A 13-year-old in Oklahoma became the first player to beat the original 1988 Nintendo version of the game Tetris,
During a live-stream on Dec. 21, Willis Gibson, who goes by the screen name “blue scuti,” shocked viewers by triggering a never-before-documented “kill screen” glitch on Level 157 after 38 minutes of game play.
Willis’ screen froze, and his Tetris score read “999999” as his celebration and shock was caught on video. Previously, human players had only managed to beat the game using a Tetris-playing artificial intelligence program.
“Oh my God,” Willis said upon realizing his achievement. “I can’t feel my fingers.”
Willis said the technique he uses — called “rolling” — helped him achieve faster speeds at the game’s highest levels. The middle-schooler props the controller on his right foot, balances it on his left knew and wears a blue glove on his right hand that allows him to roll or tap, while his left hand pushes down on the buttons and arrows.
Willis told KJRH News that he plays in tournaments across the U.S. and most recently placed third at the Tetris World Championships in October. He said he saves his reward money for a college fund and an occasional bag of candy.
The teen also dedicated the feat to his late father, Adam Gibson, who died in December.
Adam Kemp, Joshua Barajas, Julia Griffin, Tim McPhillips, Erica R. Henry and Dan Cooney produced and edited this post.
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