"ITISESTIMATEDTHATTWO" "OUT OF EVERY THREE AMERICANS" "HAVE PLAYED TETRIS." "TETRIS IS A GAME OF SKILL." "SEVEN BLOCKS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES" "DESCEND FROM THE TOP" "OF THE SCREEN." "THE PLAYER MUST ARRANGE THEM TO" "FORM AND CLEAR HORIZONTAL LINES." "SUCCESS IS MEASURED" "BY THE NUMBER OF LINES CLEARED" "AND THE TOTAL NUMBER" "OF POINTS SCORED." "AS THE PLAYER CLEARS MORE LINES," "THE PIECES FALL FASTER." "THE FASTER THE PIECES FALL," "THE MORE POINTS ARE SCORED." "WHEN THE PIECES REACH THE TOP" "OF THE SCREEN, THE GAME IS OVER." "RUSSIAN COMPUTER SCIENTIST," "ALEXEY PAJITNOV," "INVENTED TETRIS IN 1984" "ON AN ELECTRONIKA 60." "IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED," "THE GAME EXPLODED IN POPULARITY" "AND WAS PORTED TO VIRTUALLY" "EVERY COMPUTER AND CONSOLE ON" "THE MARKET." "IN 1989, NINTENDO" "RELEASED TETRIS FOR THE GAME BOY" "AND THE NINTENDO" "ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM," "SELLING NEARLY 40 MILLION COPIES" "AND BRINGING THE GAME" "TO THE MASSES." "IN 1990, NINTENDO CHOSE TETRIS" "AS THE CENTRAL GAME" "IN THE LARGEST VIDEO-GAME" "TOURNAMENT THE WORLD HAD EVER" "SEEN:" "THE NINTENDO" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS." "A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY" "FROM TEXAS NAMED THOR WON." "NINTENDO'S TETRIS CAME TO BE" "VIEWED AS THE DEFINITIVE VERSION" "OF THE GAME..." "ITS SECRETS AND MYSTERIES" "FASCINATING THE BEST PLAYERS" "IN THE DECADES TO COME." "EVERY SUCCESSFUL GAME ENDS WITH" "THE SAME MESSAGE TO THE PLAYER." "THIS IS THE STORY OF THE PEOPLE" "WHO TRULY MASTERED THE GAME." "IHAVEDONENOTHINGBUTPLAY" "TETRIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS," "AND NOW I'M HERE BECAUSE I HEARD" "ABOUT A TETRIS COMPETITION," "AND I'M HERE, HOPEFULLY," "TO WIN IT." "I MEAN, I BEGAN TETRIS REALLY" "WHEN I WAS A KID." "I USED TO TAKE STATISTICS" "OF EVERY SINGLE GAME I PLAYED," "AND WRITE DOWN" "WHETHER I HAD A CUP" "OF COFFEE BEFOREHAND" "OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT," "TO KIND OF SEE WHAT WOULD MAKE" "ME PLAY TETRIS THE BEST." "AND I FOUND OUT THAT, ACTUALLY," "EXACTLY ONE HALF-HOUR" "BEFORE YOU HAVE " "AFTER YOU HAVE SOME COFFEE," "YOU PLAY THE BEST." "TOPPLAYERS,MOVING" "TO THE SUPER NINTENDO VERSION," "WE ACTUALLY" "PLAY AGAINST EACH OTHER" "AND EVERY TIME YOU GET A TETRIS," "IT SENDS GARBAGE" "TO THE OTHER PERSON." "OH, THE MOST PAINFUL MISDROP" "IN ASHLEY'S LIFE." "LET'S SEE IF SHE CAN SURVIVE." "OH." "I'M SORRY." "TETRIS IS NOT FAIR, FOLKS." "IGOTTO GETITTOGETHER." "I'M STILL IN A VIABLE PLACE." "I CAN HEAR HIS BREATH." "BENWASJUSTINFORMEDTHAT" "IN THE FINAL MATCH, THE PLAYERS" "WON'T BE ALLOWED" "TO ROTATE THE PIECES." "THIS IS CONSIDERED" "A VERY UNUSUAL STYLE OF PLAYING." "CHK,CHK,CHK,CHK ,CHK ,CHK ," "CHK, CHK." "[ TRILLS ]" "THIS IS WHAT 15 YEARS OF PLAYING" "ONE GAME AND ONE GAME ONLY WILL" "GET YOU " " IN A TOURNAMENT" "SOMEWHERE AND A DOCUMENTARY" "THEREAFTER." "IT'S ALL ABOUT TETRIS." "CHK, CHK, CHK, CHK, CHK, CHK." "GOES A LOT FASTER THAN THAT" "IF YOU'RE REALLY GOOD." "WEHAVEANEW LOW ... 53 POINTS." "SHE CAME IN AND ASKED" "FOR A GLASS OF BLOOD." "MOLLIN CLEARS A LITTLE SPACE," "GETS READY FOR HER LONG BAR." "AND LOOK AT THIS COMEBACK." "OH,MOLLIN" "TAKES IT BY A LANDSLIDE." "YOU'RE A CHAMPION." "MOLLIN NYLANDER." "AND THAT'S IT," "EVERYBODY PLEASE GO HOME." "SOTHISONEIS$ 3." "YEAH." "YOU GOT THREE MORE FOR $5." "YEAH." "IFI BOUGHTALLTHREEOF'EM," "WOULD YOU GO TO $4 FOR EACH?" "SURE." "YOU'RE A GOOD TETRIS HAND?" "YEAH,WEAREFINDINGTHEBEST" "TETRIS PLAYER IN THE WORLD." "WE ALWAYS HAD WONDERED WHY" "THE BIGGEST GAME IN THE WORLD," "OR WHAT'S PROBABLY THE " "THE MOST PLAYED GAME EVER," "DIDN'T HAVE A CHAMPION." "AND GAMES LIKE PAC-MAN HAD" "BILLY MITCHELL AND ASTEROIDS" "NOW HAS JOHN McALLISTER," "AND TETRIS IS POSSIBLY EVEN" "PLAYED MORE THAN THAT." "AND I DECIDED TO FIND" "THE BEST TETRIS PLAYERS" "IN THE WORLD" "AND PLAY THEM IN A CONTEST." "IT'STHEONLYVIDEOGAME" "THAT CAN BE DESCRIBED" "AS PERFECT, RIGHT?" "BECAUSE HOW WOULD YOU" "IMPROVE IT?" "WHAT, ADD A SHAPE?" "TAKE AWAY A SHAPE?" "IBELIEVETHATTETRISMAY" "WELL BE THE FIRST VIRTUAL SPORT." "IF WAS GOING TO PRACTICE, UH," "TO BE THE SMARTEST" "OR THE FASTEST THINKER" "IN THE WORLD, WOULD I" "PLAY FOOTBALL?" "I DON'T THINK SO." "I WOULD PLAY TETRIS." "FORMONTHS,I'VEBEEN" "SEARCHING FOR THESE, UH," "CRT TELEVISIONS." "THEY'RE KIND OF HARD TO FIND," "BUT, UH, WE'RE HERE" "AT THIS THRIFT STORE" "AND WE FOUND THE MOTHER LODE." "THERE'S ABOUT 10 IN THERE." "DESPITEBEINGBASED" "IN PORTLAND, OREGON," "ROBIN DECIDES TO HOLD" "HIS TOURNAMENT IN LOS ANGELES" "IN AN EFFORT" "TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE." "HE HOPES THAT IF HE CAN GET" "THE BEST PLAYERS INVOLVED" "AND CROWN A CHAMPION," "HE WILL HAVE DONE HIS PART" "TO LEGITIMIZE TETRIS" "AS A PROFESSION SPORT." "WELL,I 'MPRETTYHAPPYWITH" "THIS." "NOMOREINTERNETSCOREBOARDS," "NO MORE SECOND CHANCES," "JUST A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED" "FACE-TO-FACE TOURNAMENT" "FOR THE AGES." "IT'SA TETRISSHOWDOWN" "OF THE CENTURY," "AND WE'RE JOINED" "LIVE BY ROBIN MIHARA." "SO, THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS." "WHAT KIND OF COMPETITION" "WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?" "UH,WE'RETALKING" "ABOUT THE CLASSIC NES TETRIS." "UH, TETRIS IS PROBABLY" "THE MOST-PLAYED" "VIDEO GAME OF ALL TIME." "IT'S A " "IT'S AN ADDICTING GAME, AND, UH," "IT'S STOLEN MILLIONS OF HOURS" "FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE." "THE CHAMPION HAS NEVER BEEN" "CROWNED, AND I MADE IT MY GOAL" "TO SEEK OUT" "AND FIND A WORLD CHAMPION." "AREYOUABIG FAN ," "'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN I PLAY," "I LIKE TO STACK 'EM UP" "ALL ON ONE SIDE" "AND THEN YOU GET" "ONE OF THOSE LONG FOUR ONES," "'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A GOOD PAYOFF" "WHEN YOU GET THE FOUR..." "Y-YEAH," "I DO ENJOY THAT MANEUVER." "THE " " THE LONG BAR TO GET" "THE TETRIS IS PRETTY SOLID." "YES." "TETRISISAGAMEOF" "DECISIONS, EACH ONE AFFECTING" "THE NEXT." "AT SPEEDS OF UP TO TWO DECISIONS" "PER SECOND, THE TETRIS MASTER" "STRIVES TO MAKE THE RIGHT" "DECISION EVERY SINGLE TIME" "UP TO 700 TIMES PER GAME." "TO DO THIS, THE TETRIS MASTER" "MUST MAINTAIN FOCUS." "THE FOUR-LINE CLEAR," "CALLED A TETRIS," "SCORES THE MOST POINTS." "THE MASTER" "RELENTLESSLY PURSUES TETRISES." "THIS IS DONE BY BUILDING A WALL" "AND LEAVING A WELL." "THE LONG BAR" "COMPLETES THE TETRIS." "THE PROBABLY OF GETTING" "A LONG BAR AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT" "IS ABOUT ONE OUT OF SEVEN." "THE LONG BAR IS THE MOST" "IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE GAME." "AN EXTENDED PERIOD WITHOUT IT" "IS KNOWN AS A DROUGHT." "A LONG BAR DROUGHT" "IS THE MOST DREADED OCCURRENCE" "IN NES TETRIS." "ROBIN IS ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE" "A DROUGHT." "YUCK." "TOSURVIVETHEDROUGHT,ROBIN" "IS FORCED TO START BURNING LINES" "OFF THE TOP OF HIS WALL." "THATWASADROUGHT." "ITHINKI'VENARROWEDDOWN" "WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE TOP" "TETRIS PLAYERS IN THE WORLD." "UH, THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE." "AND I'VE DECIDED THAT I AM GOING" "TO HOLD A MASSIVE CONTEST," "INVITE THEM ALL," "AND COME OUT OF THERE KNOWING" "WHO THE BEST TETRIS PLAYER" "IN THE WORLD IS." "ONCE I FOUND TWIN GALAXIES " "THEY KEEP THE WORLD RECORDS" "FOR ALL VIDEO GAMES " "IT DAWNED ON ME" "THAT NOT ONLY HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE" "BEEN PLAYING THIS GAME" "EVER SINCE IT CAME" "OUT 22 YEARS AGO, UH," "BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN" "TAKING IT VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY." "QUITEA FEWYEARSAGO ," "IT ALL STARTED WITH JUST" "A MYSTERIOUS TAPE POPPING UP." "HMM." "WELL, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND" "ON TETRIS." "WELL, THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY" "BE INTERESTING," "AND I HAD NO IDEA" "IT WAS GONNA SNOWBALL" "SO EXPONENTIALLY AS IT HAS." "DANAWILCOX,UH ,KIND" "OF OUT OF NOWHERE," "JUST POSTED THIS SCORE" "A MONTH AGO." "I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH" "ABOUT HER," "BUT SHE'S FROM THE OAKLAND AREA." "IMEAN,IHAD NOIDEA" "THAT THAT WAS EVEN " "THAT TWIN GALAXIES EVEN" "EXISTED UNTIL MY FRIEND WAS ALL," ""DUDE, CHECK OUT" "'KING OF KONG'."" "AND I SAW "KING OF KONG"" "AND I WAS LIKE..." "YOU KNOW, IT'S ON." "LIKE, "WHOA, THAT " " THAT" "EXISTS?"" "AND THEN I STARTED" "CHECKING OUT TETRIS ON THERE," "AND ALL THE SCORES WERE CRAP." "WHEN I WAS A KID," "MY MOM GOT PRETTY GOOD." "WE HAD THIS, LIKE, DRY-ERASE" "WHITE BOARD, AND IT WOULD SAY" "WHAT CHORE YOU HAD TO DO THAT" "WEEK." "AND IN THE TOP CORNER," "IT WOULD ALWAYS SAY THE REIGNING" "HIGHEST TETRIS SCORE," "WHICH MY MOM" "HELD FOR TWO MONTHS," "AND THEN I " " I WIPED HER" "OFF THE BOARD AND THAT WAS IT." "DOYOUREMEMBER" "WHAT THE SCORE WAS?" "UH,I THINKIT WAS," "LIKE 151-ISH." "THE NEXT ONE I REMEMBER WAS," "UH, LIKE, A 624." "I TOOK A POLAROID" "OF THE TV, LIKE, "624!" "CHECK IT OUT, BITCHES."" "YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T LEAVE" "THE SCREEN ON FOR THAT LONG." "FREEZE." "IT'S LIKE AN ETCH A SKETCH" "THAT YOU FREEZE IN TIME." "LIKE, NO ONE" "EVER TOUCHES THE TV AGAIN," "WHICH MAYBE I WOULD DO" "IF I GOT " " IF I MAXED IT OUT." "UH,JESSIEKELKARATONE" "POINT HELD THE WORLD RECORD FOR" "LINES." "IWANNASAYSOMEWHERE" "BETWEEN 3 1/2 AND 4 FEET LONG" "SO HE'S ALMOST DOUBLED IN SIZE" "SINCE WE GOT HIM." "NO?" "WELL, LET'S SEE." "MY MOM WOULD'VE BEEN THE ONE" "TO BRING THE GAME" "INTO THE HOUSE." "SHE BROUGHT IT HOME ONE NIGHT," "AND THE WHOLE FAMILY" "SAT DOWN AND STARTED PLAYING." "AND SHE HAD A NATURAL KNACK" "FOR IT, AND I TURNED OUT" "TO HAVE A NATURAL KNACK FOR IT," "AND SO IT WOULD TURN" "INTO COMPETITIONS" "BETWEEN ME AND MY MOM A LOT." "AND I WAS " " WOULD DO MY" "SCHOOLWORK BECAUSE SHE WOULDN'T" "LET ME ON THE NINTENDO BEFORE MY" "SCHOOL" " AND YES, SHE