filfre.net/2017/08/a-tale-of-the-mirror-world-part-8-life-after-tetris/ (Wayback Machine: 2017-08-04 16:09)
  12. ↑ Popular Computing Weekly, "Nov 30 - Dec 6 1989" (UK; 1989-11-30), page 3
  13. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 310
  14. ↑ ACE, "August 1990" (UK; 1990-07-xx), page 59
  15. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 223
  16. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
  17. ↑ Sega Opisaniy i sekretov, "14000 Opisaniy i sekretov" (RU; 2003-03-11), page 200


Tetris

Tetris Arcade Title.png

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Music: (1989)

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Tetris and Tetris-like games for Sega systems/developed by Sega
Sega: Tetris (1989) | Flash Point (Mega Drive) (1989) | Bloxeed (1989) | Sega Tetris (1999) | Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection (2006) | Tetris Giant (2010) | Puyo Puyo Tetris (2014) | Tetris (2019) | Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (2020)
Third-Party: Blockout (1991) | Tetris Plus (1996) | Tetris S (1996) | Tetris 4D (1998) | The Next Tetris: On-Line Edition (2000) | Tetris Kiwamemichi (2004) | Tetris The Grand Master 4: The Masters of Round (unreleased)
Unlicensed: Super Columns (1990) | Super Tetris (19xx) | Flashpoint (19xx)
Tetris related media
Music
 (1989) | (1990) | (2006) | (2020)
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