Your Brain is in Tetris’s Power: How Video Games Seduced Millions

In the 1980s, a humble yet captivating computer game called Tetris suddenly transformed into a captivating and global phenomenon, absorbing countless waking hours of obsessive players around the world.

Now widely recognized as the most popular computer game of all time, Tetris’s utterly simple design and repetitive gameplay evoke positive reactions in the brain. This appeals to people of all ages and from all walks of life.

The remarkable and largely unknown story behind the game that captivated millions—and continues to do so today—unfolds in Box Brown’s nonfiction graphic novel, Tetris: Games People Play. The comic made The New York Times bestseller list in 2014.

When Brown discovered a BBC documentary about Tetris in 2004, he decided to dig deeper into the game’s origins, which originated in the former Soviet Union. Tetris’ creator, a software developer named Alexey Pajitnov, developed the game in his spare time simply for fun. And when he shared it with his colleagues, everyone had a similar reaction—they couldn’t stop playing.

Eventually, video game executives in the West, upon hearing about Tetris, began a furious fight to control the foreign rights to the game, which by then was in the hands of Soviet officials.

«For Alexey, it was purely an artistic experiment,» Brown told Live Science. «After it hit the open market, something else happened. A crazy fight for the rights erupted, and it became an international bestseller—a game that was on every computer, every gaming system. Everyone had their own version.»

Suddenly, Tetris was everywhere. And like many others growing up in the 1980s, Brown played Tetris just as obsessively. Even at age 9, he already noticed something unusual about it.

«It was one of the few games I had, and my parents played it with me,» he said. «It was a huge deal.»

Unlike many games marketed specifically for children at the time, Tetris didn’t have complex symbols or a story that might alienate older players by hinting at their age, Brown said.

YOUR BRAIN IS POWERED BY TETRIS

During Brown’s research for the book, he consulted with a neurologist to understand what happens in the brain when people play Tetris and what motivates them to keep playing once they start.

Brown explained that the appearance of each tile in the frame signals the brain that a new problem has emerged and needs to be solved. Guiding each tile to its correct position and creating a connection creates a sense of satisfaction. These two actions—culminating in a satisfying feeling—repeat as long as you play, providing motivation to continue playing.

«Every time you place a new tile down, you get a new resolution,» Brown said. «Thus, constantly feeding a sense of accomplishment.»

Scientists have found that playing Tetris can provide other benefits beyond just the satisfaction of playing well.

Research presented at the 2012 annual conference of the British Psychological Society suggested that playing Tetris can reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and protect against traumatic memories. And a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors in 2015 found that playing Tetris reduced cravings for drugs, physical activity, and food.

Study co-author Jackie Andrade, a professor of psychology at the Cognition Institute at Plymouth University, explained why Tetris is so popular. When we crave something, we imagine ourselves consuming it or participating in the desired activity—and playing Tetris, stacking blocks, is a visualization of this.

«Playing interesting games like Tetris engages mental processes, supporting «living that image,» Andrade said. «It’s hard to imagine something flashy and play Tetris at the same time.»

ANOTHER LEVEL

Several decades have passed since the first Tetris tiles raised the heart rate and then dropped it back to normal, but for many players, it still holds a place. In fact, a number of variations on the original version are now available as apps, as well as on websites, gaming systems, and social media platforms.

Even Brown still returns to the game from time to time.

«I still play Tetris,» Brown said. «I have the original Nintendo version of Tetris, as well as older versions of the game from its triumph. You can put it away, take it out later, and it’s still good. It’s like riding a bike—it’s always fun to do.»

Original article Live Science.