WOULD" "CHECK IT, 'CAUSE SHE WAS NOT" "GIVING UP THAT NINTENDO FOR" "ANYTHING." "MY HUSBAND, YOU KNOW," "GOES ONTO GOOGLE, AND HE FINDS" "TWIN GALAXIES' WEBSITE." "THIS IS, LIKE, A SERIOUS WEBSITE" "AND THEY TRACK THIS STUFF" "AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT" "SINCE THE '80s, AND..." "SO, I SAT AND I PLAYED" "AND I GOT TO LEVEL 29." "FOR THE FIRST TIME," "I SAW LEVEL 29," "AND I WENT, "WHOA,"" "AND I FINALLY GOT TO 291," "AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, YOU KNOW," "THIS IS ENOUGH TETRIS."" ""I'LL " " I'LL STICK WITH 291." "LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES,"" "AND I GOT THE CERTIFICATE" "WHERE I HAVE, YOU KNOW," "I AM A WORLD RECORD HOLDER" "AND WHATNOT." "AND THEN I THINK BEN" "CAME IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER" "AND JUST WENT," ""NO, I'M NOT HAVING THIS 291."" ""I'M GONNA GO WITH 294,"" "AND I WENT, "OH."" "UH,BENMULLEN" "IS THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER" "FOR THE MOST NUMBER" "OF LINES AT 296," "WHICH MEANS, UH, INCREDIBLY," "HE WAS ABLE TO SCORE" "SIX LINES INTO WHAT EVERYONE" "CONSIDERS THE DEATH SCREEN." "LINESINTETRIS" "HAVE A REAL ELEGANCE TO THEM" "IF YOU GET REALLY GOOD" "AT GETTING A LOT" "OF LINES EVERY TIME." "IN HIGH SCHOOL," "I WAS TO THE POINT" "WHERE I COULD AVERAGE" "OVER 270 LINES PER GAME," "WHICH, WHEN YOU" "AVERAGE IN SOME BAD GAMES," "I'M GETTING" "TO LEVEL 29 NEARLY EVERY TIME." "SO, THIS IS JUST A QUICK GAME" "I'M PLAYING TO SHOW" "THAT I'M STILL CAPABLE" "OF GETTING TO LEVEL 29," "AND I MAY OR MAY NOT GET THERE" "BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER" "IF THE PIECE" "I JUST DROPPED GETS ME THERE," "OR NOT." "AND I..." "WISH IT LUCK." "OH YEAH, IT DOES." "OKAY, THAT'S LEVEL 29." "THAT WAS REALLY QUICK," "BUT LEVEL 29 DOES TEND" "TO KILL YOU." "SO, I'M DEAD." "IN HIGH SCHOOL," "I GOT AN 820,000," "AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SCORE" "EVEN TODAY." "SO, I STARTED WATCHING, AND " "AND PEOPLE LIKE HARRY HONG" "AND WHATNOT WOULD COME ALONG," "AND THEY WERE SCORING," "BUT THEY WERE SCORING WAY" "BENEATH WHAT I HAD DONE." "SO I GOT AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE," "LIKE, "I'M NUMBER 1." "NO ONE CAN TOUCH ME."" "HARRY HONG'S NOTHING." "EVERYBODY'S NOTHING." "THAT'S THE ATTITUDE I HAD," "SO I WASN'T TRYING" "TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER," "AND HARRY HONG WAS." "IMADEIT AGOAL" "TO GET THE MAX." "LIKE, I HAD TO." "I WOULD SAY FOUR YEARS WAS " "WAS A PRETTY LONG TIME." "I JUST BELIEVED..." "I JUST MADE MYSELF BELIEVE" "THAT I WAS CAPABLE OF DOING IT." "FORTHEPASTCOUPLEOFYEARS ," "THERE'S BEEN" "A " " A LEAPFROGGING SITUATION" "WHERE EVERYONE WAS TRYING" "TO BE THE FIRST PERSON" "TO EVER MAX OUT THE GAME." "THERE ARE TWO PARAMOUNT" "ACHIEVEMENTS WITHIN NES TETRIS," "LARGELY DISMISSED" "AS UNATTAINABLE." "THE FIRST IS THE MAX OUT," "OR A PERFECT SCORE" "OF 999,999 POINTS." "WITH ONLY A SIX-DIGIT SCORE" "COUNTER, THIS" "IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE." "THE MASTER STRIVES TO SCORE" "THE MAX BEFORE REACHING" "THE LEVEL 29 KILL SCREEN," "A LEVEL SO FAST IT IS BELIEVED" "IMPOSSIBLE TO SURVIVE." "TO REACH THE MAX" "BEFORE HITTING THE KILL SCREEN," "THE MASTER MUST PLAY PERFECTLY," "SCORING TETRISES" "AT LEAST 60 PERCENT OF THE TIME." "BUTI DIDN'TREALLYREFLECT" "ON THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONLY" "SO MANY LINES TO WORK WITH," "SO I HAD TO FIT" "MORE AND MORE PERFECTION" "INTO THAT SAME SPACE." "NOONEEVERTHOUGHT" "THAT THERE WOULD BE A MAX OUT." "THAT'S PUSHING THE REALMS" "OF FEASIBILITY" "AND, LO AND BEHOLD, LITTLE" "WHILE LATER, SUDDENLY HARRY" "PULLS OUT SOME MORE MAGIC" "FROM HIS HAT, AND POOF." "THATNIGHTWHENIGOTTHE" "MAX, I CHECKED MY SCORE " "I JUST GLANCED AT IT REAL QUICK." "IT WAS AROUND, I BELIEVE, LIKE," "IN THE HIGH 960,000s," "AND I KNEW I HAD TO GET A" "TETRIS, LIKE, WITHIN THE NEXT," "LIKE, FIVE LINES." "THE PIECES DIDN'T COME OUT TO " "I HAD TO REALLY THINK QUICKLY" "ON WHERE TO PUT THE PIECES" "AT THAT TIME." "I MADE, LIKE, TWO-SECOND, LIKE," "LAST, MAYBE LIKE," "LAST MILLISECOND DECISION," "SO I HAD TO, LIKE, MANEUVER," "LIKE, REALLY QUICKLY." "I-I JUST DROPPED THE CONTROLLER," "YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I WAS DONE." "YOU KNOW, I-I DROPPED THE" "CONTROLLER, AND I JUST YELLED." "I JUST YELLED." "IT WAS, LIKE, 1:30 IN THE" "MORNING." "I SAVED A BOTTLE OF" "JOHNNY WALKER JUST FOR, YOU" "KNOW, THAT OCCASION," "AND I'VE HAD THAT BOTTLE" "FOR TWO YEARS." "AND THAT NIGHT," "WE ALL TOOK A SHOT OF THAT," "AND THAT WAS A GOOD NIGHT, YEAH." "THATMADEME ," "LIKE, "ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT." "I'M MAXING IT OUT."" "HARRY HONG IS MY HERO." "'CAUSE BEFORE THAT, HONESTLY," "I HAD STARTED KIND OF, LIKE," "IN MY OWN SOLITARY TETRIS WORLD," "WONDERING IF IT WAS POSSIBLE." "HARRYDIDIT FIRST." "UH, JONAS ACTUALLY CLAIMED THAT" "HE HAD DONE IT BEFORE HARRY," "BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE" "THE APPROPRIATE VIDEO." "IGOTTO SHOWYOU THE" "TECHNIQUE THAT HAS REALLY KIND" "OF PUT ME OVER THE EDGE," "AND IT IS, LIKE, THE EYES." "I GOT " " I GOT, LIKE, THE EYES." "I CAN SPLIT IT OUT" "AND CHECK THE NEXT BUTTON," "RIGHT?" "SOMETIMES YOU NEED AN ADVANTAGE." "THE FIRST TIME I MAXED IT OUT," "I JUST..." "I-IT'S A REALLY WEIRD THING." "YOU " " YOU HAVE THIS GOAL," "AND YOU MAX IT OUT." "IT'S 1:00 A.M." "YOU HAVE NO CAMERA, YOU HAVE" "NO WAY TO PUT THIS ON FILM." "SO, ON MY BIRTHDAY LAST " "LAST YEAR IN 2009, APRIL 19th," "I SAW THAT HARRY HAD, YOU KNOW," "GIVEN ME THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT" "OF USURPING ME FIRST TO " "TO THE TITLE." "AND SO, YOU KNOW, I " " I DIDN'T" "WANNA SEE THAT ON MY BIRTHDAY." "THAT KIND OF MOTIVATED ME." "I WAS LIKE," ""I NEED TO DO THIS."" "THE FIRST VIDEO WAS, UH," "A LEVEL 18 MAX OUT WITH NO" "SOUND, AND THE INITIAL REACTION" "WAS, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SOUND," "IT SEEMED LIKE I HAD SOMETHING" "TO HIDE." "BUT YEAH, THE SECOND ONE" "WAS A LEVEL 19 MAX" "OUT WITH MY ATT TILT PHONE." "RIGHT OFF THE BAT, PEOPLE KIND" "OF DISMISSED IT BECAUSE THEY" "COULDN'T SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON." "PEOPLECOMMENTON MY VIDEO," "SAYING, "IT'S FAKE, IT'S A" "GLITCH, HE'S CHEATING."" "BUT, I MEAN " " I MEAN, IN A WAY," "I'LL TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT," "YOU KNOW, LIKE," "I MEAN IF THEY THINK IT'S REALLY" "THAT IMPOSSIBLE" "TO PLAY LIKE THAT THEN." "YOU KNOW," "THAT " " THAT'S GOOD FOR ME." "DUDE,THEBESTONTHAT" "YouTube WAS READING ALL THE" "COMMENTS OF PEOPLE THAT SAID," "LIKE, "THIS IS A FAKE VIDEO." "THIS IS SLOWED DOWN." "OH, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT..."" "YEAH." ""YOUKNOW," "ONE MINUTE AND 25 SECONDS" "IN, THE CAMERA GLITCHES." "IT'S " " IT'S CLEARLY COMPUTER" "GENERATED."" "BUTTHAT" "THAT'S THE WHOLE FOLKLORE THING." "THAT'S THE KIND" "OF BIGFOOT PHOTO TYPE" "OF SITUATION THAT I WAS " "THAT I WAS TRYING" "TO DEVELOP ACTUALLY." "THESECONDPARAMOUNT" "ACHIEVEMENT WITHIN THE GAME" "IS PASSING THE LEVEL 29 KILL" "SCREEN AND REACHING LEVEL 30." "THIS IS WIDELY BELIEVED" "TO BE IMPOSSIBLE" "BECAUSE THE PIECES BEGIN FALLING" "TOO QUICKLY TO REACH THE SIDES." "BEN MULLEN HAS COME" "THE CLOSEST." "HIS RECORD OF 296 LINES," "FALLING JUST FOUR LINES" "SHORT OF LEVEL 30." "GETTINGTHATRECORD," "IT'S REALLY HELPFUL" "IF YOU'RE GOOD AT GETTING" "THE LEVEL 29 A LOT OF TIMES." "SO, I JUST GOT TO IT" "OVER AND OVER," "BUILT UP AS HIGH AS I COULD." "GOT TETRISES" "AND WHATEVER I COULD DO," "AND EVENTUALLY" "I GOT SIX LINES ON THERE." "I MEAN, THAT'S NUTS" "IN AND OF ITSELF." "YOU GOT TO REALLY BUILD UP" "PRETTY DARN HIGH TO DO THAT." "TO GET REALLY FAR PAST THAT," "YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET" "PIECES AT THE EDGE ON 29," "WHICH IS, TO ME, JUST CRAZY." "THEREISASIGNIFICANTJUMP" "BETWEEN LEVEL 28 AND 29." "IT BOGGLED ME, YOU KNOW?" "I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO FIND OUT" "WHO HAS SEEN LEVEL 30." "DOES LEVEL 30 EXIST?" "DOES IT JUST KEEP GOING ON" "FOREVER?" "THEREARETWOKNOWN" "STRATEGIES TO REACH LEVEL 30." "THE FIRST IS TO PREPARE A CENTER" "WELL AT THE END OF LEVEL 28," "ELIMINATING THE NEED" "FOR PIECES TO REACH THE SIDES." "THEBIGQUESTION" "IS WHETHER OR NOT THOR" "IS GOING TO PARTICIPATE." "HE HAS CLAIMED TO GET" "PAST THE DEATH SCREEN" "ON LEVEL 29 INTO 30, UH," "WHICH IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE" "ONCE YOU'VE SEEN THE SPEED" "OF 29." "HE, I BELIEVE," "HAS MAXED THE GAME" "OUT AT THE AGE OF 14." "UH, NEVER SAW IT " "I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE DID " "BUT I HAVE NO REASON" "NOT TO BELIEVE HIM." "HE WAS THE GREATEST TETRIS" "PLAYER IN THE WORLD 20 YEARS" "AGO." "HE BEAT OVER A MILLION KIDS, UM," "AND HE " " HE BEAT US HANDILY." "ROBINMIHARAKNOWSNINTENDO." "HE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM" "THE NINTENDO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS" "IN UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA." "THE KEY TO SUCCESS?" "HAND-EYECOORDINATION." "YUP,ANEAGLEEYE ," "A FINGER THAT FLIES AND HOURS" "AND HOURS OF PRACTICE." "YOUKNOW,THREEMONTHS" "OF TRAINING AND HUNDREDS" "AND HUNDREDS OF LAWNS MOWED, UM," "ALL INVESTED" "INTO THIS ONE CONTEST." "WELCOMETOUNIVERSALSTUDIOS," "HOLLYWOOD." "THIS IS THE PLAYING FIELD" "OF THE FUTURE," "THE UNPRECEDENTED 1990 NINTENDO" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS." "NINTENDOHAD12 MASSIVE" "TRAILER TRUCKS FULL OF" "EQUIPMENT, AND IT WAS TOURING" "AROUND THE " " THE COUNTRY," "TAKING ONE WINNER FROM EACH" "CITY, AND THEN WAS GONNA PLAY" "ALL OF THE WINNERS TOGETHER IN" "HOLLYWOOD, UH, TO CROWN A" "CHAMPION." "BUT AFTER WATCHING THOR PLAY," "UH, HE HAD THE ABILITY" "TO VIBRATE THE DIRECTIONAL PAD" "SO THAT THE PIECE ACTUALLY" "MOVED FASTER THAN THE REST" "OF US COULD MOVE IT." "IT SEEMED KIND OF UNFAIR." "I ENDED UP PLAYING TWO OF MY " "MY BETTER GAMES AND ENDED" "UP TAKING THIRD BEHIND THOR," "WHO WON IT