PC GamerOther writeupThe court outlined what could NOT be copyrighted in Tetris:
Tetris is a puzzle game where a user manipulates pieces composed of square blocks, each made into a different geometric shape, that fall from the top of the game board to the bottom where the pieces accumulate. The user is given a new piece after the current one reaches the bottom of the available game space. While a piece is falling, the user rotates it in order to fit it in with the accumulated pieces. The object of the puzzle is to fill all spaces along a horizontal line. If that is accomplished, the line is erased, points are earned, and more of the game board is available for play. But if the pieces accumulate and reach the top of the screen, then the game is over.
Ok, sounds good. So what did they do wrong?
First and foremost, the court found that the style, design, shape and movement of the Tetris pieces – copied by Xio – were not part of and were not essential to or inseparable from the ideas, rules or functions of the game. As to these elements of Tetris, the court found that it was only necessary for Mino to mimic Tetris’s expression because Xio sought to avoid the difficult task of developing its own take on a known idea.
The court found that Xio had also copied other discrete copyrightable elements from Tetris, including the dimensions of the playing field, the display of “garbage” lines, the appearance of “ghost” or shadow pieces, the display of the next piece to fall, the change in color of the pieces when they lock with the accumulated pieces, and the appearance of squares automatically filling in the game board when the game is over.
Although the court noted that each of these additional elements might not constitute infringement standing alone, taken together they further demonstrated the wholesale copying of the protected look and feel of Tetris.
I mean yeah, its probably a blatant clone. The one issue I have is when they mention the shape of the pieces. I'm certain Tetris did not invent the tetromino and is merely based on them.
I wonder what the fallout of this case might end up being.
