Have you ever experienced the Tetris effect?

I’m afraid I haven’t. At least not yet anyway. It sounds mildly stimulating in a rather mundane kind of way.

Recently I have been playing Tetris a lot on the Wii and after a couple hours of playing I randomly visualize, in my head, ways to fit the tetrominoes into random places.

A few years ago I used to play checkers online constantly. I would also visualize making different moves in my head with this game.

Another effect I’ve noticed is after playing a game with a lot of squares on the screen for a while and then looking away for a bit at, say, text on a web page, everything looks for squarish.

That happens to me in everything I spend a significant amount of time doing. When I was younger and waited tables, I would have dreams about that, and do it in my head all the time. Now it’s other things. Knitting, certain parts of my current job, etc. If I change my facebook status several times in one day, I’ll start thinking in “status updates”. I could go on and on…

I had it after playing Mariokart on the Super Nintendo for 12 hours straight.

I could see that little read-and-white ball-headed mushroom guy bouncing around corners for ages afterwards.

Yes. I don’t believe I played for an excessive amount of time, but I would start dreaming about Tetris. I didn’t know it had a name…but I know the same thing has happened to friends.
Mine didn’t go further than dreaming about it.

I have a Voyage 200 and I was constantly playing it.
The Tetris effect I had was always at night while I was trying to fall asleep. I could play in my head for hours and it never stopped. For it to stop I had to get up and listen to music to think of something else.

Stopped playing Tetris because of that…

Not with tetris, but there was a point in time when my dreams were plagued by Screw attacking my way through places.

I had a computer class my senior year of high school. Basically I played tetris for an hour and a half every day. Almost. Let me add that I was SOOOOOOO damn good at it. People gathered to watch and cheered me on. lol. Anyhow eventually EVERYTHING i saw I would think how that would fit together with other things around it. I miss high school.

More recently, what kinda goes along with this, I started working at UPS a month and a half ago. I load trucks, and to make everything fit you have to build walls out of the packages. Its pretty much like tetris, making everything fit together perfectly and “locking” them into one another. But sometimes, often actually, I’ll leave work and see buildings or anything and think about how those buildings would look if they were in my wall at my truck. LIke, I’ll think “wooaaaah, those buildings would make a perfect wall! If I had a box of this specific size, it would fit PERFECTLY in between those two houses!”

I worked as a grocery cashier. Things fit in bags like they were Tetris pieces: cans, long rolls of foil, broccoli. we always joked about using the game to train the new baggers.

oh look! almost 10000!

When I worked the register as a teen, I used to dream about taking money from people, giving change, punching numbers, etc.

Last year when I was really bored whilst having nothing to do (other than revise) I used to play the facebook tetris ALOT, especially between lectures and sleeping. I often used to visualise patterns of tetronimoes and ‘see’ the shapes fit into each other. I could also occupy myself by playing a game (although it probably wasn’t an accurate replica of the tetris program for a) my memory/processing wouldn’t be able to handle it and b) I never lost :p).

I find similar “effects” such as today when I experienced the “Call of Duty” effect. Despite only really playing the game for 1–2 hours today and maybe 2–3 hours yesterday, I visualised playing the online game in my head. I didn’t suppose it was just memory based on the fact I was “pwning” the game when I visualised it, but in reality I quite suck (compared to everyone else).

@laureth you’re at 10000 exactly!!!! how lovely!! :) congratulations, there!

A girl at work was playing Tetris on one of those little Gameboy things, I asked if I could check it out. At the end of the day I asked if I could take it home. I played it in bed before I fell asleep, and the first thing I did when I woke up the following day was reach for it to get an hour or two in before work. At work, every time I had a spare 30 seconds I’d play. I did experience the falling block visualizations, but it didn’t bother me. This was some years ago, if it happened now I’d immediately stop playing. I didn’t return the Gameboy for a good 10 days or so, and when I did my co-worker said “it’s hard to stop isn’t it”. Thinking back, the falling blocks were pretty creepy. I didn’t give it much thought tho, I was too busy playing.

@FutureMemory “to get an hour or two in before work” HAHAHAHA excellent that made me laugh loudly

Yep. Like most people here, I just used to play a whole lot of Tetris. My love for it rekindled a little while ago when I discovered Tetris Friends on Facebook, a multiplayer, competitive variant of the game.

Note: Do not search it out. It will devour your mind!

I’m going to hunt down a Gameboy now. No joke.

