Thor Aackerlund hits Tetris Level 30 & 999,999 point score (NES)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- www.PatrickScot... - Thor Aackerlund's run on NES Tetris, including a 999,999 maxout score and a trip to Level 30.
Footage provided by Thor Aackerlund personally and posted with permission.
A portion of this footage was later used in the film 'Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters'
![NES Longplay [415] Yie-Ar Kung Fu](/img/n.gif)
Give him even more credit for doing the last part of this with some asshat bangin on his door.
Patrick Scott Patterson is also a surprisingly good Tetris player, and was a competitor during the NWC back in 1990. It's a really good, positive community without a lot of the drama/infighting that one might expect competing over such a competitive title. If you like this video, you owe it to yourself to look up Jonas Neubauer, probably the greatest classic Tetris player ever. He's put a lot more into it than I have, and as such, he's really fascinating to watch.
Thor Aackerlund You're the only man who can stop Jonas
Yes you should compete in next year's ctwc
Oh my god, imagine Thor vs Jonas in the Finals...
*fangirl scream*
just imagine thor vs. jeff.
jk
all memes aside, i want to see you in 2018 so bad. would be awesome.
@@Devanology Joseph Saelee: "Hold my juice box"
All joking aside, there are so many young, talented Tetris players now. The older guys are slowing fading into the background, which is a little sad, but that's just life. They are passing on the torch.
Red Bull sent me a free case after this :)
Thor Aackerlund Haha nice man
Who was knocking on the the door at the end is a question that nobody knows the answer to.
@@Peyethon Haha definitely not a Mom knock. My door would've been kicked in after not getting up to open it after that long 😂
How nice!
This record has since been topped fairly strongly by Joseph Saelee, but I think it's really the legend of Thor that's most significant. It's not about how high of a level he hit. It's the fact that, while the rest of the world wondered if it was even possible, he so nonchalantly claimed he could do it for 20 years and felt no need to prove it. It's the fact that when he finally did prove it, he threw the damned NES on a dresser in a hotel room sideways and knocked it out in one game, having only just turned on the NES, no warm-up. He's so good and yet doesn't even care how good he is.
Thor is kind of like a Babe Ruth or Joe DiMaggio in the world of gaming. It's quite possible he's NOT the greatest of all time. But if he's not, he's damned close, and has a personality and demeanor which create a legend saying he is. Even if he never comes back of retirement, I can't imagine him ever being forgotten by the classic Tetris community.
Well said, and it goes beyond Tetris, too. His winning at the NWC under the pressures he had to do it under.... is a story I wish more knew.
He hit level 30 as a kid. I think a couple times. He is a prodigy and a Tetris god
Not to mention with someone bashing on the door throughout Levels 28 and 29... and then to sign off he signs his Level 30 Maxout "AAGH". #Legend
Also no strategy guides, extensive replays or analysis to learn from, he basically did it 100% on his own.
Angultra it’s the equivalent of learning all the things we can today via the internet but instead in your local library
"My name is Thor, I'm good at games."
me: what games?
Thor: yes
*Knocking*
"Hold on"
*More knocking...*
HOLD ON I'M BEATING ALL WORLD RECORDS IN TETRIS GODDAMNIT!
*Drum knocking keep on*.... Guy lose.... Guy throw the controller right in the tv with such a force, it explose in a bunch of tiny pieces all over the room.
RcUniverseGuy But he started in level 19 and this was the first verified max out beginning on level 19, so he couldn't also go for lines in this same run
Remains so calm while someone is knocking at the door. What a boss!
indeed!
Absolutely insane!
