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| ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
− | {{w|Tetris}} is a game where the player has to manipulate falling blocks into forming complete rows, which will then be deleted and give points to the player. This comic is a play on this, presenting the player with a version of the game with a curved bottom that renders forming flat rows nearly impossible. {{w|Hell}} is a {{w|Religion#Mythology|mythological and/or religious concept}} of a posthumous punishment for wrongdoers, depicted in many religions as eternal torment. Here the Tetris player feels they are in Hell when they try to play this game.
| + | Tetris is a game where the player has to manipulate falling blocks into forming complete rows. This comic is a play on this, presenting the player with a version of the game with a curved bottom that renders forming rows nearly impossible. Hell is a religious concept of a posthumous punishment for wrongdoers, depicted in many religions as eternal torment. |
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− | The title text presents similar situations where frustration is likely to occur. ''{{w|Katamari_(series)|Katamari Damacy}}'' is a video game in which the player controls a sticky sphere which grows by assimilating objects smaller than itself, so gameplay would be extremely frustrating if none of the objects available is smaller than your sphere. ''{{w|Super_Mario_(series)|Super Mario}}'' is a long-running franchise of platforming games; in some of the games (beginning with ''{{w|Super Mario 64}}''), levels are completed by collecting large, golden [https://www.mariowiki.com/Power_Star Power Stars] – so it would be very frustrating if one is impossible to reach. | + | The title text presents similar situations where frustration is likely to occur. ''Katamari Damacy'' is a video game in which the player controls a sticky sphere which grows by assimilating objects smaller than itself. ''Super Mario'' is a long-running franchise of platforming games; in most of the games which utilize a 3-dimensional engine, levels are completed by collecting large, golden stars. |
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− | There actually is a star in ''Super Mario 64'' that is just out of reach in the [https://ukikipedia.net/wiki/A_Button_Challenge A Button Challenge], where the goal is to minimize the number of presses of the A button. The star ''Treasure of the Ocean Cave'' is just 24 units too high to be reached without using the A button, and no alternative method has been found yet to get it without pressing A.
| + | Also see comic [[888: Heaven]], which presents an opposing situation in which the game is trying to help the player win. |
− | As of February 16 2023 however, this star has been solved in 0.5 A presses, which means it only requires A to be held, and not pressed. Thus, in a full-game run, it can use an A press from earlier in the run.
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− | This last part may also be a reference to the {{w|Ancient Greek myth}} of {{w|Tantalus}}; as punishment for cannibalism, he suffers in {{w|Hades}}, confined to a pool with a fruit tree above it. As his punishment, the fruit branches on the tree recoil every time he tries to eat, and the water recedes every time he tries to drink.
| + | There is a playable version of this comic at [http://www.geekosystem.com/xkcd-tetris-hell-game/ geekosystem], which, unsurprisingly, is frustratingly difficult ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reFPscApObs but not impossible]) to play. |
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− | Also see comic [[888: Heaven]], which presents an inverse situation in which the Tetris game provides unfairly perfect pieces to help the player win.
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− | There is a playable version of this comic at [http://www.kongregate.com/games/banthar/hell-tetris Kongregate] which, unsurprisingly, is frustratingly difficult ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reFPscApObs but not impossible]) to play. Another playable version of the game with similar graphics experience and tweaked game design (has an Easy mode and challenge modes) is also released on Itch.io [https://livelycarpet87.itch.io/hell-tet here]. | |
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| ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
− | :[The panel shows the display of a Tetris game where the bottom of the pit is curved into a semicircle making the two blocks at the bottom, a square and a reverse L piece lean crookedly towards each other at the bottom of the pit; an S piece is falling and the next piece is an L piece.] | + | :[A basic Tetris screen is depicted, with a next piece indicator, score and top score, and level listed as 01. The bottom of the pit is curved into a semicircle. A square and L piece are sitting crookedly in the pit; an S piece is falling.] |
− | :Next | + | :HELL |
− | :Top
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− | :000000
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− | :Score
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− | :000000
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− | :Level
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− | :01
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− | :[Below the panel:]
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− | :Hell
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| {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
| [[Category:Comics with color]] | | [[Category:Comics with color]] |
− | [[Category:Katamari Damacy]]
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| [[Category:Video games]] | | [[Category:Video games]] |