Tetris (Game Boy)

Tetris is a puzzle game developed by Alexei Pajitnov and originally released in 1984 on the Electronika 60. The Game Boy version, published by Nintendo in 1989, is the edition that made the game a global phenomenon. Bundled with the Game Boy in North America and Europe, it sold tens of millions of copies and is widely credited with driving adoption of Nintendo's handheld hardware in the West.

The Game Boy version was developed by Nintendo R&D1 and retains the core falling-block gameplay of the original while adapting it to the system's 160x144 dot-matrix display and distinctive sound capabilities. The version includes a two-player competitive mode via the Game Boy Link Cable. Its audio, particularly the Korobeiniki arrangement known simply as the Tetris theme, remains one of the most recognized pieces of music in gaming history.

The legal history surrounding Tetris's home console rights is complex. Sega developed a Mega Drive version intended for the Japanese market, but it was pulled from sale due to licensing disputes over home rights. Fewer than ten copies of that version are believed to exist. The Game Boy version survived the legal battles intact and went on to become one of the best-selling Game Boy titles ever released.

The game has since been re-released as Tetris 99 and through the Nintendo Switch Online service, though the specific Game Boy version is not currently available on any official modern storefront.