TETRIS (PC/DOS) 1987, Spectrum Holobyte, Academysoft

The original commercially-licensed version of Alexey Pajitnov's classic Tetris puzzle game. Geometric shapes fall from the top of a playfield to rest on the bottom; fit the pieces together, and the line they form disappears. If the pieces don't form lines and eventually stack up to the top of the playfield, the game is over. Difficulty increases by dropping the pieces faster and faster over time.
--
Want to support? Become a Patron! - / thriftweeds

[@Bison162]

This is the version I grew up with, and I gotta say, it's a relief to have finally found it! I came here for the backgrounds. I remember the control center one really well, but the others, not so much.

[@ducksareurlords3782]

I love that soviet march background. I wish modern Tetris games could look as beatiful as these old ones.

[@FirstWizardZorander]

I played this on an amber monochrome monitor. That machine got me into computing, and now I'm a systems architect by trade. Would really like to have my old XT clone back to play this exact version!

[@jasonerickson1753]

I played this on an amber monochrome monitor, too. It's nice to see what the full color version looks like. :)

[@henrikgustav2294]

Good news, u can now get modern XT clone with modern ATX connector, compact flash drive, ps2 ports etc
Google for NuXT Turbo XT

[@dave5194]

Love the background art on this version of the game! It's so beautiful

[@tterbo128]

I played this game for hours and hours. It was just impressive to see our XT clone doing any game.

[@tterbo128]

Great video. I use to play this for hours on a CGA monitor. I was surprised to see it had no music. I think the backgrounds are awesome in the game. I'll have to try this with Adlib.

[@newguy371]

I know this is an old comment, but it did actually have music. The problem is the sound can only be played via AdLib. There's a guy in the comments who has a much better explanation.

[@tterbo128]

@@newguy371 Thanks for the info. I will try it with an adlib card. It's not an old comment. Or it is but I feel like I wrote it a month ago. I am hoping to try Tetris again with one of those NuXT's when they are back in stock.

[@newguy371]

@@tterbo128 I did some research, and this version doesn't have music, just sound for the opening text. I think the commentor I was referencing was thinking of Tetris Classic, which was a 1992 rerelease of this version which had a music score created for it.

[@tterbo128]

@@newguy371 Yeah it does not mention Adlib on the box for my MSDOS edition. I figured it might have been a hidden feature.

[@Sebastian_from_Aachen]

Wow, this game was brand new when I played it. I was never aware that I was playing the original Tetris. I always thought it was one of the many clones.
I played it when I was about 7 (88 or 89) at my fathers computer who had an awesome 386 DX40. I got my own 286 a few years later.

[@anthonycassimiro2295]

Although the copyright says 1987, the game actually came out in January of the following year in both the UK and the USA.

[@andrewschumm1848]

Thanks for uploading it.

[@SusuperHands]

did it not have music?

[@Longlius]

It did, but you have to have AdLib hardware installed. Modern PCs don't have compatible hardware, and DOSBox doesn't emulate the AdLib. DOSBox does emulate the Sound Blaster which is mostly compatible, but not all games work.

[@antronargaiv3283]

@@Longlius I didn't have AdLib and I remember sound thru the PC speaker, using some kind of TSR...DOSBox SB emulation isn't good enough for this game, it doesn't think it has a sound card 😞

[@diegogarciamedina6363]

can you please tell me the keys used to play, rotate, move , etc? thanks in advance

[@cainpedersen8911]

7,8,9 and space bar. And press 1 to toggle on the next piece.