Tetris: How Little Falling Blocks Changed the World   Many other
games can make this claim. Fanboys will always have their
favorite franchise and title; the Super Marios, Dragon Warriors,
and Final Fantasies all have their defenders, based on sales
and/or passions. Myst even somewhat supplanted Tetris in the
public eye during the mid-90s, though its popularity quickly
faded. Then, of course, there are the old men of the gaming
industry (Pong, Asteroids, Pac-Man, et al) who each have valid
claims founded not just on seniority but also innovation. These
points could be argued ad nauseum, ad infinitum, and et cetera.
What sets Tetris out is its place in the context of history.
Just as the Iron Curtain was beginning to fall, this Soviet
mind-bender crossed the border and unified people from around
the world. Invigorated middle classes throughout the world were
embracing luxuries like never before, with video games as the
perfect mix of Western indulgence and Eastern mastery. The
mid-80s release of Tetris was the