Twelve years ago we had this little portable gaming toy that will never compare to today’s PSP, PSVita, Nintendo DS and such. It is generically called ‘brickgame’ and although it has very low graphics allowing only shapes that formed blocks, It allowed us to play snake, tetris and etc.
The younger generation does not recognize such toy because of the rise of gaming and techie giants like Apple, Microsoft, Sony and others. Although others do not acknowledge the existence of such a toy, I am happy to have encountered it. It paved the way for me to know what tetris is and the lessons my freaking mind came up with from my (cheap) gaming experience.
As I have mentioned, it introduced me to the game TETRIS (Nowadays, I usually play it on facebook) which is only considered as a mini game today. This mini game taught me a lot besides having fun even when there are oodles of pending projects and articles to write.
If you really think differently it can teach you a lot.
The idea of tetris is to complete a horizontal line from edge to edge to make it vanish. The more lines, the better and you should never make the mistake of letting the bricks (or whatever they call it) reach the topmost of the screen or else it’s sayonara to you. By the way, the level gets harder as you progress.
I put it this way. The disappearance of a line is like making things happen. The more work you will put to the game, the more lines will disappear. This means the more you work, the more you can make things happen. And the more you can contain the rush of things, the longer your life will be (maybe not the years but the moments will be, I can assure you that). As we progress in life, i can 100% say that it wont get any easier.
Another idea in the game is to fit the right blocks to the right empty spaces. Making the wrong move of putting unfitting blocks on top of each other makes it worse and easier for you to lose the game.
Again, this is what I have deciphered. In order not to get defeated to the usual routine of life which offers failure, we should always make sure things fit other things. We should do things when it is needed, where it should be done and in the best way it should be done. Remember, you don’t want to put pants on your arms.
Ahhh. The HOLD button. This is one of the most important in tetris. If I can see that a block cannot be suited anywhere else, I use the hold button and save it for later. Also, I usually save the long parallel line to make something which I like to call ‘Shalala-4-hit-combo-disappear-block-baby’ which makes 4 edge-to-edge lines disappear instantly and simultaneously! Oh yeah brother!
First of all, there are things we need not rush. HOLD IT! That’s what we say. We wait until the right time to strike and when that time comes, we strike hard!
Second of all, We save things for a rainy day. Saving really helps you in times of trouble and need. It can really be a savior and wipe the despair off your face.
Lastly, is we learn when to let go or hold on to something (or better yet someone :D). And if we hold it and not try to let go, we will not know what could have happened in the game. Maybe if we let it go, it can make things happen and if not. Who knows what could have happened? It may cost us our game dude!
The last thing I can mention about tetris and life is that everything that happens is just an implication of HOW we manage things. That is the sole destiny maker in our life. We can enjoy despite the pressures and like everything, there is something we all recognize as the end. Whether you like it or not, we will all stop playing in the end. Thats not what matters. Instead, what matters is how we play the game.
I’m at a consistent losing streak at tetris. I hate it. Ranked down for how many times now. But I still enjoy playing it. That’s just like life. We may fail and get browbeaten by life itself but hey, that’s life for you. We win some, we lose some. Win or lose, we gain more knowledge and EXP. I keep on losing on tetris but I don’t give up. I keep on getting shoved to the ground but I stand back up again.
On top of everything, Tetris, like life, is just pure good ol’ fashioned fun!
OMNOMNOMNOM 