Tetris game on a business card

Three years ago, Kevin Bates created a Tetris business card to demonstrate his engineering skills to potential employers. But his creation quickly became a meme on the Internet, and everyone who recalled the Game Boy loved in childhood demanded the same from him. After checking out the idea on the same tiny Arduboy, Bates finally released the officially licensed Tetris MicroCard. You need $ 54 if you want to buy a tiny one-game machine.



Quite possibly the smallest version of Tetris you have ever played.
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Thin like a credit card? Not really, try ten

Just over three inches by two inches, the MicroCard is slightly larger than a regular business card and can be easily stored in a business card holder. But do not expect that you can put many other cards next to it. Kevin Bates' original gaming business card was only 1.6 millimeters thick, but this consumer version measures five millimeters thanks to a set of physical buttons and a transparent plastic case that protects all of its electronics.

MicroCard plays the basic version of Tetris with 15 levels of difficulty and the original version of the memorable Tetris music theme, which can be turned off using a special button. The gameplay is very simple, without a single new feature, which Tetris introduced over the years. In addition to falling blocks, it includes a preview of the next block and a diagram at the bottom of the screen indicating where your block should land. That's all. You do not have the opportunity to save a useful block for the future, and you cannot include a pause, so distractions during the game can lead to a real mess.



Not the most beautiful version of Tetris, but this OLED screen is bright and clear.

All actions are reproduced on a bright, high-contrast 1-bit OLED display with a resolution of just 128x64 pixels. Fewer pixels than the original Game Boy, and the result is one of the easiest versions of Tetris you've ever played.



What is the best reason to buy a Tetris MicroCard? Physical buttons

Despite the fact that the graphics can not be compared with what you get on your phone, playing Tetris on MicroCard seems more natural than on a touch device, since it has real physical buttons. The MicroCard includes six buttons, four act as a directional platform for controlling and quickly resetting blocks, and two for rotating in any direction. Despite limited mobility, MicroCard buttons leave a fantastic feeling, recalling the original Game Boy game.



Arduboy fans, which is the first game the size of a plastic card, might think, is it possible to use Tetris MicroCard to play other games? Unfortunately, although this functionality was originally promised when MicroCard was announced, it did not make it into the final product. Now it is intended only for one game, which may seem to you a violation of the promise, because it is not the most popular game of all time.

If Tetris or suitable clones were available for Arduboy Kevin Bates, there would be little reason to buy a MicroCard. But due to licensing restrictions, MicroCard is the only way to play Tetris. This is a bit disappointing, considering that a Tetris MicroCard can cost around $ 54 , compared with $ 49 for an Arduboy , which you can buy right now.

Even more frustrating is that you cannot buy it. After several initial delays, the MicroCard is no longer available for pre-order. According to its creators working with the distributor, the Tetris MicroCard will be available in the coming months through several announced retailers. This is a bit vague, but if you want to know the details when it is finally released, visit its official website .

Leaving frustration aside, if you are a Tetris fan, the design and layout of the MicroCard buttons will seem like the perfect home for Alexey Pazhitnov’s game, and with one of them hidden in your wallet, you can always have fun. You just need to take it in your hands.



The metal plate on the back helps the MicroCard to be strong and durable

• The game itself is very simple, but the main thing in it is physical buttons.
• At the moment you can not buy it.
• Although inside it is like Arduboy, you can’t download other games.
• It does not save and the ability to suspend the falling pieces during the game.
• Battery life ranges from six to eight hours when fully charged, which is more than enough for a week of meetings.
• The plastic case protects its electronics, but adds thickness and is easy to scratch.

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