ALL." "WANT ME TO WRITE "DAMN YOU," "THOR," OR ANYTHING?" "HE'S THE GUY THAT BEAT ME." "YEAH,DOIT ,TOTALLY." "TOTALLY GOOD." "THAT'SMYQUOTE." "THE DAY THAT HE" "WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS," "I WENT TO HIS ROOM AND TALKED" "TO HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME." "AND HE SAID THAT," "UM, HE HAD GOTTEN TO LEVEL 30." "THIS IS A QUOTE OF HIS: "IF YOU" "GET PAST LEVEL 30," "IT'S PRETTY EASY TO MAX IT OUT,"" "AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME" "I'D EVER HEARD SOMEONE" "SAY THAT MAXING" "OUT TETRIS WAS PRETTY EASY." "ITHINK,YOUKNOW,IN" "IN 1990 I WAS REALLY" "OBSESSED WITH WANTING" "TO WIN THAT COMPETITION." "HEY,ISIT WEIRD" "IF I KNOW THOR?" "THORWONIN HOUSTON," "WHICH WAS WHERE I WENT" "THE VERY FIRST TIME, AND I" "DON'T KNOW IF HE HAD DEVELOPED" "THE MULTI-TAP TECHNIQUE BY THEN." "BY THE END OF THE TOUR," "HE HAD DONE IT." "HE WAS REALLY MOVING" "THE PIECES LEFT" "AND RIGHT FASTER THAN EVERYONE." "WHATNONE" "OF US PRACTICED DOING" "WAS VIBRATE OUR LEFT THUMB " "AND THAT'S WHAT THOR WOULD DO " "AND HE COULD GET THE PIECE TO" "MOVE LEFT TO RIGHT FASTER" "THAN ALL OF US." "NOW,IFYOUWATCH," "THOR'S GOT A TECHNIQUE" "FOR HIS 10-SECOND COUNTDOWN" "TO GET THE LONG BAR." "HE'S PLAYING ALL THE WAY" "UP THERE AND HE'S VIBRATING IT" "SO FAST THAT IT CAN GET IT" "OVER HIS GIANT STACK," "AND HE DOESN'T EVEN" "GET THE LONG BAR." "HE " " HE COULD HAVE" "DEMOLISHED THE SCORE." "THIS IS THE SEVEN CHAMPS" "WITH HOWARD PHILLIPS," "THE FACE OF NINTENDO IN THE '90s." "AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT EACH" "OF US THAT WAS A LITTLE OFF," "LIKE, I HAVE A.D.D. AND A COUPLE" "OTHER GUYS WERE AWKWARD." "AND NONE OF US WERE," "LIKE, YOUR EVERYDAY GUY," "WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY WE WERE" "IN THE HOUSE PLAYING NINTENDO" "FOR 10 HOURS A DAY." "THORWASKINDOFTHEGUY" "WHERE IT'S LIKE, YOU FEARED HIM," "BUT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE HIM." "THORWOULDKINDOFCOME UP" "TO US AS SORT OF LIKE AN OUTCAST" "AND HE'D WALK UP AND SAY," ""MY NAME IS THOR." "I'M GOOD AT GAMES."" "THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'D GO" "TO THE ARCADE AND, YOU KNOW," "THOR WOULD BE THERE" "AND HE'D WALK UP TO US" "AND HE'D SAY, "I'M THOR." "I'M GOOD AT GAMES."" "YOU KNOW, IS IT AN OCD THING?" "YOU KNOW, IT'S " " IT'S LIKE" "SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW," "PRODIGIES SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW," "HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT" "OF " " OF THING TO THAT." "KINDOFDEMONIZEDHIM" "AS A CHILD BECAUSE HE " "HE SQUASHED MY DREAMS," "BUT NOW THAT I'M PAST THAT, I" "JUST WANNA KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS." "IFELTLIKEHEWAS" "JUST LIKE ME, JUST A NERD." "WE HUNG OUT," "LIKE, IN THE MID-'90s AND," "LIKE, PLAYED GAMES TOGETHER." "AFTERTHENINTENDO" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS," "HE KIND OF BURNT" "OUT ON, UH, THE FAME." "THEREWASAVIDEOSOMEONE" "MUST HAVE RECORDED OFF THE TV" "IN EARLY '90s," "AND IT WAS, UM," "THE HOME SHOPPING NETWORK." "THE WOMAN WAS SELLING, UH," "MICRO MACHINES." "32DIFFERENTTRACKSTOPLAY" "WITH." "THERE HE IS, THOR." "HE'S OUR NINTENDO WORLD CHAMP," "AND HE IS OVER THERE HAVING A" "BALL." "I'MPLEADINGWITHHIM ." "I'M GOING TO SEND HIM A NINTENDO" "TO PRACTICE IF HE NEEDS ONE." "BUT IF HE CAN TRULY" "GET TO LEVEL 30," "THAT'S PROBABLY" "THE MOST DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENT" "IN GAMING HISTORY, AND HE" "NEEDS TO GET THAT ON TAPE." "THESPECIFICGAME,THAT'S" "OVER." "THIS HAS TO DO MORE WITH MY" "WIFE." "THE GAME THAT'S OVER BEING" "THE DATING GAME, UH," "OF WHICH I WAS NEVER SUCCESSFUL" "ANYWAYS." "SO I GUESS I NEVER PUSHED START" "ON THAT." "IDIDN'TREALLY" "SEEK A GEEKY GUY," "BUT I FOUND OUT THAT I REALLY" "ENJOY THE THINGS THAT HE DID." "AND ONE OF MY LIFELONG GOALS" "WAS TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE" "A RUBIK'S CUBE," "EVER SEEN THE '80s, GROWING UP." "UM, AND BEN TAUGHT ME AND" "SLOWLY BEGAN TO FALL IN LOVE," "AND NOW WE'RE MARRIED." "EVERY " " ANY WAY THAT YOU" "CAN TURN IT HAS A NUMBER CODE" "OR A SPACE OR A DASH." "FIVE, FIVE, TWO, FIVE..." "ONE, NINE, EIGHT, TWO..." "SOMETIMES YOU GET STUCK." "ILEARNEDIT ,UH ," "FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE" "OF IMPRESSING WOMEN." "SO..." "REALLY?" "OH,YEAH." "[CHUCKLES]OKAY." "REALLY." "I THINK WE'RE ALL OF ONE ACCORD," "THAT WE NEED TO SAVE" "THE PRINCESS HERE." "AT THE END OF MARIO 3, I " "I REALLY" "BELIEVE THAT THE APPROPRIATE WAY" "TO BEAT THAT GAME " "OR TO NOT BEAT THAT GAME " "IS TO HAVE BOWSER" "FALL DOWN HIS HOLE," "AND THEN FALL" "RIGHT DOWN THAT HOLE BEHIND HIM." "JUST KILL YOURSELF." "WELL, THEY'VE JUST " " THEY'VE" "HAD SUCH A STRUGGLE TOGETHER," "AND IT FEELS JUST RIGHT" "FOR THEM TO GO DOWN TOGETHER." "CHEAPENS THE EXPERIENCE" "TO JUST BEAT BOWSER" "AND LISTEN TO A SHOW TUNE." "I LIKE ALL GAMES THAT END" "LIKE TETRIS, JUST IN SADNESS" "AND WALKING AWAY." "I'VEONLYJUSTWATCHEDHER" "PLAY AND BEEN LIKE," ""WILL YOU STOP PLAYING TETRIS?"" "[ LAUGHS ]" "WHENWEWERETALKINGABOUT" "THIS, I WAS LIKE," ""HAVE YOU EVEN PLAYED TETRIS?"" "AND SHE WAS LIKE," ""YES, LIKE, HELLO." "I HAD," AND, LIKE, LISTED OFF" "HER " " THE GAMES OF HER" "CHILDHOOD." "PEOPLEWHOKNOWDANA" "VERY WELL ARE LIKE " " THEY'VE" "KNOWN ABOUT HER SITUATION" "FOR A LONG TIME." "THEY KNOW THAT SHE'S REALLY GOOD" "AT " "MYSITUATION." "MY CONDITION." "HERCONDITION." "TO ME, IT KIND OF IS A" "CONDITION." "WHATWOULDBE THEBESTTHING" "IF " " WHEN I MAX OUT," "IF THE NINTENDO OR THE TV" "WOULD JUST, LIKE, EXPLODE." "THAT WOULD BE AWESOME." "WHATWILLHAPPEN" "IF YOU MAX IT OUT, DANA?" "ARE YOU STILL GONNA PLAY TETRIS?" "ITHINKSO ,YEAH." "AS" "ASMUCH" "AS YOU PLAY TETRIS NOW?" "UM,I MEAN..." "I THINK I'LL ALWAYS PLAY TETRIS." "ANDYOURCONTROLLER" "FELT A LITTLE WORN OUT TO ME." "YEAH." "THEYTENDTO GET" "IT'S SORT" "OF A MUSHY FEELING." "THEYGETMUSHY." "YEAH." "I MEAN, THAT'S EVERYONE'S" "FAVORITE PART OF THE HARRY" "PREVIEW IS THAT HE'S TAKING" "APART THE CONTROLLER, AND HIS" "CONTROLLER WAS THE MOST MUSHY." "WELL,IT'SPROBABLY" "BECAUSE HE PRESSES SO HARD." "YEAH." "DOESN'THELOOPSOMETHING?" "I REMEMBER SEEING..." "NO,HE,LIKE," "PLAYS THROUGH HIS T-SHIRT," "OR A T-SHIRT, LIKE THIS." "RIGHT." "I" "I USEASHIRT" "ON MY LEFT HAND 'CAUSE" "THE D-PAD'S TOO STIFF," "I MEAN, TOO ROUGH." "HELOOPSHISTHUMBTHROUGH..." "WHICHI TRIED,BY THEWAY ," "AFTER I SAW THAT." "'CAUSE I WAS LIKE," ""WHAT IS HE DOING?"" "AND I TRIED IT AND WAS LIKE," ""I CAN PLAY LIKE THAT," "BUT I DON'T NEED TO."" "WHYDOESHE DO THAT?" "'CAUSEHIS" " SO HISTHUMB" "DOESN'T HURT." "OH." "'CAUSEHEPRESSESSOHARD ." "YEAH." "ALL MY CONTROLLERS" "ARE MESSED UP, YEAH." "HOWMUCHYOU" "HOWMANYYOU" "WENT THROUGH WITH?" "THREE OR FOUR?" "THREEORFOUR." "YEAH, LIKE, FOUR MAYBE." "WHENHEWASN'TGETTINGTHE" "RECORD, HE WOULD " "HE WOULD BLAME THE CONTROLLER." "NO,NO," "BUT THEN THAT WAS LEGIT." "IKNOW." "I KNOW IT'S LEGIT," "BUT I " " AT THE TIME, I WAS" "LIKE, "THIS IS NOT LEGIT, ALL" "RIGHT?" "YOU'RE JUST BLAMING" "THE CONTROLLER."" "YEAH,NEVER" " NEVERWORDS" "OF ENCOURAGEMENT." "IT'S ALWAYS DISCOURAGEMENT." "ALL THE TIME." ""HARRY,YOU'LLNEVERGET IT. "" "JUST..." "THAT'SWHAT..." "YES, BUT THEN TO HIM," "THAT'S " " THAT'S HIM TRYING TO" "ENCOURAGE ME." "THAT'S" "THAT'S..." "BUT..." "IFELTLIKETHAT" "WAS THE MOTIVATION." "I JUST REMEMBER THAT ONE TIME" "WHERE HE HAD," "I THINK IT WAS LIKE 979,000" "AND THEN HE TOTALLY CHOKED." "HE HAD IT." "HE HAD IT." "IT WAS RIGHT THERE," "AND HE CHOKED" "AND I JUST LAUGHED AT HIS FACE." "HE DID " " HE DID SAY THAT" "ONCE " " ONCE HE GETS THE RECORD" "HE WILL NEVER TOUCH TETRIS EVER" "AGAIN." "HE DID SAY THAT." "DID YOU NOT SAY THAT?" "YEAH,I DID." "YEAH." "HE TOLD ALL OF HIS " "ALL OF HIS FRIENDS." "BUTTHEN," "THAT WAS MY MOTIVATION TO," "LIKE, BECAUSE I WANTED" "TO END IT, YOU KNOW?" "I WANTED TO JUST BE DONE" "WITH IT." "BUTTHEN" " NO ," "SO FOR A WHILE HE DIDN'T PLAY." "OH,YEAH,THAT'SRIGHT." "ANDTHENHE STARTEDPLAYING" "THIS INTERNET TETRIS." "IT'S NOT TETRIS." "NOT NINTENDO TETRIS." "ITWASTETRISFRIENDS." "ITWASLIKESOMETETRIS" "ONLINE, AND I CALLED HIM OUT." "I WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE" "WITH TETRIS." ""THIS ISN'T NINTENDO TETRIS." "THIS IS TETRIS" "WITH FRIENDS," OR SOMETHING." "TETRISFRIENDS,MAN." "YEAH,TETRISFRIENDS." "WOW." "WOW." "ANDITSLOWLY," "IT STARTED PROGRESSING" "AND THEN EVENTUALLY " "IWENTBACK." "HEWENTBACKTOPLAYING" "TETRIS." "IFI STARTFEELING" "LIKE PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT" "FROM PLAYING TETRIS," "I USUALLY TRY TO STOP." "THAT'SPROBABLY" "A GOOD POLICY." "WHATIFYOURGIRLFRIENDYELLS" "AT YOU, LIKE, COME TO DINNER?" "ISTOPTHEN,TOO ." "LIAR." "UNLESSI 'M,LIKE,UNLESSI" "HAVE A REALLY GREAT GAME GOING," "I STOP." "WEHAVEADIFFERENTVERSION" "OF THAT." "[ CHUCKLES ]" "WHAT'SYOURVERSION?" "THATYOUDON'TSTOP." "THATI JUST" "YOUSAY,"ONEMOREGAME ."" "KEEPPLAYING" "UNTIL THE CRACK OF DAWN." "IT'SALWAYSONEMOREGAME ." "WE'REACTUALLYAMORTGAGE" "BANKER, UM, WHICH MEANS THAT WE" "FUND OUR OWN LOANS." "MY REAL TALENT" "IS BUSINESS-CARD THROWING." "I HAVE ONE STUCK IN THE CEILING." "I DON'T KNOW WHY," "BUT I HAVE THESE KIND OF," "JUST RITUAL THINGS I DO." "AND SO I JUST KIND OF FLICKED IT" "AND STUCK ONE UP THERE." "I LIKE TO THINK THAT TETRIS" "HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT." "JONASALWAYSWANTEDTOBE" "SOME KIND OF PRODIGY." "I KNOW HE ALWAYS USED TO SCOLD" "US." ""WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU GET ME A" "PIANO AND MAKE ME PRACTICE EVERY" "DAY?" "I COULD HAVE BEEN A PRODIGY."" "IKNOW." ""ICOULDHAVEBEEN" "A BEETHOVEN, YOU KNOW?"" "THISISFACTUALLYCORRECT." "MY MOM CAN'T WATCH ME PLAY" "TETRIS." "SHE GETS TOO " "SHE GETS TOO STRESSED" "OUT WITH THE SPEED." "AND IF IT REALLY" "GETS, LIKE, CLOSE, SHE GETS" "MORE STRESSED THAN I DO." "YEAH." "WELL, I WAS WORRIED IT'S GOING" "TO BOTHER HIM AND MAKE" "HIM MESS UP, YOU KNOW?" "AND IF HE DOES, I'M LIKE, "OH," "IT'S ALL MY FAULT." "I SHOULDN'T