If there is one collectible NES game that has legendary I.P. conflict written all over it, then it has to be Tengen Tetris. Atari-controlled company Tengen, you see, despite apparently only having the rights for the computer versions of Tetris, went on and produced an excellent port of the game for Nintendo's 8-bit console. But, with Nintendo having already acquired the Tetris rights on consoles (only) and producing -an inferior, though legally superior- version of the game, Tengen was forced to withdraw and remove its cartridges from shops worldwide. Thus Tengen's Tetris became a rarity. A rarity you can now grab for a modest price by following this Tengen Tetris NES eBay link. Seller ships worldwide.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tengen Tetris NES
If there is one collectible NES game that has legendary I.P. conflict written all over it, then it has to be Tengen Tetris. Atari-controlled company Tengen, you see, despite apparently only having the rights for the computer versions of Tetris, went on and produced an excellent port of the game for Nintendo's 8-bit console. But, with Nintendo having already acquired the Tetris rights on consoles (only) and producing -an inferior, though legally superior- version of the game, Tengen was forced to withdraw and remove its cartridges from shops worldwide. Thus Tengen's Tetris became a rarity. A rarity you can now grab for a modest price by following this Tengen Tetris NES eBay link. Seller ships worldwide.
I never knew of that conflict. Pretty interesting, and here I thought Nintendo invented the whole Tetris thing up...
ReplyDeleteI keep saying you should teach this stuff in a college course ya' know!
And I keep answering that -unfortunate as it might be- universities are quite specific about what an urban geographer should lecture about :p
ReplyDeleteOh, and do google "Pajitnov"...
yeah, I would of moved over here too if I invented Tetris.. Prob good he did- looks like he did the Hexic series as well, which I like.
ReplyDeleteSee? He's a bloody genius!
ReplyDelete