A strange little side quest
Put Merge & Secrets: The Imperial Hotel next to the history of simulation games and a few unexpected connections appear. M.U.L.E. arrived in 1983 with multiplayer competition built around gathering resources and keeping a colony alive, an early example of resource-driven strategy play. And then there is this: The name Tetris combines a reference to four-square pieces with Pajitnov's interest in tennis. It is a good reminder that simple game mechanics can carry a surprising amount of history.
