A major moment for the Tetris community happened when 16-year-old Michael Artiaga has achieved what many thought impossible. Known online as “dogplayingtetris,” Artiaga became the first player to clear level 255 in the NES version of Tetris, reaching a state players call “rebirth.”
This happened during a livestream on Twitch, where hundreds of viewers watched Artiaga play for 80 minutes, clearing an impressive 3,300 lines. This achievement shows a new level in Tetris gameplay. It highlights how techniques like rolling and hypertapping have expanded what players can do in this classic puzzle game.
Artiaga’s journey to level 255 wasn’t without its obstacles. Using a modified version of the Tetris NES ROM to prevent crashes beyond level 155, he faced a particularly daunting challenge at level 235. Due to a glitch, this level required clearing 810 lines, a task that took Artiaga 20 grueling minutes to complete.
After conquering level 255, Artiaga didn’t stop there. He continued playing until reaching level 91 in the new cycle, setting a world record score of 29,486,164. This score surpassed the previous record by over 12 million points, cementing Artiaga’s place in Tetris history.
The young player’s achievement not only represents a personal triumph but also proves that endless play in Tetris is possible. This creates new opportunities for the competitive Tetris scene, and players are already wondering who will be the next to reach the milestone of a “double rebirth.”
Artiaga’s feat comes shortly after another teenage Tetris player, Willis “Blue Scuti” Gibson, became the first person to “beat” the original NES Tetris by reaching its crash point at level 157 earlier this year.
The quick progress in the Tetris community shows the ongoing passion and skill development for this classic game.
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