I’ve experienced it with one of the Diablo games. For a while there we were playing it a lot and then went to a street fair. For a split second I wanted to be able to use a frost ring to clear the street. :^>

Oh, and if you really want to test your patience… try completing one line of Tetoris.

http://gprime.net/game.php/tetoris

Go ahead, I dare ya.

Yes! I never knew there was a name for this. I was such a tetris fiend as a kid, I used to see tetris blocks falling down the chalk board all the time at school.

This is interesting – the number of people who like Tetris. I have always regarded it as mind numbingly boring. After playing it for an hour or two it lost all interest for me, though my wife still plays it on occasion. Back in 1984 when it was first released, another game, Boulder Dash was also released. That game I did become very involved with, often playing late into the night until all levels were completed. Then using the level editor to create more while waiting for a new release with more levels. That was a fun game that did keep you thinking about it while away from a computer.

I’ve experienced the Tetris effect, but it was often more about my brain converting abstract concepts into Tetris shapes and fitting them together, rather than actually seeing physical objects around me fitting together. I have had similar effects with chess. Also, when I’m doing a lot of programming I start to dream in code. And right now I’ve been reading all the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I think in Edwardian English.

I absolutely have. I, also, was a Tetris prodigy in HS (and Netris champion in the Sun Lab).

I also accredit the Tetris effect with my speeding ticket down the street from my house, shortly after playing Gran Turismo in HS.

I think the Tetris effect isn’t limited to games, though—I think any constant stimuli produces lasting effects—look at the way that your perceptions and feelings (I’d even say your “reailty”) is altered in a relationship—and how that slowly normalizes after you’ve broken up.

Yes I have! Wow I didn’t know there was a name for this I thought I was just a freak. Sometimes after playing Tetris during the day I play it in my head while trying to fall asleep. Kinda distracting form trying to fall asleep.

I’ve had that even before I started playing Tetris. I always wanted things to fit perfectly, and make space. My mother’s fridge was always a mess, and I remember even as a quite young child (I spent many hours at home alone when she was working) I would go to the fridge and tidy things up, or even do it in cupboards, bookshelves and so on. It never became an obsession or anything, I am generally tidy but only slightly more than the average person. It’s just that my mother was so chaotic that life was unbearable and we could never find anything.

So when Tetris came out I was already a pro. Didn’t play it all that much, but yeah, I noticed shapes of things even more during that period. And know many other people who went through the same phase (when the original Tetris first came out there were not that many other games to choose from except maybe Pacman and Space Invaders).

Something similar happens if I play some other game too much, but I don’t do that very often. It has happened a couple of times though.

Yeah, I have. I’ve done it with multiple video games, especially if they’re puzzles. I have dreams about them and I see the shapes when I close my eyes. I know multiple people who have had the same experience.

I have never bothered with Tetris, and only played video games when I was trapped in the house for two years due to four foot surgeries.

However, I have had a similar effect occur each time I have gotten swept up into a new hobby or fascination. I often delve very deeply into something when it is new to me, and so begin eating, sleeping, breathing and dreaming the subject. The last time this happened was when I got fascinated by antique buttons when I was given my grandmother’s and great grandmother’s button boxes.

I figure my brain does this because I may be mildly ADD and so become hyperfocused on whatever new thing has intrigued me.

Yeah. After I play a lot of tetris, I see the pieces in little bathroom tile and while I’m falling asleep. I had no idea this was an actual thing with a name though! Neat. :)

@Darwin: When I first got into stained glass I starting seeing more of it everywhere. I can still be watching a show and see stained glass, replay and freeze the image to get a good look at it. My husband will laugh at me. “Don’t you wanna know if he’s a vampire?” “Sure. After I look at that lamp for a minute.” :^>

@cyndyh My dad is like that with stained glass too! He LOVES it. He notices it everywhere.

When I was a Freshman in college (1989/1990), my cousin had an NES, I did not. I went to visit and I think for whatever reason there was a long period of time when I was there and he was not, so I played Tetris, probably logged about 6 hours of game time over 2 days. For the next week, I couldn’t get the game out of my head, every time I closed my eyes I saw falling blocks, and yes, I thought about how things would fit together. It was trippy.

Not from computer games. But back in my college days I used to occupy myself during finals by doing 500-piece Springbok jigsaw puzzles. I started dreaming in puzzle-piece shapes and envisioning the fit of things around me. I can’t say that it helped me more than studying would have, but neither can I say that it didn’t. Pure right-brained stuff was a major relief from what I’d have been doing otherwise.

