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Tetris: The Games People Play
Tetris: The Games People Play | Box Brown
33 posts | 28 read | 34 to read
It is, perhaps, the perfect video game. Simple yet addictive, Tetris delivers an irresistible, unending puzzle that has players hooked. Play it long enough and you ll see those brightly colored geometric shapes everywhere. You ll see them in your dreams.Alexey Pajitnov had big ideas about games. In 1984, he created Tetris in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. Once Tetris emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it was an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari, Sega game developers big and small all wanted Tetris. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications, and outright theft. "New York Times" bestselling author Box Brown untangles this complex history and delves deep into the role games play in art, culture, and commerce. For the first time and in unparalleled detail, "Tetris: The Games People Play" tells the true story of the world s most popular video game."
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LiseWorks
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#TeamReindeerGamers It's time for those #WinterGames points tally from December 1-17. Don't forget to add those @EarlyBird points. Submit and tag me on December 18. @annahenke @kezzlou85 @JessClark78 @Karons1 @TorieStorieS @MatchlessMarie @aperfectmjk @Bluebird

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Christine
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Pickpick

This was super interesting, and I loved the art and black/white/yellow palette. I think I *mostly* understood the business machinations but am hoping that watching the movie fills in whatever gaps remain. I never had a Nintendo growing up or played Tetris, but my husband and kids are Nintendo devotees. (Also pictured is a functioning VCR which my teen who is a vintage entertainment enthusiast does actually use. 🤣)

darklydreaming Neat! I love Tetris and Nintendo. Interested in seeing the movie… 12mo
Christine @darklydreaming I hope you check out and love both the book and the movie! We watched the movie last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. 🙂 12mo
36 likes2 comments
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JLaurenceCohen
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Pickpick

With minimalist style and wry humor, Box Brown tells the story of Tetris' invention, proliferation across the globe, and the furious competition to profit from it. A very fast read full of interesting details about the history of games. Now a major motion picture.

Christine I'm reading this right now! Fascinating stuff. 12mo
30 likes1 comment
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booklover3258
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Pickpick

I thought the little person on the Game Boy was adorable!

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/4eDl7k5mJm4

Enjoy!

41 likes1 stack add
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jlhammar
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Pickpick

This was great. Completely fascinating true story of Tetris, the world‘s most popular video game. If you like graphic novels, definitely recommend.

Can‘t wait for the Apple TV+ movie starring Taron Egerton (out March 31)!

Twainy 🙋🏼‍♀️ Team TETRIS! 😉😁 13mo
booklover3258 I just put it on hold at my library! Super excited about the show as well. 13mo
dariazeoli Ooooohhh… I love Tetris. When I was playing it a LOT, I‘d see the tiles in my head and mentally try to clear the board. (edited) 13mo
72 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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SilverShanica
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I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 82.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram

3 likes1 stack add
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MaryM
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I‘ve had a productive night of reading. I wrapped up Box Brown‘s Tetris. Now if I could only find my old Gameboy!!

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cwarnier
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Pickpick

#24B4Monday
I 💖 playing Tetris
This graphic novel showed how it was created and fought for. Amazing read.

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cwarnier
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#24B4Monday
How to decide what to read next?
I started Wonder, but think I will try out Tetris

24 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
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Pickpick

#2019Book47
The art style in this graphic novel isn‘t my favorite, but I‘m impressed that Brown managed to make the history of Tetris a truly interesting topic.

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Krisjericho
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Mehso-so

I had no idea that there was international intrigue behind the creation of the game Tetris. It really is a fascinating story. The way this was told was a little confusing, though, and I didn‘t find the art personally appealing. It is absolutely an interesting story, though.

37 likes1 stack add
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elkeOriginal
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Pickpick

This chunky graphic novel is the surprisingly interesting story behind the classic game Tetris. Fascinating to read how & who created it in Russia, how complicated the rights situations were, the various players‘ maneuvers to grab onto the lucrative popularity of it. I had no clue there was such a story behind this game I grew up with! The art is also delightful - black & white with bursts of yellow. I was itching to play on finishing this read...

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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
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MAILED! #FallingForFallSwap
See tagged book - I had to use some mad skillz to fit everything in this box. 3 attempts, yo.

Avanders 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💛🧡🎃🍁🍂🎃🧡💛 6y
42 likes1 comment
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JAMZ
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Pickpick

As a kid, I was obsessed with Tetris. My mom was too, and when she‘s play I‘d watch over her shoulder. This was a nice non-fiction boost to a heavily fiction reading jag I‘ve been in, and I was really shocked to see all of the drama behind what I thought was a relatively innocent game. A really cool behind-the-scenes look at one of the big parts of my childhood.

