13-Year-Old Tetris Prodigy Hits Historic Milestone, Reaches Kill Screen at Level 157
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Willis Gibson, 13, from Oklahoma, advanced so far in the original Nintendo Tetris that the game froze at level 157. This is the first time a human has "beaten" Tetris in this way.
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Willis has been playing Tetris competitively since 2021 and recently placed 3rd overall in the 2023 Classic Tetris World Championship. He has won several regional tournaments.
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Reaching the Tetris "kill screen" was previously thought impossible for a human. Willis used new "rolling" techniques to keep placing blocks as the speed increased.
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The competitive Tetris scene has a new challenge - to survive as long as possible beyond the usual crash point. Willis has raised the bar and unlocked new frontiers.
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Willis practices about 20 hours per week. He prefers old school games like original Nintendo Tetris rather than newer games. His goal is to win the world championship.