How NES Tetris's Hardest Challenge Was Beaten by a 12 Year Old

Breaking down how Bendy1 finally beat B-Type 19-5, the hardest challenge in a vanilla NES Tetris ROM, with the hardest playstyle.
Check out Bendy's channel here: ‪@bendy1427‬
Thanks to Xeal for creating the original 19-5 spinning render and the Classic Tetris HZ bot.
Music Used:
HOME - Before the Night • HOME - Before The Night
Tetris B Theme Remix (original)
HOME - Mind • HOME: MIND
Jagged Board - Caleb Micklus • Jagged Board
HOME - Mainframe • HOME - Mainframe
Tetris C Theme Remix (original)
HOME - Diffraction Spikes • HOME - Diffraction Spikes
Black Vortex - Kevin Macleod • Kevin MacLeod [Officia...
World Record Pace - Caleb Micklus • World Record Pace
My Twitch: / agamescout
My Discord server: / discord
Classic Tetris Elo: www.tinyurl.co...
Classic Tetris Leaderboards: bit.ly/CTHighs...

[@aGameScout]

Thanks to bendy for the interview! Watch the original video of the das 19-5 completion on his channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuvm2Swost0otk

[@bendy1427]

Glad to give more info!

[@Jerms2pimp4u]

Truly impressed with how Bendy held himself in that interview. I’m more than twice his age and don’t think I could present myself in a more professional manner.

[@aGameScout]

Agreed, Bendy is a pro!

[@bendy1427]

I had mostly pre-written answers. Definitely helped

[@SunnyDispsition]

@@bendy1427 You don't come across like you're reciting answers. There are a few Masters recap interviews that very much come across as someone reading their answers.

[@Guthix744]

@@bendy1427 there is a difference between reciting answers and getting the questions in advance to prepare yourself - and you did prepare yourself very well congrats on this achievement but also congrats on conducting yourself like a professional, I hope to see you on the CTWC stages for many years

[@Flyzguy]

Yeah I'm 39 and I was blown away with how well spoken Bendy is, prepared or not. What a pro.

[@bendy1427]

Damn I wish I could do that

[@f1championyoutube2.09]

You never will. Congrats. It’s awesome to even think about what you did

[@larry5111]

yeah people like that aren't normal, they're damn geniuses that hone their skill to beyond human. we can't do that unfortunately. more seriously, congrats. you've achieved such a mindblowing mastery of the game, nothing but love and respect

[@ErenMichelet]

Congrats a ton bendy! It's truly amazing

[@LilHana]

just play more

[@galaxybiscuit]

You probably have to switch to tap

[@lapislazuli4288]

Bendy i knew you would be the one to complete this challenge when i first met you over a year ago. Look how far you've come and how much you've improved. It's an honor to have been a part of your journey even if only a small part. I'm glad you're my friend

[@chwig7354]

Small part is better than no part

[@speedymatt1236]

What a heartfelt message! I truly am proud of him!

[@consultantSorcerer]

Geez, what a small community we have

[@shunpillay]

Really amazed at how Bendy conducts and represents himself. All the best young man. Stay modest. Stay true. We’re cheering for you. 👏

[@bendy1427]

Thank you good sir

[@paxhumana2015]

​@@bendy1427, nice achievement, but now there are a pair of problems... between yourself beating the 19-5 challenge, and possibly having a legitimate kill screen by Blue Scuti, will people still want to play this version of Tetris anymore?

[@ErenMichelet]

I’m really glad you made this video. I saw the original video when it came out and was amazed and it’s very nice you’re spreading the news of such a great achievement

[@ryanamburgy2791]

HI EREN

[@slidenaway]

This is nuts. Saw when it happened and just… insanity. Congrats Bendy and thanks Scout for a great deep dive!!

[@SiljCBcnr]

Incredible how much more know how and "board awareness" is needed on top of the insane level of fundamental skills and intuition to achieve the results shown here. Thanks for breaking it down in yet another great video! Congratulations to Bendy! He seems to be a really good guy!

[@Aptiz712]

got jumpscared by myself haha, great video as always!

[@bendy1427]

Mari jumpscare alert

[@Rahmations]

it made me fall out of my chair

[@jiskithehusky9094]

I feel like young Tetris pros are just well spoken in general. This isn't the first time he's interviewed someone around his age who did incredibly well

[@gazzawhite]

13:03 did that guy just pull out some nunchucks??

[@MannifyYT2023]

Damn bro this is insane. I’m 12 myself and can’t even do 19-3 with my crappy Hypertapping. Also I swear this gives me memories of the video about the first 19-5 clear (the first video I watched on this channel). Bendy gives me inspiration to keep going and shooting for high scores. Hopefully I can get a 500k soon!

[@felicidadsalvador3950]

Go!

[@bendy1427]

Gl with it

[@racheld8920]

Hey, your "crappy" hypertapping is 100% still better than my non existant hypertapping and I'm 19. Keep practicing!