HAVE LOOKED AT IT."" "I CAN'T WATCH, BUT," "YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO BE" "THE SMOTHER MOTHER, YOU KNOW," "WHICH IS TEMPTING WHEN YOU" "GOT SOMEBODY LIKE JONAS." "THEREASONITHINK" "THAT PERFECTIONISTS ACTUALLY" "DON'T PLAY THE BEST TETRIS" "IS THAT YOU HAVE TO KIND" "OF BE SLOPPY." "IF I WAS HUNG UP ON HOW NICE AND" "PRETTY THE BOARDS THE LOOKED," "I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE AS GOOD" "AS I AM." "YEAH." "THAT'SWHEREYOU TAKE" "AFTER YOUR DAD, BECAUSE HE WAS A" "REAL MESSY GUY." "WHENITWASCOMPETITIVE," "HE DIDN'T LIKE TO WATCH ME." "UM, HE " " HE SCORED PRETTY WELL." "I THINK HIS HIGHEST GAMES" "WERE ABOUT 200,000." "AND WHEN I WAS LIKE 10 OR 11," "I WAS SCORING AROUND THEN." "AND THEN, I KIND OF LEFT HIM" "IN THE DUST, UNFORTUNATELY." "AND SO, THERE'S A PERIOD" "WHERE HE TOOK THAT PERSONALLY." "ONCE IT GOT RIDICULOUS," "HE STARTED COMING BACK" "AND WATCHING IT," "AND WITH MY UNCLE, TOO, UH," "BOTH OF THEM." "HIS BROTHER LIKED TO WATCH" "IT QUITE A BIT." "HE WAS ACTUALLY DIAGNOSED, UH," "WITH CANCER 16 MONTHS" "BEFORE HE PASSED." "WE HAD A " " WE HAD A LONG WINDOW" "TO JUST KIND OF WORK THINGS OUT." "AND WE SPENT A LOT OF DAYS JUST" "TALKING, HAVING GREAT, YOU KNOW," "PHILOSOPHICAL, DEEP, UH," "WONDERFUL DISCUSSIONS" "WHILE I WAS PLAYING TETRIS." "I" "I REMEMBERTHEFIRST" "TIME THAT I WATCHED JONAS PLAY." "I CAME HERE." "IT WAS, UH, WE WERE IN HIGH" "SCHOOL." "AND I'M WATCHING, AND I WAS" "LIKE, "DUDE, JONAS IS REALLY" "GOOD AT TETRIS."" "AND THEN JUST STARTED SEEING" "MORE AND MORE LITTLE MOVES." "IF YOU PLAY ENOUGH TETRIS," "YOU GET TO SEE, LIKE," "THAT HE FLIPPED RIGHT AT" "THE VERY LAST POSSIBLE SECOND," "THE ONLY MOMENT IT WORKED." "AND I ASKED HIM, I WAS LIKE," ""HOW DO YOU DO IT?"" "YOU KNOW, HOW IS THIS, BECAUSE I" "CAN'T THINK OF IT THAT FAST." "AND HE GOES, "YOU HAVE TO SEE" "THE NEXT PIECE COMING" "AND IMAGINE " " LIKE," "WHEN I'M PLACING THIS PIECE," "I'M ACTUALLY THINKING" "ABOUT WHERE THE NEXT ONE" "IS ALREADY GOING."" "THEMASTER'SPRIMARY" "CONSIDERATION IS THE NEXT PIECE," "WHICH, ALONG WITH THE PIECE IN" "PLAY, ALLOWS FOR OVER 500" "POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OF MOVES" "AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT." "THERE ARE ALWAYS MANY BAD MOVES" "AND VERY FEW GOOD ONES." "LIMITED TO A SINGLE PIECE" "PREVIEW, THE PERFECT MOVES" "ARE UNKNOWABLE." "THEONETRICK" "TO TRAINING IN TETRIS" "IS TO BE ALWAYS ALMOST DEAD." "IF YOU'RE ALMOST DEAD," "YOU'RE PROBABLY TRAINING." "ROBINISABOUTTOHEAD SOUTH" "TO LOS ANGELES," "WHERE HE'LL MAKE HIS FINAL" "PREPARATIONS FOR THE TOURNAMENT." "TWOYEARSAGO," "IF YOU BROUGHT UP THE NINTENDO" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS," "IT WAS LIKE SORT OF A NOVELTY" "PIECE OF TRIVIA ABOUT ME." "IF I WAS IN A BAR AND MY FRIEND" "WOULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW," "THIS GUY" "IS A NINTENDO WORLD CHAMPION." "THE PERSON WHO HE WAS TALKING" "TO WOULD ALWAYS SAY," ""OH, IS IT, LIKE 'THE WIZARD'?"" "AND I'D BE LIKE, YEAH." "THAT WAS ACTUALLY " ""THE WIZARD" WAS MADE" "TO SORT OF PROMOTE IT." "IT WENT FROM JUST, LIKE," "THIS FUNNY LITTLE TIDBIT" "TO ME FINDING NintendoAge." "BUT THEIR EDITOR" "FOR THEIR E-ZINE" "ASKED ME TO WRITE SOME ARTICLES," "WHICH I DID." "AND IT WAS REALLY NICE TO," "LIKE, HAVE, YOU KNOW," "A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE" "READING MY STORY." "AND IT'S LIKE I WAS GETTING" "A LITTLE TOUCH" "OF FAME THAT I DIDN'T GET" "WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED." "ROBINSTOPSIN SUNNYVALE," "CALIFORNIA" "TO VISIT ONE OF HIS OLD" "COMPETITIVE GAMING BUDDIES." "HE HOPES TO GET SOME HELP" "RUNNING HIS TETRIS TOURNAMENT." "THESEARETHUMBS" "GENETICALLY DESIGNED" "TO DOMINATE VIDEO GAMES." "THESE ARE MASSIVE." "AND THEY'RE BORN TO WIN." "ACTUALLY," "I FOUND THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE" "OF MY FIRST GAME CONTEST," "WHICH WAS THE HAWAII STATE" "NINTENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS." "AND THE GAME" "WAS SUPER MARIO BROS. 1." "I WAS THE ONLY ONE" "WHO BEAT THE GAME." "250-SOMETHING-THOUSAND POINTS." "I HAD LIKE FOUR MINUTES LEFT." "I JUST SAT BACK, RELAXED," "WATCHED EVERYBODY ELSE" "DYING ON WORLD 8-3." "BUT I WAS A KID AT THE TIME, AND" "I WAS JUST LIKE, "WOW, I'M" "ACTUALLY GOOD AT SOMETHING."" "YOU KNOW, ALL THIS TIME I'D BEEN" "SPENDING PLAYING VIDEO GAMES," "YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FOR NOTHING." "YOU KNOW, I'D PROVEN IT." "THAT PREPARED ME FOR ROCK" "THE ROCK," "WHICH IS THE BIGGEST GAME" "CONTEST, YOU KNOW," "THAT THEY HAD ON TV." "$25,000 CONTEST." "ANDRIGHTNOWITISTHE" "BATTLEGROUND FOR ALL THE GAMERS" "IS TO GET BUSY" "ON SONIC AND KNUCKLES" "FOR THE $25,000 BIG DAY PRIZE." "[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "IDIDTHISTHING" "WHERE I CLOSED MY EYES." "I PLAYED THE GAME IN MY MIND." "AND I GUESS I FREAKED OUT" "A LOT OF PEOPLE," "WHICH IS A GOOD THING." "YES,HEGOTIT!" "THE SEGA WORLD CHAMPION!" "HEREYOUGO ." "YOUKNOW,THISISIT." "THIS IS REALLY AWESOME." "UM, I'M BECOMING" "THIS LARGER-THAN-LIFE" "VIDEO-GAME STAR." "AND I'M BECOMING" "LIKE ROBIN MIHARA," "WHICH WAS THE GUY I THOUGHT," "LIKE, THIS IS THE GUY" "I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP." "I WANT TO BE THAT COOL KID" "WITH THE HAT AND THE FINGER," "AND HE'S GOT CONFIDENCE." "AND HE LOOKS GOOD." "HE PLAYS GOOD." "YOU KNOW, STONE COLD," "JUST DESTROYING EVERYTHING" "IN HIS PATH." "AND I WAS FINE WITH LIVING" "UP TO THAT EXAMPLE." "HEY,MAN." "YOU JUST GOT TO 30." "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE" "TO PASS OUT SOME OF THE PINS" "BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOING" "TO BE COMPETING." "DON'T LET THAT SCARE YOU," "THOUGH." "PLEASE, PLEASE DO ANYWAY." "ALL RIGHT, I KNOW THAT" "ALREADY PEOPLE ARE DOUBTING HIM" "BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE" "ANY VIDEOTAPES." "UH, HE REALLY " "I SINCERELY BELIEVE HE DOES NOT" "WANT THE SPOTLIGHT EVER AGAIN" "BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE IT KIND" "OF WAS THE, UH..." "I FORGET HOW I PHRASED IT." "LIKE THE CORNERSTONE" "OF A VERY DIFFICULT LIFE." "IHADALWAYSWONDERED," "YOU KNOW," "WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU" "AND THOR WENT FACE-TO-FACE." "YEAH." "WHO" "WHOWOULD,UH," "WOULD WIN BASICALLY?" "THOR WAS SAYING" "THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO COMPETE." "LIKE HE WAS GOING TO COME," "BUT HE WASN'T GOING TO COMPETE." "AND SO, I FOUND HIM ON FACEBOOK." "GOT INTO A LITTLE BIT OF WHY HE" "DOESN'T WANT TO WIN AGAIN." "I THINK THERE WAS A SORT" "OF A FAILED NEGOTIATION" "WITH NINTENDO." "HEWASKIND" "OF GETTING PIMPED OUT." "LIKE, HIS DAD" "WOULD DRIVE HIM TO TRADE SHOWS" "AND CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW." "AND I DON'T KNOW" "IF HE WOULD SPEAK FOR MONEY," "OR WHAT HE WAS DOING EXACTLY." "BUT, UM, SOUNDED LIKE THOR" "DIDN'T GET ANY OF IT." "IDON'TKNOW,MAYBEIT'S ALSO" "JUST ANNOYING TO BE KNOWN" "AS THE TETRIS CHAMPION." "BEINGA PRETTYBIGSTUDENT" "OF THE GAME," "I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MEETING" "ALL OF THESE PEOPLE" "AND SEEING THEIR DIFFERENT" "STYLES AND PERSONALITIES." "MOST OF THESE PEOPLE," "I'M GUESSING, JUST PLAY" "BY THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF A TV" "AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT OTHER" "PEOPLE WERE DOING THE SAME THING" "UNTIL THEY FOUND TWIN GALAXIES." "SO, I " " I WANT TO MEET" "THEM ALL AND LEARN THEIR TRICKS" "AND JUST TALK ABOUT TETRIS." "IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING FOR" "ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO" "SOMEBODY WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS" "THE HIGH LEVEL OF THE GAME." "YEP." "BURN." "RIGHT." "STRAIGHT DOWN." "[LAUGHS]" "RIGHT." "CAN READ YOUR MIND." "TOTALLYCLOSEDMY EYES" "FOR THAT ONE." "CANYOUTALK" "WHEN YOU'RE ON 19?" "OH,YEAH." "I LOVE TO TALK WHEN I'M ON 19." "THESTUFFTHATYOU DOIS" "DIFFERENT." "IT'S LIKE " " IT'S LIKE YOU CAN" "SEE " " THAT IS SO CRAZY" "WHAT YOU JUST DID." "THAT IS INSANE." "I'MNUTS." "YOUPUTBOTHOFTHEM" "JUST WRONG." "AND THEN IT WAS FINE." "YEAH." "ISN'T IT GORGEOUS?" "SO,WHATAREYOU SEEING" "WHEN YOU DID THAT?" "LIKE, YOU'RE SEEING THE LEVEL" "ABOVE IT." "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT " "YEAH,YOUKINDOFJUST SEE- " "IT'S JUST LIKE IN CHESS," "SEEING A FEW MOVES AHEAD." "YEAH." "LIKE,YOUCREATEAHOLE ," "AND IT'S GONE." "IT'S JUST A " " YOU THINK OF IT" "AS A COMBINATION." "INOTICED" "FOR YOUR RECORD GAME," "YOU WERE STACKING ON THIS SIDE." "YEAH." "I DON'T KNOW FOR SOME REASON I" "USUALLY SCORE HIGHER ON AVERAGE" "WHEN I STACK TO THE RIGHT." "GET THERE." "GET THERE." "GET THERE." "GET THERE." "OH, SHIT." "[ MUMBLING ]" "[ VIDEO GAME BEEPING ]" "NICE." "WHEW!" "THAT'S IT." "YOU'REA ONE-BUTTONPLAYER." "WHATDOYOUMEAN?" "YOUONLYFLIPONE DIRECTION." "IHAVENEVERPLAYED" "ANY OTHER WAY." "THATISCRAZY." "LIKE, SOME OF YOUR FLIPS ARE," "LIKE, RIGHT BEFORE IT LANDS." "IHAVENEVEREVENHEARD" "OF NOT BEING A ONE-WAY FLIPPER." "THIS MIGHT BE ONE" "OF THOSE BREAKTHROUGH MOMENTS" "WE SPOKE OF EARLIER." ""AND THEN THESE GUYS CAME OVER," "AND THEY SHOWED ME THAT YOU" "COULD ACTUALLY FLIP THE PIECES" "IN MORE THAN ONE DIRECTION."" "JUSTNEVERTHOUGHT" "WHENALLTHESEYEARS,IJUST" "THOUGHT IT DID THE SAME THING." "YEAH,BECAUSEMOST" "I" "THINK EVERY PIECE " "IWASALWAYSLIKE," "WHY WOULD YOU USE "B"" "WHEN YOU COULD USE "A"?" "NOW,I HAVEAHARDTIME" "SETTING THIS UP." "OKAY, HERE WE GO." "SO,THISIS AT-SPIN." "OH." "ROTATEIT," "IT JUST WENT RIGHT IN THERE." "DUDE,I HAVENEVERDONEA" "T-SPIN." "YOU'VENEVERSEENTHAT?" "NOTEVENACCIDENTALLY." "THIS IS PRETTY BIG." "LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW" "ABOUT A MILLION THINGS" "THAT YOU JUST TOLD ME." "DO YOU GUYS THINK I'M STUPID?" "NO,NOTWHATSOEVER." "I MEAN, I'VE SPENT " "THIS HAS BEEN LIKE A YEAR OF" "MY LIFE FIGURING THIS STUFF OUT." "AND THEN " "YEAH,BUTTHISHAS BEEN," "LIKE, I'VE BEEN PLAYING TETRIS" "FOR, LIKE, 20 