I would have lost my shit if someone was knocking on my door like that at such a crucial time. I got irritated just watching. Dont want to imagine what you were thinking
I tho the same lol, my sister used to knock like that at my door while i was playing some games.
all the semi-final players said 30 was humanly impossible and couldn't be done, and no one believed he had ever done it in 1990-1, he owned and reprsented big time wow
wumpscut1 I’ve made it to 30 and kept it sustained. Granted not to long after but I did it. Some people don’t think I’m human
John J. Rambo No shit, you're Rambo
CrAzYgIrL lol cute. But seriously. I have done it. I’m going to post a video soon when I find my NES and Tetris in my storage. I’ll keep you posted 🙂
its been 2 months rambo, WHERE IS THE VIDEO
BubbleBlink I need to buy a new Tetris cartridge. I found my NES in my storage and plugged it in but it’s not working. I seen a video where you can fix the problem. If that doesn’t work I’ll just buy a new one. But I promise I’ll post my gameplay once I do
Just saw a viewing of Ecstasy of Order with producers Robin and Adam. This final final scene was such a perfect way to end the movie, with the perfect play and final proof of Level 30's existence. Thor, thank you for giving us this gift.
it's amazing how little he celebrated it isn't it?
Komninos Maraslidis - That's the kind of guy he is. He won the biggest video game competition of the pre-"e-sports" era and just shrugs it off as something he did when he was young. Very, very humble.
Patrick Scott Patterson
has anyone else gotten to lvl 30 now?
Komninos Maraslidis I think one other person has done it now.
th-cam.com/video/M8-vtrA9md4/w-d-xo.html
From the sounds of it though, this does not seem to be a standard controller. I believe this is what i heard about last week.
This would make a great Red Bull ad
My dad is from Goteborg, born to a Swedish father and German mother, he was actually a decent tennis player back in the 1960s. He emigrated to the US in 1969 and worked in textiles and later in architecture. I still remember being little and climbing up to see the sophisticated building plans drawn all by hand on a huge swiveling drafting table. He never did adapt to the CAD/computer era, and so functionally retired around the time of the NWC.
The tetris documentary really moved me. You are the real tetris master both in skill and in character in my opinion. I have very few role models, and those few are not rich and powerhungry, fameseeking people, but wise and humble ones. You are one of my role models. The things you said in the documentary really resonated with me. If you are ever planning a trip to Sweden and Norway you are welcome to stay at my place. Best wishes from Norway
Watching this now, as a player of NES and modern Tetris, I am shocked by little. Maxouts are no longer novel - no more than idly impressive, a passing thing to be acknowledged by those that understand its history. Speed and quick thinking, even, are only exceptional in extreme circumstances - the 40-line sprint world record, as of writing this, is at a pace of over 6 pieces per second. That's more than double the speed that come with the killscreen (12-20 frames to drop, 10-18 frames ARE, which makes anywhere from 2 to 2.5 PPS).
The two things in this video that astound me are as follows:
1. He did this without any Tetris community from which to learn. The reason so many people are so good is because everyone is either inadvertently or intentionally bouncing their skills, techniques, and information around with everyone else. He independently developed his abilities.
2. He can hypertap faster than any other player I've ever seen. I'm a hypertapper, and I'm just slightly faster than the ARR - perhaps 11 shifts per second rather than the 10 that would come from perfectly charged DAS. Even jdMfX_ (Joseph Saelee), who's reached level 31 and even scored Tetrises at killscreen speeds, doesn't tap quite as quickly as some of what I see Thor do in this video. At least, I don't think so. It's truly astounding.
Also, in concurrence with what everyone else has said, whoever was knocking so persistently on the door is an asshole.
As an old school gamer, I honestly think developing skills on old school games by yourself is the better way to do it. It's the way we typically HAD to.... and it was interesting back in the day to travel to different places and see totally different techniques on the same games.
When a community shares their tactics with one another, most of these players become copies of each other to a point... and I honestly think it keeps some players from having the deepest level of knowledge possible about a game. Sure, maybe they can play a game well, but they didn't get their through their own trial and error and learning process.
It's a big part of why so many modern "world record" gamers have such a hard time believing some of the old school scores. It's lost on many of them that someone can thrive by learning a game on their own because they learn things differently that way. Even with a lot of disputed scores later being proven possible, they continue to go that way.