[@MannifyYT2023]

Update from Febuary 2024: i got 19-3 a while ago and have 8 lines on 19-4, along with a 623k PB. Thanks for the encouragement Bendy.

[@benmullen295]

I'm just glad it was a "ben" of some kind! Incredible achievement! legitimately the most impressive thing I have ever seen in the game, ever.

[@SodiumOverdose]

LOL

[@milesgussin5274]

lmao

[@bendy1427]

Real name is Ben too lmao

[@Trisc7nd_osu]

UNCLE BEN???

[@Thunderstorm281]

I guess I'll grind 19-5 then.

[@speedymatt1236]

Hey I’m going to root for you on this long shot here. I’d figured you’d need every bit of help you can get!

[@sjn6112]

Good luck 🤞

[@ResurrectedElvenMonk]

Shout out to Bendy for setting such a high achievement for fellow DAS players. Excellent work.

[@giafoneozu9998]

i hope jonas sees that in the sky and is smiling!

[@michaellyga4726]

Crazy how there are already classic Tetris stars younger than the CTWC itself

[@titopaul9299]

Great video, Scout! I love how you keep finding these interesting video topics and at the same time manage to give a positive shout out to new members and other achievers in the Tetris scene. Well done! And major props to Bendy. He presents himself really well in the interview, and I like how he was very humble in his responses to others comments.

[@FloydMaxwell]

You do such a great job with these videos, aGameScout. Much appreciated. Also big congrats to Bendy for his amazing achievement.

[@joecaljapan]

I was expecting a cringy interview, but was pleasantly surprised how articulate and professional this kid spoke.

[@real.bingus]

holy cow, bendy’s das control is incredible!! crazy to think 19-5 das has been done, cannot wait to see more people around the community attempt this insane challenge. GGs bendy!!

[@mkwilson1394]

Fantastic video, this is one of the few that's made me interested in the finer details of a topic about which I know practically nothing. You tell compelling stories very well :)

[@ryanamburgy2791]

10:25 no shot it’s me

[@lapislazuli4288]

Hey look it's me too

[@pjpokerbr]

Another great video!!! DAS it's the most exciting way to watch a tetris competition!!!

[@marcdeusxtetris877]

This video is so nostalgic 🥲 GGs to Bendy. On of the greatest DAS players of all time!

[@cliftonchurch6039]

I wonder, given the limited range of boards that can be created by the programming used for board generation, what percentage of boards are simply incompletable? I feel like this could be resolved mathematically or by brute forcing it with emulation tools to capture every board until the RNG loops around, and using your ability to plug enough spots at the top layer to create a playable state. Edit foe second thought: Mathematically, given every piece's spawning location and the limits of DAS movement, what is the maximum "mathematically safe" level you can start at? That is, if we generated every starting layout and piece combination the NES Tetris RNG can generate, at what garbage level will a TAS'er be able to complete 100% of them within the constraints of DAS?

[@SunnyDispsition]

My guess would be level 18, as you can in theory flat burn a whole bunch of lines off the top.

[@codahighland]

Without bag randomization, it's possible to have a maximally bad piece sequence -- that is, a maximally evil game implementation can always force a loss. It's not entirely clear if this can be forced before 25 lines have been cleared, though.

[@scamper933]

It's great to this achievement showcased to the wider public. Insane game!

[@flatron83]

Why did this guy bring Nunchucks to a Tetris Tournament? 13:05

[@bendy1427]

He wasn’t part of the Tetris tournament, probably part of his costume

[@IngwiePhoenix]

Tetris is an art form, and the pros talking about it sound like programming language. xD And I should know - I am a developer. Still, this fascinates me to no end. Pure amazement. Funny how Green Tea seems to have brought some eyes to this. He was the first player in CTWC that I saw too. Kind and fun guy. ^.^

[@Farm-Key]

He gonna make it big soon

[@JensEmilMusic]

Nice! Love me some new DAS content and achievements!!

[@deep_cuts2019]

I don’t watch much Tetris content but this was a really cool video!

[@daxmoney5011]

Jonas would be proud.

[@TheE_2K24]

I cant believe he did that while all the pieces were one color

[@somaliancaptain513]

The slap master himself

[@Gesomaru.]

2 years ago, through RNG manipulation Clockworker managed to clear 19-5 with DAS. Even though it's RNG manipulated but it definitely shows that it's possible to clear it with DAS only and Bendy finally brought in the home run, well done Bendy!

[@mumblecake251]

Great achievement! Gets me a bit emotional to see all the footage of Jonas. RIP

[@ajddavid452]

3:38 Luigi, Peach, Samus, and Pit: are we jokes to you?

[@stilllbornn]

awesome kid!!! truly another legend in the das-player community i bet! Keep the old tetris spirit alive :)

[@gingeral253]

Tetris history has been evolving since 2018… since the first Scout video.

