20 Things Only 30-Something Gamers Will Understand

The Tetris Effect is scientifically proven so it must be true.

If the Korobeiniki (otherwise known as the Tetris theme) didn't drive gamers around the bend the endless stacking possibilities on the GameBoy's most popular title probably did.

Tetris became so addictive that people actually dreamt about solving this tricky Russian puzzler in their sleep. Worse than that, it began to permeate into real-life with gaps in bookshelves and VHS collections suddenly turned into life-or-death situations while at work it played havoc with the management of the stationery cupboard.

Block after relentless block after relentless block. They keep coming, don't they? The pressure is too much for some. Experts call it "hypnagogic imagery", a memory-related phenomenon that existed long before the block-based explosion of 1990 but The Tetris Effect is a lot easier to remember.

Often players have awoken in a cold sweat wondering how to solve Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Metal Gear Solid and other such like epic adventures but it's the wonderfully simple Tetris that lingers long after the eyelids are closed.

Being able to play video games during REM is something developers have yet to master but with something like this they can't be far off. It's no wonder why so many people today claim to have OCD. Oh those Russians.