YEARS." "IDON'TEVENWANTTOKNOWHOW" "MANY HOURS I'VE PLAYED TETRIS." "LIKE, THAT WOULD JUST DEPRESS" "ME TO KNOW." "THERE'SSOMETHINGSTHAT," "UM, I'VE STUDIED YOUR GAMES," "OR A COUPLE THAT I'VE SEEN," "AND YOU HAVE A FEW THINGS" "THAT NO ONE ELSE DOES." "WOW." "DIDYOUDOTHAT ALLON" "PURPOSE?" "UH,I SAWIT DEVELOP." "NICE." "THE" L"BLOCKSCANBEFLIPPED" "ALL OVER THE PLACE." "LITTLE L BLOCK FLIPS LIKE THAT." "JUST END AROUND." "UM, SO THAT RIGHT THERE," "HOLD ON." "THERE WE GO." "OH,DAMN." "[ BOTH LAUGH ]" "IHAVENEVERSEENANYBODYDO" "THAT." "BUTHEACTUALLYDID ITCLEAN," "LIKE WITH A PURPOSE." "THAT WAS AWESOME." "ICANSTAMPIT," "AND I'D JUST GOTTEN TETRIS." "AND I WASN'T THINKING" "ABOUT PLAYING." "I WAS JUST KIND OF PLAYING," "YOU KNOW, 9 OR 10 YEARS OLD," "WHATEVER." "AND I PUT UP" "LIKE 175,000 OR WHATEVER." "I TRIPLED MY HIGHEST SCORE" "SINCE THEN." "IT WAS JUST KIND" "OF LIKE AN EPIPHANY." "AND EVER SINCE THEN," "I'VE JUST BEEN KIND OF TRYING" "TO RELEGATE THE PLAY" "TO THE BACK OF THE MIND." "I PLAY BETTER WHEN I HUM A SONG" "TO MYSELF." "RANDOM DAYDREAMING, YOU KNOW," "WHILE I'M PLAYING." "I ALMOST BELIEVE THAT THE MIND" "KIND OF HAS, LIKE, A LITTLE," "LIKE A BUFFERING KIND" "OF RAM SITUATION." "AND SO, IF YOU THINK ABOUT" "A MOVE TOO MUCH," "YOUR NEXT MOVE SUFFERS." "LIKE, THERE'S SOME " "THERE'S A LOADING SCREEN" "FOR THE MIND." "AND I HAVE DEFINITELY TESTED" "MINE." "MAN, THE HEART RATE" "STARTS INCREASING." "AT ONE POINT, I STARTED GETTING," "LIKE, TUNNEL VISION." "I THOUGHT I WAS," "LIKE, ABOUT TO PASS OUT." "PLAYING THAT MANY HOURS," "YOU GOT TO THINK STUFF." "YOU JUST THINK RANDOM" "WEIRD THINGS." "WHEN I WAS LITTLE," "I JUST FIGURED THERE WAS" "LITTLE ELECTRONIC DWARFS" "IN THE SYSTEM." "AND THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW," "SADISTIC IN THE WAY" "THAT THEY GAVE ME PIECES." "AND THAT WAS MY FIRST CONCEPT" "OF THE TETRIS GOD." "SO,THERE'SALITTLEBITOF," "GIVE-AND-TAKE WAR" "WITH THE GAME ITSELF." "SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CONCEDE TO" "IT." "IT IS VERY DIFFICULT" "TO FIGHT THE GAME," "BECAUSE IT WILL WIN." "SOMETIMESI REALLYDO THINK" "IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN." "YOU HAVE TO THINK FOUR OR FIVE" "STEPS AHEAD IN ONE SECOND." "WHEN I'M IN THE ZONE," "IT FEELS LIKE I'M PRETTY MUCH," "LIKE, ONE WITH THE GAME," "IN SYNC, JUST FLOWING." "IT'SLIKEACONSTANTFLOW ." "YOU'RE JUST DOING THIS THING," "AND, LIKE, THINGS ARE CHANGING." "IT'S REALLY FLUID." "AND IT JUST IS ALWAYS," "LIKE, MORPHING INTO A NEW THING" "THAT YOU'RE JUST" "CONSTANTLY REACTING TO." "WHENYOU'REPLAYINGTETRIS," "JUST PUT STUFF WHERE IT FITS." "IT'S THAT SIMPLE." "THEDEFINITIONOF NP-COMPLETE" "IS BASICALLY THAT WITH THE INPUT" "SIZE OF THE PROBLEM," "THE TIME REQUIRED" "TO CALCULATE THE ANSWER," "UM, BASICALLY INCREASES" "FASTER THAN POLYNOMIAL TIME." "WITH A PROBLEM LIKE TETRIS," "IT'LL BECOME LONGER THAN WE," "LIKE, HUMANLY HAVE ON THIS EARTH" "TO EVEN, LIKE," "CALCULATE THE PERFECT ANSWER." "THIS IS, UM," "TETRIS GRAND MASTER." "IT CAME OUT IN, UH, 1998." "I THINK I FIRST PLAYED BACK" "WHEN I SAW," "UM, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE VIDEOS" "THAT WENT AROUND ON YOUTUBE." "IT WAS I THINK, UH, TETRIS JAPAN" "FINALS OR SOMETHING." "IT WAS WHAT WAS LABELED" "AS A DEATH MODE VIDEO." "AND I JUST THOUGHT" "THAT WAS REALLY COOL." "IT LOOKS REALLY," "UH, CHALLENGING." "IT LOOKS REALLY FUN." "TETRIS:" "THEGRANDMASTER2," "A JAPANESE ARCADE GAME," "AWARDS GRAND MASTER STATUS" "TO PLAYERS" "WHO CAN SURVIVE INVISIBLE TETRIS" "FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE." "IN INVISIBLE TETRIS, THE PIECES" "DISAPPEAR ONCE THEY LAND." "ALEX IS ONE OF ONLY 30 GRAND" "MASTERS IN THE WORLD." "IGOT" "TO THE INVISIBLE CREDIT ROLL" "AND SOMEHOW MANAGED" "TO SURVIVE FOR LONG ENOUGH" "TO ACTUALLY PULL IT TOGETHER" "AND GET THE GRADE." "YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE GAME" "ALL OVER AT A DEEPER LEVEL" "IN ORDER TO SUCCEED." "WHERE YOU HAVE TO," "LIKE, REALLY KNOW HOW IS" "THIS PIECE AFFECTING THE STACK." "AND THAT YOU HAVE" "TO KEEP TRACK OF," "LIKE, HOW CAN I KEEP" "THE STACK EASY TO REMEMBER?" "I JUST HOPE THAT I CAN, YOU" "KNOW, PLAY PRETTY CONSISTENTLY." "I DON'T WANT TO HAVE, LIKE," "A BAD DAY OR SOMETHING." "I DON'T HAVE" "MANY OTHER EXPECTATIONS" "FOR MYSELF OTHER THAN THAT," "JUST TO GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME" "PLAYING SOME NES TETRIS." "NINTENDOTETRISALLOWS" "THE PLAYER TO START ON ANY LEVEL" "UP TO 19." "STARTING ON 19 IS THE ONLY WAY" "TO TRAIN TO BECOME A MASTER." "THEBASICTHING" "YOU GOT TO DO WHEN YOU TRAIN IS," "YOU DO LEVEL 19." "AND YOU TRY TO TETRIS" "CONSTANTLY." "YOU FAIL BECAUSE IT'S FAST." "NESTETRIS," "OR NINTENDO TETRIS," "THE SPEED PLATEAUS FOR 10 LEVELS" "AT A SPEED THAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE" "TO MOST PLAYERS." "RIGHTWHENIKNOWTHEPIECE" "IS DONE, AS THE NEXT PIECE " "I'M ALREADY PRESSING THE D-PAD." "SO, BY THE TIME IT COMES DOWN," "IT'S ALREADY MOVING" "IN THAT DIRECTION." "ONCEYOUGETPASTTHEPANIC" "AND YOU REALIZE" "THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY PUSHING WAY" "TOO HARD ON THE BUTTONS," "I TRY REALLY HARD TO SHIFT" "INTO MY PERIPHERAL VISION." "BECAUSE IF YOU FOCUS TOO HARD" "ON THE ACTUAL SCREEN," "I FIND THAT FLUSTERS ME." "ITREALLYMAKESSORT" "OF A RADICAL CERTAINTY" "THE ONLY WAY TO GO." "IT'S BETTER TO PUT A PIECE" "IN THE WRONG PLACE," "THAN TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AND TRY" "TO PUT IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE." "SO, YOU HAVE TO GO" "WITH YOUR FIRST INSTINCT." "AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE" "THE SOFTWARE IN YOUR BRAIN" "TO MAKE THAT FIRST PLACE" "YOU THINK OF THE RIGHT PLACE." "THELASTTIMEIGOT" "TETRIS EFFECT WAS WHEN I WAS," "UM..." "SHOOT, I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL." "THETETRISEFFECT" "REFERS TO PLAYERS HAVING DREAMS" "OR MILD HALLUCINATIONS" "ABOUT THE GAME." "IWASDOING" "SOME SPECIALTY STACKING." "LIKE, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT" "SEGA TETRIS PLAYERS USED TO DO." "THEY WOULD DRAW A PATTERN" "IN THE STACK." "THEY WOULD LEAVE HOLES TO MAKE" "A, UH, GREATER THAN SHAPE" "IN THE STACK." "AND SO, THE LAST TIME" "I GOT TETRIS EFFECT REALLY BAD" "WAS WHEN I STARTED DOING THAT." "AND I DID IT FOR, LIKE, AN HOUR" "OR SOMETHING THE FIRST DAY." "AND THE NEXT DAY, I WAS" "JUST LIKE, WANTED TO KILL MYSELF" "BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP THINKING" "ABOUT MAKING THE STAIRCASE" "AND, LIKE, PUTTING ALL THE" "PIECES DOWN." "BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING " "IT WAS A TOTALLY NEW PROBLEM" "FOR MY BRAIN TO CONSIDER." "WHENI HAVEASQUARE" "OR RECTANGLE SHAPE" "OR A BOX OF ANY SORT" "AND I NEED TO PUT THINGS" "INTO IT..." "[ LAUGHS ]" "IT GOES BACK TO " "IT'S WHAT EVERYBODY CALLS IT." ""THEY SAY, JESSE," "YOUR TETRISIZING."" "I DAYDREAM DURING THE DAY." "I'LL SIT AND PLAY TETRIS" "IN MY HEAD." "I HAVE TETRIS DREAMS AT NIGHT," "SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW," "IF I'M PLAYING RIGHT" "BEFORE I GO TO BED." "THEREWAS" "A VERY INTERESTING STUDY" "BY SOME GUYS AT HARVARD" "WHO WERE STUDYING SLEEP." "AND THEY DID HAVE PEOPLE PLAY" "TETRIS BEFORE THEY WENT TO BED." "AND SURE ENOUGH," "THEY OFTEN DREAMED ABOUT TETRIS." "AND THE RESEARCHERS" "CAME TO THE GENERAL CONCLUSION" "FROM THIS AND OTHER DATA" "THAT ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF" "DREAMING IS MEMORY CONSOLIDATION" "OF THINGS" "YOU'VE LEARNED DURING THE DAY." "IN1992,DR.HAIER" "USED BRAIN SCANS TO SHOW" "THAT TETRIS TRAINING CAN LEAD" "TO INCREASED BRAIN EFFICIENCY." "THE BRAINS OF PEOPLE" "STRUGGLING TO LEARN THE GAME" "SHOWED HIGH LEVELS OF ACTIVITY," "INDICATED HERE" "ON THE BRAIN SCAN IN RED." "BUT THE BRAINS OF PLAYERS" "WHO HAVE MASTERED THE GAME" "SHOWED VERY LITTLE ACTIVITY" "AND APPEAR TO BE AT REST." "NOW,OFCOURSE," "ON THE SECOND SCAN," "THE GAME IS FASTER." "THE GAME IS HARDER." "THEY'RE PROCESSING MORE." "AND THE QUESTION FOR US WAS, IS" "THE BRAIN MORE OR LESS ACTIVE?" "VIRTUALLY EVERYONE ASSUMED" "THE BRAIN HAD TO BE MORE ACTIVE." "WE HAD THOUGHT THE BRAIN" "ACTUALLY MIGHT BE MORE EFFICIENT" "AS THE TETRIS PROGRAM" "BECAME UNCONSCIOUS AND AUTOMATIC" "AND WOULD REQUIRE LESS ACTIVITY," "LESS ENERGY." "AND SURE ENOUGH," "THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND." "THATSOFTWARE,SO TO SPEAK," "IN YOUR BRAIN" "CAN BECOME VERY POWERFUL." "SO MUCH AS YOU CAN GET" "OUT OF ITS WAY," "YOU CAN BECOME," "WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING," "WHEN YOU CALM YOURSELF DOWN" "ENOUGH, LIKE A HUMAN COMPUTER." "YOUWOULDNOTBELIEVE" "I WALK AROUND IN THIS T-SHIRT" "ALL THE TIME." "NO ONE GETS IT." "NO ONE GETS IT." "I'M LIKE, "GUYS, REALLY?"" "TO GO ALONG WITH IT," "MY NINTENDO PANTS." "WE HAVE "MARIO IS MY HOMEBOY."" ""CLASSICALLY TRAINED," WITH THE" "ORIGINAL NINTENDO CONTROLLER." "SO, THIS WILL BE" "MY OFFICIAL COMPETITION OUTFIT." "JUST BEING AT THE COMPETITION," "LIKE I AM SO STOKED ABOUT THAT," "THAT ALL I WANT TO DO IS JUST GO" "PLAY WITH THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW," "THESE GUYS THAT ARE GREAT." "THETOURNAMENT" "AS I UNDERSTAND IT BASICALLY IS," "UH, THREE GAMES" "AND YOU " " THE HIGHEST SCORE" "GETS INTO THE FINALS." "IT'S REALLY GOING TO COME DOWN" "TO WHO CAN SURVIVE TO LEVEL 29," "BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU" "ANOTHER 200,000 POINTS." "SO, IF I JUST" "SURVIVE TO LEVEL 29," "I WILL BEAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE" "WHO TRADITIONALLY ARE " "HAVE LOWER SCORES THAN ME." "LIKEPLAYERS" "LIKE JESSE AND BEN," "THEY WILL " " I KNOW" "THEY'LL PLAY SAFE ALREADY." "YOU MIGHT JUST GET A BAD SET" "OF PIECES." "YOU NEVER KNOW." "SO, I THINK PLAYING A LITTLE" "SAFE WILL BE THE BEST BET." "IT'SGOINGTO KIND" "OF BE A BALANCE." "I'M GOING TO TRY TO " "I'M GOING TO TRY TO TETRIS," "BUT TRY TO DO IT IN SUCH A WAY" "THAT I DON'T KILL MYSELF." "I'VEKINDOF DESIGNED" "IT TO SCORE CONSISTENTLY." "I DON'T WANT" "TO PUT DOWN A 400,000." "THAT'S " " IF YOU SEE" "ME PUT DOWN A 400,000," "LIKE, HIDE THE SHARP OBJECTS." "I'MHOPINGON SUNDAY," "IT'LL BE OVER." "LIKE, YOU KNOW," "I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING LESS" "THAN, YOU KNOW, A VICTORY." "SO, YEAH." "MAYBE I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID" "THAT, BUT OKAY." "YEAH, WELL I'LL GUARANTEE" "THE FINALS." "SO,YOU" "YOU ASKED ABOUT JONAS," "BUT YOU HAVEN'T ASKED" "ABOUT THOR." "DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS" "ABOUT HIM?" "FROMWHATIHEARD," "I HEARD HE'S NOT PLAYING." "UH,ACTUALLY,WE THINKHE'S" "GOING TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE." "HE'S DEFINITELY..." "APPEARANCE,ASIN ," "LIKE, PARTICIPANT OR A..." "YEAH." "YEAH." "HE'SSHOWINGUP TONIGHT." "ANDHE'SGOING" "TO BE IN THE TOURNAMENT?" "UH,YES." "MAN." "SORRYI DIDN'TTELLYOU ." "NO,LASTIKNEW," "I THOUGHT HE WASN'T GOING TO BE." "I JUST, I FEEL ALMOST ANNOYED" "THAT THOR HASN'T DONE ANYTHING" "IN THE WAY" "OF PROVING WHAT HE'S DONE." "HE RECENTLY HAD A FACEBOOK" "UPDATE." "JUST GOT TO A MILLION POINTS" "AND LEVEL 30" "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS." "WELL,YOUGOTTHE CELLPHONE," "JUST TAKE AT LEAST A CELLPHONE" "PICTURE, SOMETHING." "HEFINALLYBROKEOUT" "HIS NINTENDO," "AND HE SAYS THAT," "UH, HE GOT TO LEVEL 30." "HESAYSTHATHEGOTTO30." "THAT'SWHATHE SAYS." "YEAH." "HESAYSTHATIT, LIKE," "KILLED HIS THUMBS." "BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN ON TAPE." "YEAH,I MEAN,IF HE RECORDED" "IT AND SHOWED YOU SOME OF IT," "THEN YEAH." "BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS " "I WAS ALWAYS, LIKE..." "SKEPTICAL?" "YEAH,ABOUTTHEWHOLE" "PAST-LEVEL-30 THING." "I CAN'T IMAGINE IT." "UNLESS " " UNLESS HE'S, LIKE," "YOU NOW, A FINGER-TAPPING GOD." "BUT EVEN WITH THAT, I DON'T" "THINK HE COULD MANEUVER THAT" "WELL, TO GET RID OF 20-PLUS" "PIECES IN THAT SPEED." "I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I THINK." "BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, HONESTLY," "WHAT ARE WE, LIKE, FIVE DAYS" "AWAY?" "I MEAN, I REALLY HOPE" "THOR PROVES ME WRONG." "ROBINHASJUSTFOUNDOUT" "THAT THOR HAS FINALLY ARRIVED." "THEY'VE AGREED TO MEET FOR" "THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS HERE" "AT THE PRODUCTION'S HOME BASE" "IN LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA." "WHEREISHE ?" "20YEARSLATER." "OH,YEAH,BROTHER." "TURNEDINTOAMAN ." "HOW YOU DOING?" "WE'VEBOTHGROWNALITTLE" "BIT." "YEAH." "YEAH." "DO YOU FEEL ANY" "RESPONSIBILITY TO LIKE PEOPLE" "THAT LIKE SEE THIS GAME" "AS A RELIGION" "TO LIKE JUST SHOW" "WHAT IS POSSIBLE?" "WOW." "DO YOU THINK THAT AFFECTED YOUR" "GAME AT ALL?" "IT'SANHONORTOBEABLETO" "ACTUALLY MEET SOME OF THEM" "POPPING UP HERE TODAY, LIKE THOR" "AACKERLUND AND BEN MULLEN," "PEOPLE I'VE JUST HEARD THE NAMES" "OF, READ THE LEGENDS OF, SEEN" "RANDOM FORUM POSTS FROM." "NOW, SEEING THEM LIVE TO LIFE," "IT'S, WOW, LIKE A MORTAL WALKING" "AMONGST GODS." "DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH" "MYSELF OTHER THAN SNAP PICTURES" "AND HUMBLY STAY AWAY" "UNLESS THEY BECKON ME." "WITHKELLYHANDY," "ROBIN DECIDES TO ATTEMPT" "A WORLD RECORD ON TENGEN TETRIS." "BEN MULLEN CURRENTLY" "HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD" "WITH A SCORE OF 1.89 MILLION." "THE RECORD ON TENGEN TETRIS" "IS KNOWN AS A MARATHON" "BECAUSE THE DIFFICULTY PLATEAUS" "AT A SUSTAINABLE LEVEL." "ROBIN HAS BEEN PLAYING" "FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR." "OH,OKAY." "1.84." "WHOA!" "THEREITIS ." "YEAH!" "OH!" "OH,WAIT,WAIT,WAIT." "LET'S SEE THE HIGH SCORE ON THE" "SCREEN." "HAVINGBEENRELUCTANTTOPLAY" "ANY TETRIS SINCE ARRIVING," "THOR SUDDENLY" "DECIDES TO BREAK BOTH RECORDS." "KELLY,UH,THOR'SABOUT" "TO BREAK THE WORLD RECORD NOW." "WHATIS" " IDON 'TEVENKNOW" "WHAT MY RECORD IS." "ELEVEN- " "TWELVETHIRTY-EIGHT." "IWILLNEVERGET THERE." "LETMETELLYOU THE STORY" "OF THE SIGNING" "OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES." "IT ALL BEGAN WITH WORLD WAR I." "THORHASBEEN" "PLAYING FOR OVER TWO HOURS." "HE HAS SMASHED" "BOTH WORLD RECORDS." "CONGRATULATIONS." "GOODWORK,THOR." "GOODGAME,THOR." "IT'SDONE." "BROKE BOTH RECORDS." "SO,THOR,YOUJUST" "BROKE THE TENGEN RECORD." "WAS THAT SOMETHING" "YOU SAW YOURSELF TRYING" "BEFORE YOU GOT HERE?" "NO,ITJUSTLOOKEDLIKE FUN." "WASITAGAME" "THAT YOU'D EVER PLAYED BEFORE?" "YEAH." "IT WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE" "THAT I COULD RENT." "SO, I PRACTICED THAT," "UH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE" "A NINTENDO." "MY FRIEND, AARON, DID." "I WAS OUT OF SCHOOL BY THEN." "UM, MY LAST SCHOOL" "WAS IN FIFTH GRADE." "SO, I WOULD HANG OUT WITH HIM." "HE WAS, LIKE, MY ONLY PEOPLE" "THAT I KNEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD." "AND HE HAD" "A NINTENDO POWER THING," "AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT NWC." "HIS PARENTS TOOK HIM DOWN THERE," "AND THEY TOOK ME WITH HIM." "IT WAS FUN, BECAUSE SOCIALLY," "I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE" "MUCH EXPOSURE TO ANYTHING," "BECAUSE I WAS EITHER AT HOME," "OR I HAD, LIKE, TWO FRIENDS." "YOU KNOW, UM, MY HOUSE" "HAD BURNED DOWN IN '89." "AND MY MOM WAS IN THE HOSPITAL" "FOR A LONG TIME." "SHE HAD A ATTACK OF SOMETHING" "CALLED VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION." "IT'S A KIND OF, UH," "TACHYCARDIA ATTACK" "WHERE YOUR HEART TRIES TO PUMP" "TOO FAST FROM THE SIGNALS." "SHE HAD A LOT" "OF FACIAL PARALYSIS," "LIKE A STROKE VICTIM." "AND, UH," "SO THAT WAS PRETTY HARD ON US." "SO, MY DAD, UM," "WASN'T REALLY HAVING ANY INCOME." "AND MY MOM WAS UNABLE TO WORK." "AND, UM, JUST BEING ABLE TO GET" "THE PRIZES WAS HELPFUL." "WE'VEGOTSOMEBIG WINNINGS" "TONIGHT." "$10,000 U.S. SAVING BOND," "A LARGE-SCREEN PANASONIC TV," "A PAIR OF REEBOKS " "YOU CAN KEEP THOSE " "AND A BRAND-NEW GEO LSI" "CONVERTIBLE." "LIKE,I WANTED" "TO GIVE THE CAR TO MY BROTHER," "BUT WE HAD TO SELL IT." "UM, WE HAD CASH" "IN THE SAVINGS BOND THEN" "AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF." "SO, IT WAS MORE LIKE A RELIEF" "THAN ANYTHING ELSE." "[ APPLAUSE ]" "I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING" "LEFT OVER FROM THE FIRE." "BUT I DID HAVE A LITTLE METAL" "BOX THAT SURVIVED." "AND WHAT WAS IN IT" "WAS MICRO MACHINES." "AND THEN, IN A COUPLE YEARS," "I WOULD BE ENDORSING" "THE VIDEO GAME." "MICRO MACHINES FOR NINTENDO" "IS ONE OF THE BEST, MOST" "INNOVATIVE RACING GAMES EVER." "FROM THERE, I HAD, UH," "A SHORT CAREER ENDORSING THINGS." "AND MY FAMILY HAD A LOT" "OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES." "AND, UH, FOR A WHILE," "THIS IS INTERESTING," "BUT MY INCOME FROM, UH, THE NWC" "AND THE ENDORSEMENTS" "FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS" "THE ONLY INCOME MY FAMILY HAD." "YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY BECAME" "PRETTY MUCH ALMOST HOMELESS." "IT LEFT ME WITH A REALLY BITTER," "UH, FEELING." "I THINK YOU CAN MAKE A LOT" "OF PARALLELS" "WITH LIFE PHILOSOPHY THAT WAY," "BECAUSE LIFE ISN'T FAIR." "AND ALL TETRIS SURE ISN'T FAIR." "YOU GOT TO DEAL" "WITH WHAT THEY GIVE YOU." "AND, UH, SOMETIMES, THEY" "GIVE YOU SOME REALLY" "HARD-TO-SWALLOW GARBAGE." "BUT, YOU KNOW," "IF YOU CAN CHUG THROUGH IT," "THAT MAKES YOU A WINNER." "YOUWANTTO CALLHARRY,SAY," "WHERE ARE YOU?" "ROBINWASWORRIED" "YOU MIGHT HAVE CHICKENED OUT" "BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID OF ME," "BUT..." "RIGHT." "OH,I DIDN'TGETYOURNAME ." "GOOD TO FINALLY MEET YOU." "ALEX,JONAS." "IT'S A PLEASURE, MAN." "WHAT'SUP,YO ?" "HELLO." "GOOD TO MEET YOU." "YOUTOO,MAN." "WEHUNGAT AMALL" "AND PLAYED MORTAL KOMBAT" "FOR A COUPLE HOURS." "UGH!" "REALLY?" "WHOO!" "YOUKNOW,THETETRISPLAYERS" "THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW" "ARE GOING TO SHATTER" "ANY POSSIBLE IDEA" "OF WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT" "COULD BE OBTAINED IN TETRIS." "I USED TO PLAY" "THE ORIGINAL ARCADE VERSION," "AND I USED TO BET MONEY" "WITH GUYS AT MY HIGH SCHOOL." "WHOEVER COULD HOLD" "THE REINS, YOU KNOW," "KING OF THE HILL" "IN THE ARCADE LONGEST," "WAS SORT OF, YOU KNOW," "THE UNSPOKEN GOD OF TETRIS." "AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THAT GUY." "AND TO COME HERE AND SEE" "THESE GUYS JUST WAX THE FLOOR" "WITH ME WAS SORT OF LIKE A LEVEL" "OF INHUMAN." "IT'S MOVING" "FASTER THAN ONLOOKERS" "CAN ACTUALLY PERCEIVE THE GAME." "THESE GUYS ARE THINKING IT," "YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THINKING" "PIECES AHEAD AND MAKING" "SURE THAT THEIR PLATFORM'S READY" "FOR THE NEXT PIECE." "YOU KNOW," "IT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO WATCH." "I THINK ANYONE CAN APPRECIATE" "TETRIS AT THAT LEVEL." "AH!" "THETETRISCOMMUNITY" "IS A PHENOMENAL COMMUNITY." "AND IT JUST NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED" "TO THE WORLD," "THE WORLD TO SEE," "YEAH, IT'S NOT JUST A GAME." "IT'S A HISTORY." "IT'S AN EVOLUTION." "YOUKINDOF ,LIKE,SHAKE" "THE WHOLE CONTROLLER WITH YOU." "IT'SNOTJUSTYOURTHUMB." "KIND OF LIKE A DRUM." "IT'S, LIKE, YOUR WHOLE" "HIGH SCHOOL DRUM MAJOR." "YEAH,EXACTLY,EXACTLY," "EXACTLY." "'CAUSEYOUHAVEBEEN" "TO LEVEL 30." "WHICHI HAVEN'TEVENFLIRTED" "WITH, I THINK." "YEAH,I THINKALLOFUS," "THAT'S KIND OF THE WHITE" "ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, IS THAT" "WE WANT TO SEE IT." "I'LLGIVEIT MY BEST." "IT'S" "IT'SSOMETHING" "THAT I PROBABLY WON'T SEE." "BUT I WILL WATCH IN, LIKE," "REVERENCE." "IWASWATCHINGYOU EARLIER." "I THINK THAT YOU" "COULD DEFINITELY" "DO IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY," "IF YOU DO THE CENTER WELL." "THECENTERWELL?" "YEAH." "CALL." "ONEDOWN,ONEUP." "TWO OVER." "SURVEYSAYS." "SIXOUT." "STICKA WHITEIN THERE," "KEVIN, IF YOU WANT TO STAY." "ALLOFASUDDEN," "I'M JUST LOOKING, AND LIKE," "WOW, I'M UP AGAINST ROBIN." "HE'S DESTROYING EVERYONE." "HE'S WANTING" "TO PUSH IT ALL IN HARD." "YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE." "AND I PUSHED IN" "AND FIGURED, WHY NOT?" "TURNCARD." "TRIPS." "SODOI. KINGHIGH." "AH!" "BOOM,BABY!" "BOOM!" "THAT'S