In a groundbreaking achievement, 13-year-old competitive gamer Willis Gibson, known as “blue scuti,” has become the first human to reach the elusive “kill screen” glitch in the Nintendo version of the classic computer game Tetris.
This accomplishment, previously only attained by artificial intelligence, marks a historic moment in the Tetris gaming community.
Willis documented his feat in a more than 40-minute video uploaded to YouTube, during which he maintained intense focus and precision gameplay. The video showcases the emotional climax, with Willis screaming in disbelief and stating, “I can’t feel my fingers” as the game reaches the glitched state.
The Tetris “kill screen” is a point beyond the conventional levels, and until now, it was believed to be unreachable by human players. Tetris enthusiasts, including the president of the Classic Tetris World Championship, Vince Clemente, expressed awe at Willis’ accomplishment, emphasising that this achievement was once considered impossible.
Tetris, created by a Soviet software engineer, involves manipulating falling blocks to create solid lines within a box. As players progress, the blocks fall faster, with Level 29 traditionally considered the game’s endpoint due to its challenging speed. Recent innovations in gameplay have pushed these limits, revealing that the game can be taken beyond its intended parameters.
Willis, on December 21, reached Level 157 and triggered the “kill screen” glitch by strategically placing a piece, causing a line of blocks to vanish and freezing the game. The Tetris community, including fellow players and Tetris CEO Maya Rogers, celebrated this extraordinary accomplishment. Rogers described it as a fitting tribute ahead of the game’s 40th anniversary in 2024, praising Willis for defying the established limits of the legendary game.