Play Tetris on your fridge [update 1]

by Kevin Kelly { Oct 10th 2006 at 5:25PM }

Tetris has achieved an iconic pop culture status like Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. Its simple and logical gameplay is addictive to the point of madness, and we wore out at least two Game Boys while trying to master it. However, we sure can pack a bag or load a truck a heck of a lot better now.

Tetris has appeared on practically every video game platform since it was introduced in 1985, and regularly pops up in the most unexpected places.
The block stacking phenomenon has appeared in Japanese comedy acts, on the side of a building in milkcrate form, as a set of shelves, as the basis for a Honda commercial, on a merit badge, off the side of Interstate 95 in Rhode Island, as a lotto ticket in Quebec, and on an episode of the Simpsons.

Tetris has spawned dozens of clones, appeared in other Nintendo games like Dr. Mario, and lives on today as Hexic, which was designed by Tetris creator Alexey Pazhitnov. In fact, most of today's popular puzzle games like Bejeweled can trace their roots back to Tetris, which is itself a sort of bizarre twist on Breakout, and that leads directly back to Pong, which takes us back to the beginning of time and makes our heads hurt.

Today it appears on your refrigerator as "Tetrius," courtesy of Art. Lebedev Studio in Russia. It can adorn your fridge this Christmas for only 278 rubles, which is about ten bucks. Check out the other products they offer, it's a bizarre collection of odd products that won't improve your productivity, but will make life a bit more fun.

Joystiq's stocking had better have one of these in it come December, or else we'll make a clone of our own.

[Thanks, laserboyjc! My bad for not thanking you earlier, great find]

Tags: fun, magnet, retro, Tetris

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

crono141 @ Oct 10th 2006 5:37PM

Nice

ill trooper @ Oct 10th 2006 5:35PM

House rules: If you lose you get locked inside the fridge. Seriously though, the inside of my fridge would remind you more of 'Jenga' - watch how you pull out that ketchup!

Invader Alex @ Oct 10th 2006 5:37PM

Can't wait for tetris for my toaster, then truelly tertis will be alible on every system!

Martin @ Oct 10th 2006 6:00PM

And the Joystiq award for most links to Joystiq articles in a single blog post goes to......

Kevin! WTG!!!! Oh yeah good post too!

KAZ @ Oct 10th 2006 5:56PM

599 US DOLLA

Firegirl @ Oct 10th 2006 6:07PM

And I will probably get just as pissed at Tetris on my fridge as I do the game. They never seem to give you a straight piece when you really need it...

laserboyjc @ Oct 10th 2006 7:01PM

No credit for sending the tip to you guys yesterday? Along with the crazy mouse that these guys also sell on their website? Oh well...no biggie but I thought all the official bloggers thanked the person(s) who gave them the lead

Scott @ Oct 10th 2006 7:29PM

Riiiiidddddgggeeee Raaaaaaccceeeerrr

Probot @ Oct 10th 2006 11:53PM

Didn't Pajitnov get the idea from a Russian board game? It was like a puzzle, with each shape being a unique grouping of five blocks (like each tetromino in Tetris, but there are only four blocks in Tetris peices).

I remember seeing him mention it in a video somewhere, but Wiki doesn't mention the game and I can't find it anywhere.