Teen Sets New Record in Tetris with Loop Back Achievement

Teen Sets New Record in Tetris with Loop Back Achievement

Michael “dogplayingtetris” Artiaga, a 16-year-old two-time Tetris world champion, has made history by becoming the first person to activate endless play in the NES version of Tetris without machine assistance. He achieved this feat by completing level 255, causing the game to restart at level 0.

The Feat and Its Significance

This accomplishment took Artiaga around an hour and 40 minutes, during which he cleared 3,300 lines. After celebrating, he continued for another 40 minutes until his run ended at level 91, setting a new record score. This achievement represents years of research and innovation by Tetris enthusiasts, who have been pushing the limits of the game since its release in 1988.

The NES version of Tetris was believed to be impossible to clear beyond level 29 until 2011, when new button-pressing techniques allowed players to progress further. The game’s code was not designed to handle play beyond level 29, and it becomes highly crash-prone after level 155. However, with the help of AI tools and patched versions of the game, players have been able to reach new milestones.

The Challenges and Obstacles

Artiaga used a patched “crash-resistant” version of the game to achieve his record. However, the game’s crumbling codebase still posed significant challenges, including glitched color schemes and incorrect level tracking. After level 219, the game can no longer accurately track the player’s progress, leading to longer levels and increased difficulty.

Despite these challenges, Artiaga’s achievement has opened up new possibilities for high-score contests and professional players. While some will continue to explore the limits of the unmodified game, others will likely focus on playing patched versions indefinitely.