RIGHT," "YOU ARE IN MY HOUSE NOW, BITCH!" "YEAH!" "I COULDN'T CONTAIN" "MY EXCITEMENT." "IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE" "MOMENT." "KIND OF FELT" "LIKE SOME BASKETBALL PLAYER" "THAT GOES OUT TO THE HOOP, BOOM," "DUNKS ON SHAQUILLE O'NEAL." "TAKE THAT." "THAT'S RIGHT." "IT'S MY HOME, NOW." "THEY'RE,LIKE,THEONLYONE" "LEFT." "IFANYONEWOULDBETONYA," "IT WOULD BE BEN." "YEAH." "I'VE ALREADY ACTUALLY" "BROKEN HARRY'S." "HE'S ON HIS WAY" "TO THE DOCTOR RIGHT NOW." "SEE,YOUDON'TDO" "YOU" "DON'T DO THE TWO BUTTONS YET." "WELL,I DO,NOW." "ITHINKHARRY'S808 VIDEO" "ONLINE DOESN'T USE BOTH BUTTONS." "HEANDITALKEDABOUTTHAT." "IFINDIT " "I FEEL THE RIGHT SIDE." "I FIND THAT TO BE UNACCEPTABLE." "YOUMEAN,YOULEAVEYOUR " "YOU LEAVE YOUR..." "IMEAN,IT WORKSFOR HIM ." "BUT I JUST, I WOULD NOT DO THAT." "YOUSAIDWASUNACCEPTABLE" "TO GO TO THE LEFT?" "NO,SEE," "FOR MY LEVEL 19-PLUS GAME..." "NO,I KNOWTHATYOU ..." "I" "I SWITCHEDBACK,YEAH." "THE REASON WHY I DID IT" "TO THE LEFT, BEGAN ON THE LEFT," "WAS I SCORE HIGHER WHEN I GO TO" "THE LEFT." "YEAH, I'VE DONE IT." "BACK IN THE DAY, I USED TO PLAY," "LIKE, HOURS AND HOURS" "AND HOURS, LEAVING A GAP." "GOOD LUCK TOMORROW, MAN." "GOOD LUCK." "YOU'REAWESOME." "IAPPRECIATETHAT." "YOU'REAWESOME,TOO," "YOU KNOW THAT?" "WHY,THANKYOU." "THEREAREEIGHTSPOTS" "IN THE SEMIFINALS." "FIVE ARE RESERVED FOR PLAYERS" "WHO HOLD PREVIOUS WORLD RECORDS." "THOSE PLAYERS ARE JONAS, HARRY," "JESSE, BEN AND THOR." "THE REMAINING THREE SPOTS" "ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC." "THE PRELIMINARY ROUND IS" "UNLIMITED ATTEMPTS AT HIGH SCORE" "ON TYPE B TETRIS" "WITH A 25-LINE LIMIT." "SEVEN TETRISES ARE POSSIBLE" "WITHIN THE 25 LINES." "DANA, ALEX AND TREY ALMOST" "QUALIFY TO REACH THE SEMIS." "THEY'LL HAVE FROM NOON" "UNTIL 2 PM TO POST A HIGH SCORE." "I'MNOTGONNAWISHHIMLUCK." "SHEDOESN'TEVENLIKEME," "DOESN'T WANT ME TO WIN." "IT'SGOTTO BE SKILL." "BUT I EXPECT TO WIN ON SKILL," "NOT ON LUCK." "YEAH." "UH, THIS IS MY MOTHER, DORIS." "YES." "HELLO." "SHE'STHEBESTMOM" "A TETRIS PLAYER COULD HAVE." "I'M ABOUT NERVOUS ENOUGH" "TO THROW UP, BECAUSE EVERYONE" "I KNOW IS EXPECTING ME TO WIN." "THEREARESOMETIMES" "WHEN YOU'RE JUST IN A ZONE." "YOU KNOW WHERE TO PUT" "EVERY PIECE." "YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING" "TO LEAVE YOU WITH." "ANYWAY, I CAME OUT HERE, UH," "FROM NEW YORK." "I WAS JUST HOPING" "TO MAKE IT TO THE SEMI ROUNDS," "MAYBE BE, LIKE," "THE UNDERDOG OR SOMETHING." "ITHINKTHEHIGHEST" "YOU CAN GET IS SEVEN TETRISES." "AND AT THAT POINT, YOU'VE HIT" "SORT OF THE 25-LINE LIMIT" "AND THE GAME ENDS." "SO, I THINK IT WOULD BE COOL" "TO PLAY IN THE SEMIFINALS," "ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT I'LL JUST" "GET DESTROYED THERE." "NOWI THINKI'MNUMBERTWO" "NOW, BUT NOT FOR LONG." "DIDALEX..." "ALLRIGHT!" "SO, NO ONE'S DONE IT." "NO ONE'S DONE THE PERFECT." "NOPE,NOTYET." "DOOR'SSTILLOPEN." "EVENTUALLY,I THINKPEOPLE" "ARE GOING TO GET PERFECT ONES." "I THINK THE HIGHEST RIGHT" "NOW IS 147." "THENITCOMESDOWN" "TO THE PUSHING IT DOWN." "ITCOMESDOWNTOTHEPUSH" "DOWN." "167,759." "HOWDOESIT FEEL?" "GOOD?" "AFTER ALL THOSE REALLY BAD" "GAMES, I JUST GOT ONE" "WHERE EVERYTHING WAS CLEAN," "I DIDN'T PUSH IT TOO HARD." "AND I JUST, LIKE," "WENT FOR THE TETRISES," "AND THEY ALL JUST CAME TOGETHER." "SO, THAT WAS GOOD." "THERE WAS A MOVE AT THE END" "WHERE I SAW " "I HAD TO MAKE A HOLE," "BUT I SAW IT WAS" "ABOVE THE FOURTH ROW." "IT WAS AT THE SIXTH ROW," "AND I WAS ON MY LAST TETRIS." "SO, I WAS LIKE," ""THANK GOODNESS."" "BECAUSE I COULD, LIKE," "YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT HOLE," "NOT WORRY ABOUT IT," "COMPLETE THE ROWS THAT I" "NEEDED TO GO FOR THE TETRIS." "AND I JUST, LIKE, WENT FOR IT." "JUSTA FEWMINUTESAGO ," "I FINALLY GOT IT." "I GOT THE SEVEN IN A ROW." "SO, I SHOULD BE ABLE" "TO MAKE IT THROUGH WITH THAT." "THERE'S ABOUT FOUR" "OR FIVE PEOPLE" "WHO COULD PROBABLY MATCH THAT." "AND THEN IT'S ALL ABOUT" "HOW MANY TIMES YOU PUSHED DOWN" "TO GET A FEW EXTRA POINTS." "IDON'TTHINKIT'SGONNABE" "LIKE WHERE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE" "ARE JUST GONNA, LIKE," "COME IN AND GET PERFECT GAMES" "AND, LIKE, PUSH ME OUT." "I THINK I HAVE A SPOT." "YES!" "HOWAREYOUFEELING,TREY ?" "UH,WELL," "MY HEART'S POUNDING NOW." "BUT DURING THE GAME, I WAS JUST" "LIKE, I'LL EITHER GET THE PIECES" "OR I WON'T GET THE PIECES." "I FIGURED, IF I JUST KEEP" "PLAYING, EVENTUALLY," "I'LL GET SEVEN IN A ROW." "SO, I DID." "TREY'SNOWIN FIRST" "WITH 167,911," "MAKING IT ALL LEVEL 18," "SEVEN TETRISES, UH," "AND PRETTY MUCH PUSHING DOWN" "ON THE D-PAD TO GET EXTRA POINTS" "IS SEPARATING THE TOP THREE" "SCORES AT THIS POINT." "DANA'S STILL IN THERE." "I'MNOTDOINGASWELL" "AS I CAN DO." "SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT" "DISAPPOINTING." "BUT HOPEFULLY, I CAN," "YOU KNOW, PULL IT TOGETHER." "SHE'SUSUALLYREALLY" "EVEN-KEELED, FOR THE MOST PART." "AND SO, IT KIND OF SURPRISES ME" "THAT SHE'S HAVING" "SUCH A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW." "DANAISONEOFTHEMOST" "KICK-ASS PEOPLE I KNOW." "SHE IS A GAMER AT HEART." "SHE AND BROOKE ARE JUST," "LIKE, MEANT FOR EACH OTHER." "I DON'T KNOW." "I THINK " " I THINK " "I THINK GIRLS IN GAMING" "ADDS A REALLY, REALLY VALUABLE" "PERSPECTIVE FOR, YOU KNOW," "A MALE-DOMINATED NERD-FEST," "YOU KNOW?" "ITHINKTHAT'SSHE 'SUNDER" "THE MOST PRESSURE OF ANYBODY" "HERE, BECAUSE THE CAMERAS" "ARE FOLLOWING HER." "SHE KEEPS GETTING" "INTERVIEWED BY NEWSPAPERS." "AND I KIND OF FEEL BAD FOR HER," "BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE," "A LOT OF ADDED PRESSURE" "THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AFFECTING HER." "AH!" "WHATHAPPENED?" "OH, MAN." "STARTING TO GET PISSED." "GOD,IT'SGIVINGMEHEART" "PALPITATIONS JUST TO WATCH THIS." "DANAISFORCED" "TO BURN OFF HER LAST LINE," "JUST AS SHE RECEIVES" "THE NECESSARY LONG BAR." "FUCKME!" "OH, MAN!" "HOLYFUCK!" "YEAH,LIKE," "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER" "IF IT DIDN'T EVEN..." "YEAH,IFIT DIDN'TSHOWUP." "YEAH,IFIT DIDN'TEVENSHOW ." "ITWASREALLYCLOSETOSEVEN" "TWICE." "I CAN'T GET SEVEN." "FUCK,YEAH!" "HOWDOYOUFEEL?" "FUCKIN'AWESOME!" "DANAJUSTEDGEDOUT" "HER FRIEND ALEX FOR THE LAST" "SPOT." "ITHINK" "I'M IN FOURTH RIGHT NOW." "MIGHT JUST BE" "THAT I GOT KNOCKED OUT." "HE'SSOCUTE." "HE'S THE LITTLE BABY" "GRAND MASTER." "NOMORETICKETS?" "HEY,GUYS." "HEY." "CONGRATULATIONS." "THANKYOU,ALEX." "YOU DID GREAT." "TOPTHREE." "IT'S OFFICIAL." "AND WE HAVE OUR TOP EIGHT" "FOR THE FINALS." "[ APPLAUSE ]" "[ APPLAUSE ]" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "SO,WHENIFIRSTMETALEXEY" "IN 1989, IT WAS FEBRUARY OF 1989, HE SAID TO ME, "HANK, YOU" "KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK," "AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS" "GAME."" "AND I REALLY WANT TO FIND OUT," "UH, WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER" "IN THE WORLD."" "AND, UH, YOU KNOW," "WE REALLY HAVEN'T FOUND OUT" "IN ALL THESE YEARS." "AND THE VERY INTERESTING THING" "ABOUT ALL THIS IS THAT, WELL," "ROBIN'S THE GUY" "WHO'S BEEN PUTTING" "THIS TOURNAMENT TOGETHER." "AND WE REALLY NEED TO GIVE" "HIM A HAND" "IN MAKING THIS TETRIS WORLD" "CHAMPIONSHIPS POSSIBLE." "IT COMES FROM HIS PASSION" "AND FROM HIS LIFE EXPERIENCES," "HOW TETRIS AND THE NINTENDO" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS" "CHANGED HIS LIFE," "THAT NOW, WE'RE HAVING" "THIS WONDERFUL TETRIS CLASSIC" "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP." "ALLRIGHT!" "IT IS NOW TIME" "FOR OUR SEMIFINALS." "EIGHT PLAYERS WILL COMPETE" "IN THREE ROUNDS." "ROUND ONE WILL BE AN ATTEMPT" "FOR THE MOST LINES." "AND ROUND TWO AND THREE WILL BE" "ATTEMPTS FOR THE MOST POINTS." "AND THE TOP TWO PLAYERS WILL" "ADVANCE TO OUR TETRIS FINALS." "ALL RIGHT." "LET'S START IN 10, NINE, EIGHT," "SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR," "THREE, TWO, ONE." "LET'S PLAY SOME TETRIS!" "ALL RIGHT, WE START OFF HERE." "HARRY GETS A TRIPLE LINE SCORE," "FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER, I BELIEVE." "OH!" "ITLOOKSLIKEJESSEISOUT." "52,541." "THOR SETTING UP." "HE'S GOT HIS WELL SAVED," "JUST NEEDS A LONG BLOCK." "AND, WOW, AS WE SWITCH TO THOR." "OH, THOR, IT LOOKS LIKE..." "OH!" "THOR IS OUT WITH 89 LINES." "THORHASTOPPEDOUT ." "THEAUDIENCEIS SHOCKED" "BY THOR'S EARLY TOP-OUT." "HE'LL HAVE TO DOMINATE THE SCORE" "ROUNDS TO HAVE ANY CHANCE" "TO MAKE THE FINALS." "NOW,REMEMBER,AT LEVEL29," "THE SPEED INCREASES AGAIN," "BELIEVE IT OR NOT," "WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE KILL SCREEN" "OR DEATH LEVEL." "WE'REGETTINGCLOSETOTHAT" "KILL SCREEN, HERE AT LEVEL 28." "JONASISAT 278." "LOOKATTHATSPEED." "HARRY AT 290." "HARRY IS OUT." "290 FOR HARRY." "THAT'S THE LEADER RIGHT NOW." "JONAS AT 281." "CAN HE HIT 290?" "DANA WAS OUT." "I DON'T KNOW WHERE DANA WAS OUT," "BUT DANA'S OUT." "61." "LET'S GO BACK TO THE OTHER" "SCREEN." "LET'SSWITCHTHEVIDEO" "BACK TO..." "THERE WE GO." "ALL RIGHT, JONAS, 29." "294!" "294 FOR JONAS!" "THAT'S OUR LEADER!" "JONASSCORES294LINES," "THE SECOND MOST" "IN RECORDED HISTORY." "BEN" "TWOPLAYERSLEFT." "BEN AT 280." "BUTTHISIS AGOODSCORE," "AS WELL." "HE'LL BE IN THE TOP," "LOOKS LIKE THREE, FOR SURE." "OH, SINGLE LINE." "OH, HERE WE GO." "BEN, 290 AS WELL." "GREAT JOB, GUYS!