It happens all the time because I’m such a tetris addict. Even if I ignore Tetris for a month or so, it’s still a regular occurrence. I generally arrange my belongings in compact formations too.

@Grisaille A few months ago I actually played for 45 minutes trying to line up a tetris, and finally made a mistake. SO PAINFUL. I still haven’t cleared a line…

@deni : it’s good to know I’m not the only one.

Yes I experienced it with certain games. I would dream about the game and spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to beat it and forget everything and everyone around me for a while!

I’ve never played any of those computer games, but I do sometimes imagine how some things I see around me would as a design on a cross-stitch or needlepoint gift.

I got it when halo first came out. I would randomly hear grunts screaming.

@Beta_Orionis I had pretty much the same experience.

@uberbatman When Halo first came out, I started seeing cars as projectiles. That is, I’d imagine a million different scenarios how I could launch it in the air with 50 grenades sparked with a well placed rocket.

Yes, I have. I didn’t know there was a name for it at the time.

I’m having a really hard time right now as I play Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii, every time I see something shiny, I want to point my right hand at it and pick it up.

I had this happen with other games and activities. The most horrifying one was the game Carmaggedon, I’d be driving around thinking about hitting people with my car to get a pile driver bonus. I had very vivid dreams (nightmares) of actually playing out the game in reality. Scary stuff, I loved the game though and didn’t stop playing until I completely burned myself out of it.

@limeaide I had very vivid dreams (nightmares) of actually playing out the game in reality.

There was an instance back in 2001 or so where it was used as defence when a drunken teenager had jumped a median strip and rammed another car. He claimed that he thought that he was playing Carmageddon. He still went to prison.

One time I was sick for about 5 days & i killed time by doing word searches. About the 4th day, I started having nightmares. To me it was nightmares, because everytime I closed my eyes I saw letters & hidden words. It was torture, because it wouldn’t disappear until 2–3 nights after.

I have Grand Theft Auto Effect. I go out and I want to shoot everyone in the face.

When I was 30 maybe for a few weeks competing with my wife.

@DarkScribe I vaguely remember hearing something about that. I could see that I played so much it was very vivid even during the day. I still had a connection to reality and believe he should’ve went to jail.

Last night, for the first time, I realized I was playing Bejeweled in my head. I wonder if that has something to do with reading about the Tetris Effect. (I haven’t experienced the TE since grade school).

I forgot to mention that I don’t just visualize falling blocks at random, after having left the actual screen or gaming platform, I continue to play Tetris. Including mistakes and level ascension.

OMG! I love Tetris and have experienced this! I didn’t know there was a name for it.

I found an EXCELLENT new one! The game is called Braid. It’s an enchanting and challenging puzzle/platform game available for PC’s and Max (not sure about Linux distros though,) is $15, and totally worth it.

Now when I’m out in public as a passenger in my Husband’s silver PT cruiser, when we encounter another, I feel as though it’s an earlier version of us, off to complete some helpful task. I’ve also been walking backwards randomly, without intending to.

@Beta_Orionis That was a huge hit on xbox live at the end of last year. It’s a wonderful game. You must needs play portal if you get a chance.

portal is teh awesomeness. Shame it was so short :(

@andrew I still plan on playing Portal at some point, but being part of an intensely geeky community has led to all memes and secrets being spoiled. :P Based on those two recommendations, I’m assuming you were also a fan of BioShock and the Half (Lives?)?

Tetris, Frogger, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Dead Rising, Harvest Moon, Solitaire, Fable II
I usually take this as a sign that I need to get out of the house and put down the game…

yeah ditto @La_chica_gomela this happens with almost anything i do—a song will play in my head that i have been listening too, I see little images jumping around and fighting when i close my eyes to drift asleep…pretty much everything is like that (I think I might have an overactive mind)

YES!! When I was little, I would play this one level of Mario Brothers over, and over, and over again. I couldn’t think about anything else. I would see it playing over and over in my head as I was going to sleep. Lately, I haven’t had that kind of time, so it doesn’t happen so much, thank goodness. Now, I might move my fingers as if I’m typing a smiley face as I’m smiling. I chat on FB too much.

Tetris has long been one of my favorite games, and yes, I have had dreams related to the game. I have also had similar dreams relating to my day job.