Tetris

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9820918.post-49375343596660312052008-06-01T06:46:00.001-07:002008-06-01T07:01:55.720-07:00Tetris<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_97n1Oq3HFmI/SEKoQWF5RHI/AAAAAAAAAps/_JQGOq-Jd4I/s1600-h/tetris.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_97n1Oq3HFmI/SEKoQWF5RHI/AAAAAAAAAps/_JQGOq-Jd4I/s320/tetris.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206909117955392626" /></a>My parents recently gave me one of the greatest gifts ANY parent could EVER give a child. My old Nintendo. Ole NES. Nintendo Entertainment System - and I am happy to say - Now, I really AM playing with power. Last night Life Partner and I decided to throw in Tetris - and instantly - we were both hooked. I forgot how much I loved this game. Sure it's kind of the "geek game" of all Nintendo Games...hopelessly addictive, and I can't say it's MORE fun that say, Super Mario 3 or Contra (or even Metroid or Kid Icarus for that matter) - there is something about Tetris that is almost...meditative. It relaxes me. Fitting in all the little pieces, stacking up a solid wall of blocks and then waiting for when the game graciously grants you one of those looong skinny pieces so you can slide it down and fit it in the tiny row you had waiting and get one of those big flashy "BLING BLING" double-whammy point-bonus things. My brain and hands go into "auto pilot" mode when you put Tetris in front of me. While my hands and eyes work on automation, manipulating the little pieces like they were putty - my brain goes other places. I map out grocery lists. I make plans to go to the record store the next day to buy such-and-such a CD. I list songs that could make a good mix cd, and who I would give it to. I write lines to use in poems. Sometimes I even think of fun guitar chords. Of course, this is all blown to hell when the game gets into the super high levels and the stress factor is kicked up 10 degrees and the music is blaring at break neck speed. The - all my thoughts are blown to hell, and I'm snapped back into reality - I'm right there, with the game, scanning the screen desperately, clueless and oblivious to how in the WORLD I made it to the 12th or 13th level - but hellbent on finding a way to make it to the next one. And it's over. Explosion. The screen closes up. Silence. If I'm lucky, I'll get a rocket, blasting off into outer space - my congratulations for a game well played. I remember once, when i was maybe 17 or so - I scored so high, I had this gigantic, ginormous rocket - it was huge - it took up half the screen...but only once. Never again. Usually I get the "middle of the road" sized rocket...the red one - it looks like a missle. This is all gibberish, I am sure - to most anyway - those of you have never discovered or experienced the JOY that IS Tetris, regardless of it's terminally lame box and perpetual uncoolness when compared to the likes of Duck Hunt or Mike Tyson's Punch Out...but if you've ever been a Tetris obsessed nerd, I am sure you're nodding your head right now and you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Speaking of which...I can hear that Russian jig in my head right now, beckoning me to the television set, even though it's 9:55am on a beautiful Sunday morning, I'm fully bathed and I'm debating going for a walk. But fuck it. Tetris is THAT good. And I also have The Legend of Zelda, it's gold cartridge glistening just as bright as it did when I got it on my 12th birthday, waiting for me to rediscover it's mythical and uber-hidden secrets... *sigh* hearts, farts and subscriptions to Nintendo Power Magazine... DanDanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09722371555681790981noreply@blogger.com