Tetris Launches with the Game Boy

Setting the scene

Tetris had already become a global puzzle phenomenon on computers and consoles after Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov created it, but handheld gaming still needed a killer app to justify carrying a device everywhere.

What happened

When Nintendo launched the Game Boy in 1989, Tetris shipped in the box in North America and Europe, pairing Henk Rogers's licensed version with a portable screen millions could slip into a pocket.

Why it still matters

Bundling the game with the hardware turned a Soviet puzzle into the defining launch title for handheld gaming and fueled years of Game Boy sales. Memorable detail: licensing fights between Nintendo, Atari, and others had already made Tetris famous before the Game Boy existed.

Background

Licensing battles had already made the puzzle famous.