#7: Tetris
Platform(s): Everything
Year: June 1985
Why Did it Change Gaming? (Puzzles):
Tetris is one of the most well-known games of all infinity, the game was originally created by Russian game developer Alexey Pajitnov, with the help of Dmitry Pavlovsky. Tetris has a game mechanic that is remarkably simple yet complex. The game soared into popularity quickly, bringing up one of the most interesting legal battles in gaming history. By 1989 multiple companies claimed rights to distribute Tetris for home computers; game consoles, and handheld systems, causing legal conflict between the top developers Atari and Nintendo. Tetris is highly respected in the gaming-community for its unique history and addicting game play. Alexey Pajitnov eventually spawned the company “The Tetris Company (TTC)” which now owns all the legal rights to the game worldwide.
Runner Up(s): Pacman