I totally agree - developing versus learning skill is a fascinating topic to further explore. However, I do think the modern environment within retro gaming communities surmounts the independent learning that characterized gaming before the internet. Despite the dwindling of that, the camaraderie and sense of community that comes with so many people coming together over passion for a game that’s still being played 30 years after its initial release is a beautiful thing. It seems to me like the ability to make friends in this way outweighs the dynamic of gaming in the 80s and 90s. That’s just me, though.
Depends on if those communities are positive or toxic about it all. You can still find the old way out there, though... go to the right retro arcade or event and we're back in the days where people remembered it was about fun first and foremost as they learn and enjoy games they hadn't before.
He has a perfect command of the game at level 19 speed. I didn't notice any misdrops or mistakes. He's like a machine.
@Sam F313 Nice catch. Unless he meant to do that!
Just watched 'Ecstasy of Order" and am completely blown away by this. Thor, you have yet another fan. Thanks for showing us all what's possible.
A douche of EPIC proportions coming in knocking -- and continuing to knock after seeing what's happening. BTW, that is the most clutch play I've ever seen from levels 22 to 24. AND the long bar was the lowest piece count. Amazing
Don't answer the door, it's Billy Mitchel.
🤣 He probably would try sabotaging another gamer's record attempt.
So this is the guy who won the 1990 Nintendo World Championship
Yes.
I was 13 at the time and I would have beat him
John J. Rambo Nobody cares.
MonsterStab3 you sound like one miserable little kid. I guess mommy forgot to give you your meds this week.
If you have a problem with my comment then just kindly fuck off and don’t respond to it. Simple as that
MonsterStab3 and FYI he was also 13 dumbass. We were both born in 77
LOL playing level 30 and some asshole is banging on the door to the Tetris theme
I'm amazed at how well he switches well positions. This video really is like watching someone paint a masterpiece
What do you mean he shouldn't? Obviously he should have because it got him to level 30. The ignorance factor in some comments is still astounding even after 30 years of internet.
support for KJ and the extra info for explanation (that im sure you know but didnt mention): - the blocks DONT flip evenly, in both rotational directions so the long bar has an 'easier' travel distance to move to the RIGHT edge well in faster time than to left, making it safer/succsesful easier. that is the answer, but the fact Thor sticks the well whereever and works with it and doesnt immediately work to realign it to the right side just shows how good he is , to build where he likes
Very true, a lot of players seem to build from left to right and Thor has to ability to seamlessly transition from left to right and right to left builds. I genuinely find it mesmerises and somewhat satisfying to watch him build like a human robot
@@MidwestFarmToys You're not wrong, but players like Thor and Harry can confidently manage left wells. I think they're well aware of their limits and capabilities. It doesn't feel right to coach them especially since they're among the world's most successful Tetris players.
I uploaded this in early February 2011 and just today realized it'd been sitting unpublished since just a few hours after I did so. The reasons for unpublishing it are long since passed, so it's back up.
Watch... this is a true master at work here. Friggin' artwork - th-cam.com/video/T6mvDOKOIqY/w-d-xo.html
gg wp :)
Very impressive, monsieur
I'm so happy Thor was able to do this! I was really touched by his story and I think it's so cool that he was able to put all of the doubts to rest!
It's still crazy to me that thor tapped that quickly with a das-like grip.
Thor. He was and is miles away from any other competitor. Both in Tetris skills and character. Think, he did this over 20 years ago. He is humble and does not brag or "showoff". I truly admire him. I have to admit i was tearing up at the end of the documentary. Truly touching. What a life story.
Yep, the powers that be had a good point, that this would be something of a spoiler for people who hadn't seen the film yet.
This deserves way more views. This is an amazing feat that showcases just how incredible the human mind can be.
+Neon Coco Or just
how destroyed Tetris can be.
One of the most impressive things about this video is the person banging on the door during the most critical time in the game. It's a testament to Thor to be able to focus on the game and not allow himself to get distracted.
They're still knocking to this day
This is the greatest advert for RedBull in the entire world. They should pay Thor for use of the video, it wouldnt need editing.
