View Full Version : Tengen Tetris
obesolete
09-29-2009, 10:18 PM
I just got a copy of Tengen Tetris for my 3 year anniversary... i know, I have an awesome boy.
I only ever knew of one other person who had a Tengen copy and that was many, MANY moons ago.
It got me thinking though, being pulled from shelves, exactly how many copies DID end up getting sold and circulated? There must have been quite a few considering there's ALWAYS a few on ebay.
You guys are pretty knowledgeable, anyone know a somewhat near number? I can't really find much on sales figures.
ice1605
09-29-2009, 10:25 PM
Nice! Tengen Tetris's rarity is usually overstated, but it is somewhat common. I think that it was sold in many major retailers, like Toys R' Us, before Nintendo strong-armed them into pulling it, but since it got a nationwide release, there were a fair amount of copies sold. It wasn't produced as much as the other Tengen games, which drives up the rarity. Sorry, but I don't have any specific sales figures.
SparTonberry
09-29-2009, 10:32 PM
I remember reading an interview quite awhile go, and I think I remember the number sold being around 50,000 before Nintendo got it ruled illegal.
norkusa
09-29-2009, 10:40 PM
I remember reading an interview quite awhile go, and I think I remember the number sold being around 50,000 before Nintendo got it ruled illegal.
Really? I thought I remember reading an interview with Ed Logg years ago where he said close to 200,000 copies were sold before they were pulled. I could be totally wrong though.
kedawa
09-30-2009, 01:17 AM
I think all of the manufactured cartridges eventually made their way into circulation.
GarrettCRW
09-30-2009, 02:16 AM
Really? I thought I remember reading an interview with Ed Logg years ago where he said close to 200,000 copies were sold before they were pulled. I could be totally wrong though.
That was in an interview done by |tsr. Said interview noted that 200K was actually a pretty healthy print run, even when compared to some licensed games.
obesolete
09-30-2009, 08:56 AM
200k, wow.
50k sounds more reasonable... because it was only realeased for about a month, correct?
it's not like it was a huge name release that was being sought after before it's actual release. But then again, i'm just speculating.
Either way it's a good conversation piece, ... and a enemy maker with that 2-player coop mode. That's a sure way to end friendships.
MachineGex
09-30-2009, 09:20 AM
I have only seen 2 copies in the wild over the last 15 years. One loose copy for $5 and I just bought a complete copy last week for $1.99 . Back in the early 90's, stores were asking crazy amounts for it, $200-300.
obesolete
09-30-2009, 09:29 AM
I have only seen 2 copies in the wild over the last 15 years. One loose copy for $5 and I just bought a complete copy last week for $1.99 . Back in the early 90's, stores were asking crazy amounts for it, $200-300.
Yeah, i WISH my boyfriend had payed $5 for mine...
We saw it last week up at our local shop and nearly died at the $50 price tag and bought at sega and bunch of games instead.
...then he went out and got it for me anyway... he must love me or something.
Gameguy
09-30-2009, 11:09 PM
Here's a brief history of Tengen Tetris, about 100,000 copies survived and were sold, while 268,000 copies were recalled and destroyed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_(Tengen_unlicensed)
I can't remember where I read it, but some Nintendo employee bought a copy when it was released and brought it into work to play it. Someone higher up saw it and became aware of it's existence, and soon afterward the lawsuit came about. I wish I could find the link again, someone later bought that copy and had the original owner write a letter explaining the history of that specific cartridge. I can't remember the name of the employee at the moment.
Gameguy
09-30-2009, 11:15 PM
Really? I thought I remember reading an interview with Ed Logg years ago where he said close to 200,000 copies were sold before they were pulled. I could be totally wrong though.
I think I found that interview and you've got it a bit backwards.
http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/special/el/el.html
tsr: Do you know how many Tetrises Tengen did eventually sell?
EL: I think 250,000 went out and 200,000 came back. So maybe 50,000 are out there. After it was taken out, I saw the cart go as high as $250 initially...
rbudrick
10-09-2009, 12:12 PM
Here's a brief history of Tengen Tetris, about 100,000 copies survived and were sold, while 268,000 copies were recalled and destroyed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_(Tengen_unlicensed)
I can't remember where I read it, but some Nintendo employee bought a copy when it was released and brought it into work to play it. Someone higher up saw it and became aware of it's existence, and soon afterward the lawsuit came about. I wish I could find the link again, someone later bought that copy and had the original owner write a letter explaining the history of that specific cartridge. I can't remember the name of the employee at the moment.
That was Ben Smith. I now own that exact CIB cart he owned with the letter.
-Rob
chrisbid
10-09-2009, 03:49 PM
Here's a brief history of Tengen Tetris, about 100,000 copies survived and were sold, while 268,000 copies were recalled and destroyed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_(Tengen_unlicensed)
I can't remember where I read it, but some Nintendo employee bought a copy when it was released and brought it into work to play it. Someone higher up saw it and became aware of it's existence, and soon afterward the lawsuit came about. I wish I could find the link again, someone later bought that copy and had the original owner write a letter explaining the history of that specific cartridge. I can't remember the name of the employee at the moment.
if you can find a copy, read this book
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Over-Press-Start-Continue/dp/0966961706
it goes super in-depth into the tetris fiasco. lots of deal-making drama and backstabbing going on in the backdrop of soviet russia
Baloo
10-09-2009, 09:36 PM
Tetris is the most legally wrangled game ever.
