A Soviet Surprise
I play a lot of different types of video games, but puzzle gaming is one of my favorite genres. Like many, it started with Tetris. Unlike many, it wasn’t the Game Boy version. NES Tetris was my first Tetris.
For North America, Tetris launched in November 1989. It was probably the next summer that my mom bought it for me (around my Sophomore year in High School). I must have expressed interest in it, but it is possible that my mom bought it on a whim. Tetris was getting a lot of media coverage at the time. Either way, it was a welcome surprise. Thanks, mom!
The Launch Price
I find it fascinating to discover the original prices of retro games. I didn’t really pay much attention to game prices when I was younger, nor would I remember them all accurately. Google searching the original prices online is challenging since most websites are advertising the current going rates of retro games. So, what did my mom actually pay for my copy of NES Tetris at retail? A scan from a 1989 Sears Christmas catalog shows NES Tetris listed at $34.87 (USA).
Interestingly, unlike the other games in the scan, there is no screenshot of Tetris. It just has a placeholder graphic.
It probably wasn’t an oversight. Department store catalogs were the forerunners of Amazon shopping. With a November release date, they must not have had a screenshot available in time for the catalog printing and distribution in August & September.
The name alone was enough to sell the game. It was already a popular PC game. Plus, the Game Boy and its version of Tetris had launched a few months earlier on July 31st (and it did have pictures in the same catalog). It was truly a viral video game.
Puzzle games also tend to be budget titles, so seeing NES Tetris launching at $35 is not surprising. In comparison, Super Mario Bros. 3 was $49.95 the following year.
The Art on the Box
The North American version has an angled playfield with falling blocks coming toward the viewer, giving it a futuristic look. It includes the taglines of “The relentless building block video puzzle.” at the top and “FROM RUSSIA WITH FUN!” at the bottom.
Ah Tetris… my favorite ‘video puzzle’. I guess in 1989 we hadn’t yet collectively decided to refer to the genre as ‘Puzzle Gaming’.
Even though the NES is just a version of the Japanese Famicom, each console did get a different version of Tetris. Due to licensing issues with the Famicom version that had already released, the NES version was never released to the Japanese market. I’ll cover the Famicom version in detail in another post, but will tease the box art here. It is common to have different boxes designed for different markets.
I like both boxes, but I appreciate the minimalist style of the Japanese box.
Why are Puzzle Games so Great?
Why do I like puzzle games so much (besides their budget prices)? I have always liked logic puzzles and brainteasers, but there is more to it than just that. The short answer is that puzzle games have great ‘flow’.
In The Design of Everyday Things, Don Norman explains the concept of flow (citing the ideas of social scientist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi):
“When in the flow state, people lose track of time and the outside environment. They are at one with the task they are performing. The task, moreover, is at just the proper level of difficulty: difficult enough to provide a challenge and require continued attention, but not so difficult that it invokes frustration and anxiety.” (p. 55)
This state of flow is the key to what makes a great puzzle game, and really applies to most video games. If they are too easy, you get bored. If they are too difficult, you quit and move on to something else. With just the right level of difficulty, you will find yourself fully focused on the game and enjoying the challenge.
The Flow of Tetris
Tetris has excellent flow (especially Nintendo’s versions of the game). NES Tetris starts off slow, but every 10 lines cleared increments the speed. This pacing of increased speed is perfect. The slow pace doesn’t outstay its welcome. Nor do you get overwhelmed too quickly. It is constantly challenging you to do just a little bit better.
It almost goes without saying, Tetris hooked me from the start. The music, the gameplay, the colors – everything combines to create a simple yet rich experience. The flow of the game is simultaneously addictive and relaxing. It is easy to get in the zone while playing.
Puzzle Games Make you Smarter
Puzzle games also have other benefits. They are quick to play and they give you a sense of accomplishment. You usually don’t need to remember complicated maps, storylines, controls, nor battle mechanics. You can pick up a puzzle game and easily play it in short bursts. And after you have finished, you feel like a genius. How many others have been stumped on that Candy Crush level? Many, but you figured it out! Packing stuff for the family vacation? No worries. You have advanced Tetris skills!
The Inspiration
I listen to many video game themed podcasts. Some focus on the news of the day. Others are more focused on retro gaming. Regardless of the type, I feel that puzzle games get underrepresented. They are discussed and mentioned, but are rarely the focus. I created Dwayne’s Games to put the spotlight on puzzle games that I enjoy playing.
The 80s Radio Station Analogy
Retro gaming podcasts are like modern radio stations that play songs from the 80s. These stations typically play a rotation of hits from the 80s, but rarely deviate from that given list. If you listen for over a period of time, you will hear many of the same songs repeated. Yet, there are so many great songs from the 80s that don’t get much air time at all today. It took “Stranger Things” to help many of us discover Kate Bush and her song Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).
Another example is Joe Jackon’s Steppin’ Out. I don’t think it gets remembered as an 80s classic as much as it should. That being said, apparently it does appear on a radio station in GTA Vice City and in GTA V.
I will be covering the popular puzzle games, but I will also cover many great games that don’t get as much attention.
Most of my puzzler experience has been on Nintendo consoles and handhelds, so I have a bias. However, I intend to cover games on other consoles too.
Tetris Quarterly (get it?)
As Tetris really is in a class of its own, I will write a Tetris focused post quarterly. This will help sprinkle in Tetris themes regularly, but give other games time to shine too.
“…And the Rest”
For the other games covered, I don’t have a strict definition of what constitutes a puzzle game. I will cover traditional puzzle games as well as games that contain strong puzzle aspects (such as puzzle platformers).
These are games from the past and the present. Games that I’ve known for many years and ones that I’ve only recently just discovered.
Dwayne’s Games
I’ll send out a brief update monthly. Subscribers will receive an email reminder listing the games recently discussed as well as the games next to be covered.
I enjoy learning about the favorite puzzle games of other people. Everyone’s gaming history is different. We have some shared experiences, but much of it is unique. There is so much we can learn. Many of the puzzlers I enjoy have been recommendations from others. Your game recommendations are always welcome.
I hope that you enjoy reading these posts, both to reminisce on puzzle games that you remember fondly and possibly discover puzzlers that have passed you by.