It would be way more successful than any RedBull advert so far.
Boom! tetris for Jeff!!!!!
There was a moment in the Doc where it appears as if the other players doubted Thor's 30 way back when. Lot's of "impossible" thrown around. This humble submission made the ending all the more better because of that. Good Job! There's still only one name on the Twin Galaxies Highest level list.
Damn, while someone was constantly knocking on the door at the most crucial part of the game. The Might Thor shows us the "unknown". Fricken Amazing. Hats off to you. Funny at the end its the same music as "Don Flamingo" from Mike Tyson's Punch out.
Also, : Ben Mullen, Alex Kerr, Robin Mihara, Harry Hong, Louie Skouie, Dan Z, and a bunch of others that all have very unique abilities and are truly world class people as well as players.
I was watching the documentary and towards the end I Googled Tetris level 30 to see if it ever was done and the first TH-cam hit was this video and at the same time on my TV screen it showed the same screen and was so pumped it was Thor who did it after all the other Tetris Masters doubted him. Honestly I kind of did too. Good shit!!
Congratulations Thor, I recently watched "Ecstasy of Order The Tetris Masters" and while I loved the documentary it was tough to watch you fall short at the Championships. We were pulling for you, especially after hearing the tough times you've had throughout your childhood and later life, and we really wanted you to come out on top. Anyway, when this video was shown in the film and now seeing it again, I can't help but smile. You did what all of them thought impossible.. just amazing.
Truly the best Tetris player who ever lived. Doing what no one else ever did, or has done since.
Edit: A much greater feat was accomplished in Tetris now. The game has been beaten for real. The true kill screen was reached by a human player. His name is Willis Gibson, and as of now he has surpassed Thor.
400KrispyKremes pretty sure 2 people have done it since ur comment koryan and some other guy
getting to lvl 30 that is
And Hary kong
As could - and have Koryan and Harry as well
RcUniverseGuy actually jazuca brandy aka Jani reached lvl 30 and maxed out recently
I wish I had an ounce of your humility. It is inspiring to see a guy who beat lvl 29 before anyone else, still be so humble. Really classy guy! Especially how you promoting others instead of yourself very refreshing!
I calculated his final score to be 1,043,699.
Also at 0:58, he got the T piece all the way over to the left 12 blocks from the bottom. That's 5 taps in at most 12 frames, which is well over 20hz
Seems fishy to me. All pieces move horizontally too fast. The knocking at the end was so over the top and even Fisher. no one cheats in video games though, so nothing to see here.
That's only 8 eight, 2 higher than DAS. 5 taps in 22 frames could be as low as 11.4 Hz
@@SpiderWaffle but if you watch in slow motion or go frame by frame (you can use period and comma to go back or foreword one frame respectively on desktop) you can see that the piece reaches the left wall well before it actually lands
@@Chase3141 Yes! can't believe I didn't check that, I used to go frame by frame to check speeds years ago.
This was 13 high, or 12 frames, which would be 21.8Hz minimum, he did get the first frame tap, but the last tap might have been a frame sooner for 11 frames and 24Hz. Based on the phosphor decay from the last recorded frame it's more likely it was 11 frames or 24Hz.
that knocking in the end made me rage so hard even from only watching him play
The best part is that he just turns on the cartridge and does it on the first try!
The more I think about it, the more I realize that Thor, assuming a world where he kept interest in the game and wanted to keep improving, is on a completely higher level of expertise compared to Jonas or Joseph or Koryan. I get that he leave the past behind and be known for something besides winning the NWC, but it’s always fun to think what could have happened. It’s also interesting to think that he may have been the first person to get a 1.2 million game and the only person to get a 1.3 million game but the technology had not been developed and he didn’t bother to track or prove it when he was a teen.
