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How Gen Z is pushing NES Tetris to its limits

Trew, James. 2022. “How Gen Z is pushing NES Tetris to its limits.” Engadget.

Cite as
Trew 2022
Original
https://www.engadget.com/teens-tetris-and-rolling-130002013.html
sha256
42b8471997ba68cff37c3998d0eb8bfb923823271277b807dba853f8d14f28e1
Archived
https://web.archive.org/web/20260818041656/https://www.engadget.com/teens-tetris-and-rolling-130002013.html
Accessed
2026-10-20
Credit
James Trew (Engadget), quoting interviews with Adam Cornelius (CTWC co-founder) and the player Cheez.
Notes
On classic Tetris competition, the move from holding (DAS) to hypertapping and rolling, and the level 29 "kill screen".

Cited on

Claims (6)

"Classic Tetris" usually means this NES version, and the Classic Tetris World Championship plays it on original consoles.section on CTWCsection on CTWCMagazine
Players call level 29 the "kill screen", although the game goes on.section on the maxoutWeb
Engadget describes the level 29 kill screen as a wall for players who hold the D-pad, because DAS can't carry pieces to either edge in time.section on the kill screenMagazine
In competitive classic Tetris, holding the D-pad to move pieces is called DAS, for delayed auto shift.section on Neubauer and SaeleeMagazine
Hypertapping is moving pieces with many quick presses of the D-pad instead of holding it; it spread in competition after a hypertapping player won the 2018 Classic Tetris World Championship.section on Neubauer and Saeleesection on SaeleeMagazine
Rolling, which the player Cheez worked out in late 2020, keeps light pressure on the D-pad while the fingers roll across the back of the controller, and moves pieces faster than hypertapping.section on rollingMagazine