Booksblanketsandahotbeverage Tetris is the best! 6y
JAMZ @BookHoarder32 I couldn‘t agree more! 6y
4 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ambam1987
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Pickpick

Interesting story behind the game Tetris. Highly recommend to anyone interested in video gaming, coding, and graphic novel fans! 💻 🕹💬👾

18 likes2 stack adds
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Clwojick
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Getting started on this one before bed tonight. 👌

Oryx Sounds really interesting 6y
91 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Eyelit
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Pickpick

Fascinating history of Tetris. I had no idea it had such a complicated past. Now excuse me while I download it to my phone and play a few rounds. 😆

LectricSheep This sounds great! 😍 7y
mabell Careful! You'll be playing it in your sleep before you know it! 7y
monkeygirlsmama My mum and I each used to have a handheld Tetris game. Gosh, 23-25 years ago maybe? 7y
dariazeoli I love Tetris! When I play it, I start to see the pieces in floor tiles! 7y
Linear I play the grown-up version of tetris. The levels are "putting all the dishes in the dishwasher", "packing Christmas gifts in one box for mailing", "moving a house of 6 with only 30 moving boxes" and "fitting all the boxes in the moving van". 7y
88 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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Timidmagick
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Pickpick

It was a different time when Russia was one and this simple game came out. I'm glad the creator finally got the rights.

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ABookishLife
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Pickpick

Be warned: You're going to desperately want to play Tetris while you read about Tetris. A fascinating history of the game everyone loves to play.

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quietjenn
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Yes, in fact, I do want to play some Tetris right now. It's been awhile and I used to be So. Good.

23 likes1 stack add
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kathyellendavis
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Pickpick

What a great graphic novel! Who knew that Tetris cane from Russia? Or that the rights were up for grabs and rival companies each thought they had them (the contracts were not very clear!) Atari sued Nintendo over it! So much drama and so much to learn. Devoured this then told my husband all about it!

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angrylilasian
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Mehso-so

I totally had this happen to me. I played Tetris until I had blisters on my thumbs. I was obsessed with beating my best score. And I dreamt of Tetris pieces chasing me. 😂

The history of how the game came to be is interesting but all the legal stuff in the middle bogged it down. Overall, an interesting story but I don't know if I would say it's a must read.

(It did make me dig out my game boy though!)

LuLeeBelle This would happen to me too! It still does when I play things like Candy Crush 7y
Ericmanciniwriter This happened to me!! 7y
angrylilasian @LuLeeBelle Haha! Candy Crush was so addicting!! I had to stop because I was actually playing more than reading.😆 7y
angrylilasian @Eamann I'm so relieved I'm not the only one! 7y
lynneamch This is so true! I recall sitting behind a row of people and seeing pieces falling and fitting between their shoulders. Ha! 7y
35 likes5 comments
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horriblehoggle
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Pickpick

Really interesting read depicting the history of Tetris. Fun enough to make it a pick.

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LindsayReads
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Mehso-so

Solid beginning and end of the book, with the history and psychology of games and the eventual, mostly successful outcomes of the whole licensing debacle, but the middle was pretty muddled by the business back-and-forth. I'm sure there's am audience, but it was pretty dull to me. There are gems, though, like this succinct summary of the conception of Donkey Kong. The Tetris theme song is now on a loop in my head. #nonfictionnovember #graphicnonfic

27 likes2 stack adds
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mesjak
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Just starting...

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Britafish
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Can't wait to check this out.

WanderingBookaneer Loved it! 7y
18 likes1 comment
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WoodyWoodson
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Perfect start to my "weekend". Cider and a graphic novel about Tetris. #winwin #tipsylitsy

18 likes2 stack adds
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WanderingBookaneer
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Pickpick

Who knew that such a simple game had such a contentious, litigious story?

Gezemice Interesting! 8y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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WanderingBookaneer
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I had a handful of these!

Marchpane Yes! Oil Panic! Donkey Kong! 👾 8y
29 likes1 stack add1 comment
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WanderingBookaneer
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Just learned what Donkey Kong means!

34 likes5 stack adds
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irisamelia
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Pickpick

A fantastic illustrated account of how Tetris came to be. Much more political than I anticipated!!

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irisamelia
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Puzzles are metaphors for thoughts.

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Shaun_Manning
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Love stories like this. Video game history about the people and cultures behind the phenomenon. Another fun BEA pickup.

2 likes1 stack add