I agree with that. He was able to pull this stuff off way back when despite the pressure that came with it. In the modern day, he is a casual player at best and yet he can do stuff most people cannot. If for some reason he ever chose to dedicate himself to joining the growing competitive community that surrounds it, he'd show that he's probably the best that ever played it pound-for-pound. It was effortless for him.
came here from _Ecstasy of Order_
having heard the stories of Thor I couldn't be happier that he was able to pull this off
hats off, sir, your are THE legend.
if that was me about to hit level 30 and some dude starts knocking i would be yelling some choice words
Literally a perfect game. Never seen anything so clean in my life.
You people are forgetting he started at level 19. Thor is my hero.
And this is the second tim he has done this, the first time he didn't record it. Amazing... I wish I was a god like you.
I have just watched Ecstasy of Order: TTM. And this final scene totally wrecked me. The Tetris world and its community is just so inspiring.
Wow this is unbelievable. Big up to all the guys in the Ecstasy of Order documentary. True masters of order.
The mythical dragon of NES Tetris
The man just filmed a feat of inhuman proportions..Reaction?.. Only a little table drum-roll.
You, Thor Aackerlund are in my list of extraordinary people. Yuri Gagarin, Art Tatum, Albert Einstein, Vincent van Gogh, Nicola Tesla, Thor Heyerdahl, Jesse Owens and Ghandi.. I know it's the last thing you want to hear I assume but you are one of the greats.
I really wish we had better quality video. This is probably the best game of Tetris ever played.
Josh Barnett at the time yes today heck no
*_Spots Red Bull_*
Red Bull gives your tetriminos wings.
Level 29 looks a lot faster than 28, right ?
SYQmusic Yep, it is twice as fast.
From levels 19-28, the piece falls a row every two frames. At 29, the piece falls a row every frame.
29 is supposed to be this game's kill screen (like level 256 in Pac-Man), but this guy killed it!
Anyone knows if he said the speed in 19-28 are 1 row every 2 frames why does it seem like 28 is a lot faster then 19
It's not, but I used to think that when I was a kid...took awhile to catch on to the repeating levels.
It's really your brain playing tricks on you.
It was never "supposed" to be a kill screen. In fact the only thing stopping people from passing 29+ is being able to mash the d-pad fast enough. If you set autofire on left/right 29+ is actually playable.
I love how he just kept switching from left to right to center well like it's nothing
Also think about the huge gap in time between when he first did it (when the game was new) and here as an adult.
Piles on to the "let's make this impressive" list....heh.
Goes beyond those just in the film. NO competitive player on the NES player thought 29 was passable... at one point.
I knew there were people better than me!
He is hypertapping during this. listen to the rhythm of the controller. amazing. truly the OG grandmaster of tetris. much love and respect.
I like how he puts back the can when he's finished. It's as if he did it with one hand. :-D
Like others below I just watched 'Ecstasy of Order The Tetris Masters', very nerdy, nostalgic and great fun! Really warmed to all the characters, Thor such a humble guy, props to ya for sort of 'quietly' putting this through (least that's how i saw it at the end..)
Reminded me of being a 10 year old with my first classic gameboy and tetris, thinking it was incredible I got to level 13, mind blown... haha. Thanks for posting. :))
Truly a legend ahead of his time. Not a single misdrop that I noticed before level 29. So sick
@7:51, bravest move in the history of tetris... that line would max, but instead he shrugs that off and builds his well higher and higher!!!!
Nice run! As a teenager I used to joke that I was the greatest Tetris player in the world. I'd hit level 00 (30) daily and could still throw down another few dozen lines once they just went straight down as they do. Hit over 300 a couple of times. Its been years, no idea if I've lost a step, but I still have the original nes, cartridge, and pad. I'll pick it up in the new year and see if I can still hit that mark. Will record and post if so.
Yep. We all totally believe you.
Matty Artell - Mah... no reason to automatically dismiss him, either. Nobody believed Thor back in the day... and given the popularity of this game it's entirely possible others did it, too. Not like there was internet back then for people to discuss such things easily.