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "JONAS,BENANDHARRY" "ALL SUCCEED AT REACHING" "THE LEVEL 29 KILL SCREEN." "MATT AND DANA POST" "DECENT SCORES," "WHILE THE REST LAG BEHIND." "SECOND,LOOKSLIKE,TIED" "FOR SECOND, IS HARRY AND BEN." "FOUR,THREE,TWO,ONE ,GO." "LET'SPLAYSOMETETRIS." "NOW,WEWILLBELOOKING" "FOR LOTS OF TETRISES HERE." "DANA'S" "DANA'STRYINGTO" "WORK OUT." "SHE'S WORKING IT." "SHE'SDOINGGOODTOSURVIVE" "THERE." "AWESOME BURNING, DANA." "SHE'SBACKTHERE." "SHE BURNED IT OFF." "SHE'S WAITING FOR THE LONG " "THERE IT IS." "TETRIS!" "THAT'SGOODFORATETRIS." "TRIPLE-LINE SCORE" "FOR THOR RIGHT THERE." "134FORJONAS." "122, HARRY." "THOR AT 99,000." "BEN SETTING UP FOR A TETRIS!" "BOOM, TETRIS FOR HARRY." "AND THOR!" "THORWITHATETRIS!" "THOR BURNS A DOUBLE LINE RIGHT" "THERE." "HE'S WAITING FOR THE LONG PIECE." "HERE IT COMES, TETRIS!" "207 FOR THOR." "DOUBLELINE,JONAS." "TETRIS FOR HARRY." "343FORHARRY,WOW ." "THE LEADER LOOKS" "LIKE IT COULD BE " " JONAS MIGHT" "BE THE LEADER ON THIS ONE." "BEN IS OUT WITH 249,919." "THOR WITH A TETRIS." "DANA NEEDS A LONG PIECE." "DANA GETS IT!" "TRIPLE-LINE SCORE FOR DANA." "DANA IN TROUBLE." "SHE SLIDES IT OUT." "DANA'S OUT." "DANA WITH 363,824." "DOUBLE LINE FOR JONAS." "HARRY'SAT19 ." "THE END IS NEAR." "BUT HE'S GOING" "TO COME AWAY WITH IT." "HARRYWITH451,615." "THAT'S THE CURRENT LEADER," "BUT NOT FOR LONG." "LEVEL19." "348FORTHOR." "HE JUST SLIDES A LONG BLOCK." "JONAS IS OUT, 453,378." "JONASISNOWTHE TOP SCORE," "FOLLOWED BY HARRY." "WE'REDOWNTO JUSTTWO" "PLAYERS, MATT AND THOR." "MATT IS STAYING ALIVE HERE." "MATT IS " "MATT IS OUT, 421,146." "DOWN TO THOR." "THOR IS REMAINING HERE." "I BELIEVE THOR HAS THE LEAD" "FOR THE ROUND." "HISVIBRATINGTHUMBS" "ARE THE ONLY THING" "THAT CAN KEEP YOU ALIVE HERE." "ANDTHORIS OUT." "469,454." "GREATROUND,GUYS." "THORNARROWLYWINSROUNDTWO," "BUT IT'S NOT QUITE ENOUGH" "TO PUT HIM BACK IN THE RACE" "FOR THE FINALS." "DIDA LOTBETTERTHISROUND." "YOU WENT FROM NEXT TO LAST" "TO FIRST, I BELIEVE." "I'MSURROUNDEDBY GREATNESS." "GREATNESSMAKESYOUGREAT." "451, NOT BAD." "YOU WERE THE LEADER FOR A WHILE." "I'LLDOBETTER." "HE'LLDOBETTER." "JONAS, 453." "THINK YOU COULD HAVE DONE" "A LITTLE BIT BETTER, OR..." "UH,I FEELINSIDETHATIHAVE" "THE TETRIS MONSTER WITHIN ME." "UNLEASHIT!" "UNLEASH THAT MONSTER, JONAS!" "I'MJUSTGOING" "TO LET IT OUT NEXT GAME." "I'M JUST GOING TO OPEN THE CAGE" "DOOR AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS." "THELEADERSRIGHTNOW " "WOW, IT'S CLOSE." "IN FIRST IS JONAS NEUBAUER" "WITH 196.6 POINTS." "THETOPFIVESCORES" "ARE CLOSE." "A WEAK GAME FROM HARRY OR JONAS" "IN ROUND THREE" "COULD GIVE DANA OR MATT" "A CHANCE TO MAKE THE FINALS." "IT WOULD TAKE" "A NEAR MAX-OUT SCORE" "FOR BEN OR THOR TO SNEAK IN." "THREE,TWO,ONE." "TETRISTIME!" "AGAIN,POINTSMATTER," "SO WE'RE LOOKING" "FOR LOTS OF STRATEGY" "TO TRY TO GET THOSE TETRISES." "BEN BURNS OFF A DOUBLE" "AND FOLLOWS UP WITH A TETRIS." "BEAUTIFUL." "AND ANOTHER TETRIS FOR BEN, 221." "MATTANDDANA" "ARE KEEPING A GOOD PACE" "TO CHALLENGE HARRY AND JONAS." "DANA'SLIVING" "A LITTLE DANGEROUSLY NOW." "ANOTHERTETRISFORDANA,191." "BUTMIDWAY" "THROUGH ROUND THREE," "HARRY AND JONAS ARE SHOWING" "NO SIGNS OF LETTING UP." "SETTINGUPFORANOTHER" "TETRIS." "HERE IT COMES FOR BEN." "BEN BREACHES 300,000." "HE'S AT 331,000." "I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LEAD." "BENISON PACEFOR AMAX-OUT." "A SCORE IN THAT RANGE" "WOULD BE HIS ONLY CHANCE" "TO MAKE THE FINALS." "ANDANOTHERTETRIS,345 ." "THREEFORTY-FIVEFORBEN ." "JONAS, 302." "THOR, 229." "HARRY, 283." "REMEMBER, THE SPEED" "WILL STAY ABOUT CONSISTENT," "UNTIL IT HITS LEVEL 19," "WHERE THE SPEED LEVEL JUMPS UP." "THOR IS WAITING FOR A LONG" "BLOCK, AS IS JONAS, AS IS BEN." "THORKNOCKSDOWNANOTHERONE." "BEN'SINOVER..." "BEN" "BURNS OFF A TRIPLE LINE SCORE." "THAT WAS KEY." "[ AUDIENCE GROANS ]" "UHOH,BEN" "BEN'S" "IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE." "COME ON, BEN." "OH!" "BENISOUT." "BENSUCCUMBSTO A36-PIECE" "LONG-BAR DROUGHT." "GOODJOB,BEN." "JONASISNOWOUR CURRENT" "LEADER." "DANAAT314." "HARRY AT 495,431." "JONAS." "DANA'SOUT,484,073FOR DANA." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "JONASSETTINGUP FORATETRIS" "ON THE RIGHT SIDE." "[ AUDIENCE GROANS ]" "JONASSLIPSALITTLEBIT." "HE GETS IT BACK A LITTLE BIT." "JONAS IS OUT." "JONAS, 550,841!" "JONASTOPSOUT" "WITH A 550,000," "LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN" "FOR MATT AND THOR." "OH,MATT'SIN ALITTLEBIT" "OF TROUBLE HERE." "GETS BACK A SINGLE." "TREY WITH A SINGLE." "MATT IS OUT." "GOOD JOB, MATT." "MATT, WITH 454,781." "THORISOUT!" "THOR, WITH 506,084, 506,084." "HARRY'SGUNNING" "TO TAKE THE LEAD FROM JONAS." "HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB KEEPING" "IT LOW AND BURNING IT OFF." "OH,HE'SALMOST" "AT THE DEATH SCREEN HERE." "HE'S ALMOST AT LEVEL 29." "HARRY." "HARRY, 582,373." "HARRYFINISHESOFFROUND" "THREE BY ACHIEVING THE TOP SCORE" "OF THE DAY OF 583,000 POINTS." "IJUSTFELTSOGREAT" "THAT THIRD GAME," "AND JUST TANKED ON LEVEL 13," "I THINK, OR SOMETHING." "WELL,WHERE'DYOULOSE,13?" "YEAH." "OH,MAN." "I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW." "YOUCANDO ." "YOU CAN DO IT." "HOPEFULLY,HOPEFULLY." "JONAS IS TOUGH." "JONAS IS TOUGH, SO..." "OH,I KNOW." "WE'LLSEE" "WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT." "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "TOPTWO,HARRYHONG" "AND JONAS NEUBAUER." "THEFINALSAREABEST" "TWO-OUT-OF-THREE HEAD-TO-HEAD" "MATCH FOR THE HIGHEST SCORE." "HARRY AND JONAS MADE IT HERE BY" "PLAYING CONSISTENT, MISTAKE-FREE" "TETRIS IN THE SEMIFINALS." "HARRY EXECUTES A DEATH-DEFYING" "VERTICAL LONG BAR SLIDE," "BUT IT TURNS OUT" "NOT TO BE ENOUGH TO SAVE HIM." "HARRY HAS HIS FIRST BAD GAME" "OF THE NIGHT" "WITH A PALTRY 302,000 POINTS." "JONAS WINS ROUND ONE," "MAKING ROUND TWO" "A MUST-WIN SITUATION FOR HARRY." "HARRY,COMEON !" "[ PEOPLE CHANTING "HARRY!" ]" "[ PEOPLE CHANTING "JONAS!" ]" "HARRYHASTAKEN" "CONTROL OF ROUND TWO" "WITH A 50,000-POINT LEAD." "[ AUDIENCE GROANS ]" "[ AUDIENCE GROANS ]" "HARRYTOPSOUTWITHASCORE" "OF 517,000." "IT'S JONAS' GAME TO LOSE NOW." "JONAS PREVAILS," "SURPASSING HARRY'S SCORE" "OF 517,000 WITH A TETRIS" "ON LEVEL 23." "[ PEOPLE CHANTING "JONAS!" ]" "JONASNEUBAUER!" "[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]" "CONGRATULATIONS." "I'VEGOTTO TAKETHISTIME" "TO THANKS MY UNCLE BILL FOR" "BRINGING ME INTO TETRIS WHEN I" "WAS THE TENDER AGE OF 10," "SENDING ME DOWN THE PATH OF" "ADDICTION." "...FOR$ 1,000!" "[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]" "I'MA LITTLEDISAPPOINTED" "THAT, UH," "THOR WASN'T ABLE TO REALLY SHOW" "WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF," "BUT HE JUST HAD AN OFF DAY." "ITWASFANTASTIC" "BEING UP THERE." "IT WAS NERVE-RACKING," "AND IT WAS VERY LOUD." "AND IT WAS VERY HOT." "OH,ITWASANAMAZING" "EXPERIENCE." "UM, OF COURSE, I WANTED TO WIN." "BUT JONAS, YOU KNOW," "HE'S PHENOMENAL." "SO, HOPEFULLY," "I'LL TRY IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR." "IREALLYWISHI'D HAVEWON" "TODAY." "SO..." "IT'STETRIS,MAN." "YEAH." "ANYTHINGCANHAPPEN." "TURNS OUT, IT'S PRETTY RANDOM." "YEAH.[ CHUCKLES]" "WHO KNEW?" "TETRIS, OF ALL THINGS," "IS RANDOM." "KINDOFROLLEDTHE DECIDEA" "LITTLE BIT AND TRIED TO SET UP" "THE " " SET UP THE TETRIS FOR THE" "WIN." "AND I'M " " AND I'M GLAD" "THAT THAT KIND OF " "I'M GLAD THAT THAT PLAYED OUT." "THATWASBALLSY." "LOOKWHOIT IS ." "I" "I SAWYOUDOTHAT ." "THAT WAS BALLSY." "I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT." "I'MJUSTSAYING" "THAT THOR AACKERLUND," "OF ALL PEOPLE, TO DIE AT " "I DON'T KNOW" "HOW MANY LINES HE DIED AT," "BUT IT " " THAT'S ODD, TO ME." "I THINK HE WANTED TO BE ABLE" "TO DO WELL IN SCORE," "WITHOUT HAVING" "TO BE AFRAID OF WINNING," "BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO WIN." "YEAH." "HEREALLYHASSEEMEDLIKE HE" "DOESN'T WANT TO WIN THIS" "TOURNAMENT." "THENEXTDAY," "THOR ATTEMPTED TO REACH LEVEL 30" "FOR THE CAMERAS." "HIS THUMBS COULD NOT VIBRATE" "AS QUICKLY AS THEY HAD" "IN HIS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DAYS." "AFTER DOZENS OF ATTEMPTS," "HE GAVE UP." "THATFIRSTROUND," "WHEN I TOTALLY" "GLITCHED ON THE LINES GAME, UH," "I WAS HAVING TROUBLE" "WITH MY CONTROLLER, WHICH," "THAT WASN'T WHY I STACKED UP." "I STACKED UP BECAUSE I WAS" "TAKING TOO MANY RISKS." "BUT THE CONTROLLER" "WAS DISTRACTING ME." "AND I MENTIONED THIS TO," "UH, TO HARRY" "AFTER HE WAS DONE WITH HIS GAME." "AND HE HAD BROUGHT" "HIS OWN CONTROLLER." "HE STILL HAD HIS ORIGINAL" "THAT WAS THERE," "PROVIDED FOR HIS STATION." "AND HE WAS LIKE," ""HERE, YOU CAN USE THIS ONE."" "AND I PLUGGED IN." "AND SURE ENOUGH," "IT WORKED GREAT." "AND THAT'S " " THE VERY NEXT" "ROUND, I GOT THE TOP SCORE." "SO, YOU KNOW, HE" "WAS REALLY CLASSY AND FRIENDLY." "WHEN I WATCHED JONAS," "I WAS REALLY WORRIED," "BECAUSE I " " I KEPT" "FOR PULLING FOR THE PERSON I WAS" "WATCHING." "I WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH," "YOU KNOW, JUST STRESSING OUT," "ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT," "WATCHING THE FINALS." "UH, LIKE, AT ONE POINT," "JONAS HAD THIS CRAZY, UH," "YOU KNOW, LIKE, DOUBLE-WELL," "CRAZY CANYON-LOOKING THING" "WITH ALL THESE WEIRD GAPS." "AND I WAS, LIKE," "ABOUT TO PULL MY HAIR OUT." "I WAS, LIKE, "OH, NO!"" "I COULD SEE IT," "THE WAY I WAS LOOKING," "I WAS, LIKE, "YOU NEED, LIKE," "THESE SEVEN OR EIGHT PIECES" "TO COME IN A SEQUENCES" "TO MAKE THIS WORK."" "AND NES TETRIS" "IS INFAMOUSLY MALICIOUS." "BUT THOSE PIECES THAT HE NEEDED," "ALL CAME IN A SEQUENCE," "AND HE LOCKED THEM ALL TOGETHER." "IT'S ONE THING" "FOR THE PIECES TO COME," "BUT ONLY A VERY SELECT" "FEW PEOPLE IN THE WORLD" "CAN TAKE THOSE PIECES AND PUT" "THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO," "ALL IN A LINE, AT A HIGH SPEED." "SO, IT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE." "IT'S JUST BEEN AN ABSOLUTE HONOR" "AND BLAST TO MEET ALL OF Y'ALL" "AND BE INVOLVED IN THIS." "AND IT'S GONNA BE A MEMORY" "THAT I'LL CHERISH, YOU KNOW," "FOR DECADES." "UPONRETURNINGTO TEXAS," "THOR VOWED TO OFFICIALLY BREAK" "OR MATCH ALL RECORDS" "ON NES TETRIS IN A YEAR'S TIME." "THOR STARTS ON LEVEL 19." "JONAS IS THE ONLY PERSON" "KNOWN TO HAVE MAXED OUT" "STARTING ON THIS LEVEL." "THOR'S RENEWED ABILITY" "TO VIBRATE HIS LEFT THUMB" "IS EVIDENCED IN THE RAPID" "SIDE-TO-SIDE MOVEMENT" "OF THE PIECES." "THOR IS ON PACE TO MAX OUT." "THOR PREPARES A CENTER" "WELL IN AN ATTEMPT TO SURVIVE" "THE LEVEL 29 KILL SCREEN." "THOR REACHES EVERY MILESTONE" "ACHIEVEMENT IN NES TETRIS:" "MAX OUT STARTING ON LEVEL 19," "LEVEL 30..." "ALL IN THE SAME GAME."