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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Sixteen-year-old Tetris player Michael Artiaga, known online as dogplayingtetris, completed level 255 in October 2024 and sent the level counter back to zero—a milestone players call a “rebirth.” He did it in a modified, crash-resistant version of NES Tetris, not the original cartridge game. That distinction matters: another player, Willis Gibson, had already reached a different endpoint in the original game when it crashed at level 157.
What did Michael Artiaga achieve?
Artiaga completed level 255, the last level before the game’s counter looped back to level zero. Tetris players call that loop a “rebirth.” His October 2024 run was reported as a first for this milestone in a modified version of NES Tetris designed to avoid the crash that can stop play in the original game. Futurism’s report identifies Artiaga as the player behind the run.
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Nintendo NES Classic Mini EU Console (Renewed) | $147.75 | Buy on Amazon |
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Original NES System by Nintendo (Renewed) | $167.92 | Buy on Amazon |
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Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition | $283.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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NES Tetris does not have a conventional scripted ending that declares the player a winner. “Beat Tetris” is therefore an informal description of reaching a notable technical endpoint. Artiaga’s endpoint was a return to level zero—not a crash or a victory screen.
How is a rebirth different from a kill screen?
| Milestone | Player and game version | Level and outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Kill screen | Willis Gibson, original NES Tetris | At level 157, a game-code glitch caused the game to crash. |
| Rebirth | Michael Artiaga, modified crash-resistant NES Tetris | Completed level 255; the counter returned to level zero. |
Gibson’s achievement came first. On December 21, 2023, he triggered the level-157 kill screen in the original game. The Associated Press described it as a glitch in the game code that crashed the game. Artiaga’s later run reached a different endpoint by using a modified version designed to keep running. Neither milestone should be described as the first time anyone “beat Tetris” without explaining what “beat” means. The Associated Press’s account of Gibson’s run gives the original-game context.
#1 Best Overall
- Nintendo NES console Classic Mini European version with 30 built-in games.
- Installed Games: Balloon Fight - Bubble Bobble - Castlevania - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest - Donkey Kong - Donkey Kong Jr. - Double Dragon II: The Revenge - Dr. Mario - Excitebike - Final Fantasy - Galaga - Ghosts Goblins - Gradius
- Ice Climber - Kid Icarus - Kirby's Adventure - Mario Bros. - Mega Man 2 - Metroid - Ninja Gaiden - Punch-Out !! Featuring Mr. Dream - StarTropics - SUPER C - Super Mario Bros. - Super Mario Bros. 2 - Super Mario Bros. 3 - Tecmo Bowl - The Legend of Zelda - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- Includes 1 joystick Nintendo Mini Classic: NES (Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro Wii compatible), 1 HDMI Cable, 1 USB power cable (to power the console, the USB cable must be connected to an AC adapter not included)
- Does not include: Commemorative poster, USB plug.
Why did reaching high levels require new techniques?
At level 29, blocks fall so quickly that ordinary button presses can become too slow for reliable movement. Players developed faster ways to send inputs to the controller:
- Hypertapping: rapidly vibrating a finger to press a controller button repeatedly.
- Rolling: holding the controller in position and using one hand to press while moving the controller with the other, creating rapid inputs.
These approaches helped players move beyond the old level-29 barrier. The AP reported hypertapping milestones of level 30 in 2011 and level 35 by 2018, then a level-95 run using rolling in 2022. Those are reported achievements, not a complete independent record table. In an interview quoted by ABC News Australia, Gibson summed up his approach: “The main strategy is just playing as safe as you can.” ABC News Australia’s report describes rolling and Gibson’s run.
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- Comes with console, 1 controller, power cord, video cord
- Controller is original OEM (not 3rd party)
- Tested and works well. Nice condition
What made the original game increasingly unpredictable?
High-level NES Tetris is difficult not only because pieces move quickly. According to the AP, the game’s color palettes begin presenting problems at level 138 and beyond: “Dusk” and “Charcoal” patterns can make blocks harder to distinguish from the background. The AP also reported that StackRabbit, an AI program, reached level 237 in a modified version before crashing. That run helped players investigate crash conditions, but it is not directly comparable to a human run on the original game.
The combination of speed, visibility challenges and crash-prone behavior helps explain why the community’s milestones are tied to both playing technique and the game version. Artiaga’s rebirth demonstrated what happened when the level-255 route was played in a version altered to resist crashing; it does not show that an unmodified NES cartridge will loop back to level zero.
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Quick Recap
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- HD audio and video (720p) with 16: 9/4: 3 Switch (HD cable only); 3 ft. HD cable; includes AV ports with AV cable
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- Comes with a “Cadet” and a “Scout” Premium classic-style Controller; Controller ports support two compatible controllers for each Console
- Includes 6 ft. Micro charge cable and AC Adapter. If AC adapter is not included, We strongly recommend that you use a USB wall AC adapter that has a minimum output of 5V 1A.
Rank #3
- The system comes bundled with: an HDMI cable
- an AC adapter
- one NES Classic Controller
- and all 30 games, installed and ready-to-play.
- E10+ w/ Mild Violence
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