Nice Red Bull ad
Not just nice. The best Red Bull ad ever. Composed guy doing a world record in one of the most iconic games (if not THE most iconic game)
Thor is such a cool name for competition
This has got to be the single greatest tetris game ever played.
and they said it couldn't be done, one word legend, and all round nice guy was rooting for you thor
I remember as a kid I played Tetris a lot, it just give me memories of it, I can´t remember if I started at lvl 9 or 19, but I'm pretty sure I lost at 242 lines because it happened like your video, once you reach those lines, be able to do more is nearly impossible!!
Great video!
I can't comprehend this. Simply can't.
I can really appreciate the concentration and dedication it would take to achieve this. Way to go Thor
Indeed it is...I recently watched a movie documentary with this footage included in the film. I never really played Tetris as it was before my time. What an amazing feat...something that even the best players in the world never thought could be done.
great documentary and amazing feat.
lvl 9 is level 19. the first ten levels are at the same speed, at lvl 11 it gets faster. that's why you can choose levels 0,1,2 for different speeds.
Seemed like a great guy from the documentary. Congratulations man.
+Geoffrey Sangston - Thor is a great guy, and very humble.
Wow just unbelievable I did watch ecstasy of order the Tetris master and all hail Thor
Apparently this is actually a red bull commercial
anything is possible now that you've beaten level 29, you should try flying or bending spoons with your mind next, or astral projection remote viewing/time travel. i am dead fucking serious
and this is now on on youtube!!!!!!!
Best CRT recording ever! This is crystal clear!
pretty crazy and he started at level 19.
Basically how I'm handling life right now.
Good
Well I hope that's still true after 4 years.
i only ever did this once. elsewhere on YT you can see others doing it several times over... if you are one of the few that actually accomplishes this, congrats!
I was proud to reach level 17 or 18 on the GameBoy... this guy just goes to 30, not to mention that the GameBoy doesn't have this kill screen. Incredible, just incredibly, beautyful play. 👍
IT'S. SO. BEAUTIFUL :'D. Watching this for the umpteenth time seemed a fitting choice when I noticed today's date. Thanks for saving me precious moments rifling through my DVDs. I intend to use the cached time productively, but will--most likely--fail to meet that target. Perhaps I'll just watch it again, and consider that the temporal balance spent.
Quite possibly the most amazing feat in the history of video games. So beautiful
what a legend 27
Level 19 starts, wow. Even in tournaments to this day, level 18 starts are the default
'How good you wanna be at Tetris?'
Thor Aackerlund: 'Hell fucking yes!'
I just witnessed greatness. I'll buy you a beer.
i think its so awesome Thor did this, much cooler than any sports accomplishment.
The amazing part is how he can burn or leave incomplete a single line and effortlessly clear them, burning the awkward pieces before the longbar, and always in time, to go single or tetris so consistently is a complex strategy. Thor makes it look so easy to stack and clear, but those gaps or singles are what trips me up. I've never seen anyone leave gaps, then clear them so fast, smooth and strategically for a tetris everytime.
Sorry he does some doubles and trips, but to me this game goads you into perfect stacking, then gives an impossible piece. If you can't burn lines, and rebuild proportionally with the drop you get buried. Who the hell was at the door???
had that been me:
*casually set red bull down*
*opens door and punches younger brother for breaking my concentration*
*sits down, sips more red bull and proceed to run it back*
well done though, sir. well done.
This is video game history and nobody even knows it. Sad this video isn't viral.
It is used in a movie. It's been seen :p
Look around. Please tell me your question is not serious.
This is the highest level of video game skill I think I've ever seen.
Door person: Not just a Jehovah's Witness, but also a Tetris Master.
Geez,awesome!Thor you are alien,man hehe.Amazing proportion of tetrises,left ,right,center well.....what comes with the flow.Trully enjoyed watching this
You can start on levels 10-19 by holding A while pressing start.
Soviet Tetris Authorities knocking on the door to record this score officially.
8:27-8:52 the sweetest sound
It's not that uncommon for actors/participants to not watch the movie in which they participated, though in this case it sounds more like bluecar himself didn't watch EoO and didn't know Thor was a participant.
Wow. This video made me speechless. Fruktansvärt bra spelat Thor. :)