'Tetris' is playable in certain Russian trucks, and for a very specific reason
This is basically the car version of the Konami Code, right?
There's an incredible Easter egg tucked away in the computer brains of trucks produced by Russia's Gorky Automobile Plant. As the video above demonstrates, performing a specific set of steps unlocks a playable version of Tetris on the tiny dashboard screen.
The vehicle in question is the 2017 model of GAZelle Next trucks, according to a translation of a related news story provided by the Russian-speaking father of Mashable's Anna Shkolnikov.
This simple, monochrome version of Tetris is no mere Easter egg, either. It's installed for the specific purpose of testing out the picture quality on the dashboard screen. The nature of the falling blocks game presumably allows testers to make sure every inch of the display works correctly, since you can effectively fill the screen.
While Tetris is installed on every vehicle that passes through the assembly line, only some of them still have the game by the time it's in the hands of a buyer. If you do happen to have access to a 2017 GAZelle Next -- we don't, unfortunately -- you can check by completing the following steps:
Turn on the ignition and click the right-turn signal three times.
Flick the high-beam headlights on and off two times.
Push the clutch five times.
While the truck is in park, rev the engine until it hits 3,000 RPM.
While still revving, hold the regular button, which is situated to the left of the dashboard screen.
A Gorky Automobile Plant spokesperson confirmed in the Russian report that Tetris can't be started or played while the vehicle is in motion, for safety reasons.
We're unable to verify any of this information firsthand, but we trust the source of the translation enough to share this cool thing with you.
Topics Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