Shame too, because the Tengen version of the game is loads better than the crappy Nintendo version on NES.
mosesshirai
10-12-2009, 04:21 PM
There have been so many versions of this game. Two months ago Retro Gamer had a great article on the 10 versions worth playing that are somewhat rare/arcane. It was a good read and now after playing the tengen tetris a little bit, I was going to go and get a DS version at GStop and they want $50 for Tetris DS(used). What! More than a loose copy of a 20+ year old NES game. That is nuts. Okay rant over. I sure do like the Tengen version of Super Sprint, too.
The 1 2 P
10-12-2009, 07:22 PM
I still have a sealed copy of this game but the prices have plummeted on these. Maybe I should get it graded.
chrisbid
10-13-2009, 10:02 AM
and on top of the two versions released on the NES in the US, the famicom version of tetris is unique as well
mrmark0673
10-13-2009, 10:12 AM
I hear the LICENSED TENGEN version is the toughest to find on the NES ;)
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n223/mrmark0673/nintendo/100_1424.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n223/mrmark0673/nintendo/100_1422.jpg
Yep...
NE146
10-13-2009, 10:27 AM
I was in college and a big tetris fan on the pc when it came out and specifically went to Toys R Us daily WAITING for NES Tengen Tetris to come out. As soon as it hit the shelves, I bought it, so I'm sure I got a launch copy.
Let me just say in my memory it seemed like it was on the shelves for quite a while. It wasn't until the Gameboy came out that it seemed to dissapear and then the Nintendo version replaced it. But by that time I had lost interest as I already had Tetris for my NES.
Baloo
10-13-2009, 08:41 PM
There have been so many versions of this game. Two months ago Retro Gamer had a great article on the 10 versions worth playing that are somewhat rare/arcane. It was a good read and now after playing the tengen tetris a little bit, I was going to go and get a DS version at GStop and they want $50 for Tetris DS(used). What! More than a loose copy of a 20+ year old NES game. That is nuts. Okay rant over. I sure do like the Tengen version of Super Sprint, too.
At $50 you should've bought it, the game can go for over $70 with box and manual.
I hear the LICENSED TENGEN version is the toughest to find on the NES ;)
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n223/mrmark0673/nintendo/100_1424.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n223/mrmark0673/nintendo/100_1422.jpg
Yep...
Prototype. And why does it say Licensed by Mirrorsoft? I thought Atari actually had the rights to the arcade game by then? I know Mirrorsoft got the rights from Britannica who pretty much fabricated their rights to the game. They also sub-licensed to Sega (Mirrorsoft that is).
mrmark0673
10-13-2009, 09:34 PM
Could be a prototype ;)
The licensing was all over the place with Tetris, I'm not surprised to see Mirrorsoft in this one. This copy was in a lot with some really weird Atari stuff the likes of which I'd never seen before, this was one of the more normal things found.
Like I said though, definitely rarer than the common in comparison Tengen version :)
And why does it say Licensed by Mirrorsoft?
I thought Mirrorsoft had sublicensed the home rights to Atari Games?
thom_m
10-14-2009, 03:46 AM
I did some googling after reading this thread and just found out that the only NES version of Tetris I ever played was the Tengen one! Every multicart I ever played comes with their version of the game - and, as you know, pirates/multicarts were (and are) the common denominator 'round here.
I just saw a screenshot of the official NES Tetris for the first time now, and it looks like it sucks!
savageone
10-14-2009, 04:41 AM
It's true the Tengen version is actually much better than the Nintendo version, the best part being Tengen Tetris plays more fluidly.
A pointless comparison now though. While the game really hasn't changed that much, it has had small additions that add up (death by t-spin :(, 7 piece rotation, lame infi-rotation, shadow blocks, etc) to bury them in terms of gameplay in the grand scheme. For me playing the NES games is pretty disorienting.
Baloo
10-14-2009, 06:58 AM
I thought Mirrorsoft had sublicensed the home rights to Atari Games?
From what I read Atari got the rights from ELORG to do an arcade version of the game, then tried to release a home version of it through Tengen, thinking they had the rights to release it. But Nintendo was given the home console rights instead. And hence, Tengen Tetris was released. They were subsequently sued by Nintendo for copyright infringement and the game was pulled off the shelves.
mrmark0673
10-14-2009, 07:45 AM
From what I read Atari got the rights from ELORG to do an arcade version of the game, then tried to release a home version of it through Tengen, thinking they had the rights to release it. But Nintendo was given the home console rights instead. And hence, Tengen Tetris was released. They were subsequently sued by Nintendo for copyright infringement and the game was pulled off the shelves.
Well my proto would lead you to believe that Mirrorsoft would have been involved in the process as well. If Mirrorsoft had sublicensed the home rights of Atari/Tengen games, than it would be logical that Tetris would be included too, no?
I guess there isn't much to debate, I mean, at the time that Tengen Tetris was being developed it was licensed by Mirrorsoft as seen in the proto...