[@CantStopTheRaj]

This video was awesome! Great work!!!!

[@JonathanScarlet]

I can imagine a lot of consternation (me and my big words) or anger at someone pulling up that particular concern, but I think it's overall good for the community in the end. With this, you have a very clear example of viable DAS play to base future judgements off of, whether for something like CTDAS or any other possible DAS-related achievements (whoever goes for DAS 19-5 next, etc.). It's sort of a short-term detriment (people mad at the ruling, Bendy possibly not being up for trying again, etc.) for long-term gain. And, of course, congrats to Bendy!

[@zes7215]

no such thing as chokex or firsx or getx or presx or etc, do, outx, cna do, outx etc any nmw s perfx

[@JonathanScarlet]

@@zes7215 ...maybe it's because I'm replyng 2 weeks out, but I have no idea what you're saying.

[@3RR0R415]

kinda fun how this took a lot less time to get than my 08-8 clear, ggs bendy!

[@sethnichols1885]

4:37 my ears

[@SamTheS]

Oh god the beepomonk server has now appeared on scouts channel

[@ryanamburgy2791]

It has happened

[@BendyPlays]

NO, MY NAME IS BENDY!

[@bendy1427]

THERE CAN BE ONLY 1

[@Flyzguy]

Great job Scout. My non tetris playing better half enjoyed the video as well.

[@skoop651]

Tetris proves that kids have better reaction time

[@orktv4673]

Is Bendy the new Drip King, or is aGameScout just rizzing him up?

[@davidduncan1362]

These are the days when a Nintendo game has been out longer than its very own latest born Nintendo expert, whether if it's the latest born max-outer in NES Tetris or the latest born fast guy in Tetris (not to get him mixed up with the latest born extra fast guy who is likely older than him).

[@xavierorangearms635]

can we expect a vid about rahmations' 29-5 as well?

[@MegamiShin]

Congrats Bendy. Great job.

[@chompythebeast]

Lol this kid is operating at another cognitive level, he absolutely smoked this interview like he did 19-5, keep the US military away from our dear sibling at all costs

[@bendy1427]

Yeah they scared

[@derpyderp1991]

Bendy is legendary for doing this with DAS

[@scienceevolves4417]

top kid, wouldn't it be fun if he won the ctwc with that playstyle perhaps for the one last time in history 😊

[@IngwiePhoenix]

Dude that'd be 200% satisfying on so many levels.

[@SirThilliomAnimations]

Tetris kids are on another level.

[@枠]

So happy it was Ben!

[@Kyle-km7eg]

The most impressive part is that kids these days still play tetris!

[@paxhumana2015]

There has been Tetris 99, as well as that one Tetris game that was made by the guy that is behind the Lumines puzzle game franchise, and the two Tetris X Puyo Puyo games that were made in the past five or six years, among many other variations of the game, so Tetris is hardly dead. Moreover, it is one of the top five video game franchises of all time, and only Nintendo's Mario franchise has more money behind it as well, plus Tetris is on as many things as Doom (1993). Finally, there are quite a few Tetris games that are on the NES/FDS, such as the NTSB-U and PAL forms of Tetris, the Tengen version of Tetris (which is an unofficial port of either the Sega or Atari arcade version of Tetris), the NTSB-J version of Tetris (which was made by BPS/The Tetris Company themselves), as well as Tetris 2/Tetris Blast, and Super Tetris & Bombliss.

[@OcteractSG]

Panic tapping is compatible with the DAS style, in my opinion.

[@SMPandanic]

I was like.. ok then.. but then I heard DAS and was instantly intrigued

[@triplespace007]

You can spin a piece towards the left.

[@yvendous]

Congratulations to the bendy child

[@asterlofts1565]

First, Bendy... now, "Blue Scuti".

[@EGT445]

I haven’t even gone past 19-0😂

[@SpunkyDunk]

I think I’m more impressed when kids achieve stuff like this. I played games like shit when I was 12 years old.

[@edde2429]

What an amazing player!

[@enderforgemc]

bendy's lungs when he completed the challenge 💥💥💥💥💨💨💨🌬🌬🌬

[@iankeith]

That sounds exactly like a TStorm thing to say too lol

[@kikocacala7466]

Damn, 4 years of playing tetris with DAS and I cant even break the 600k barrier. What am I doing wrong…

[@979259]

Jonas would be proud

[@CoNteMpTone]

This kid is the biggest random and suddenly does something nobody else can and it seems like he doesnt even realize how insane all this is xD

[@oshurook2421]

Doing my boy Icarus dirty

[@chadwolf3840]

damn that kid is a god. good for him.

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

Bendy? Like the player model from P2s Perpetual Testing Initiative? SuperVinlin

[@AndysSlides]

I wonder what aGameScout looks like IRL

[@HelloYoutube6819]

B E N D Y T H E I N K M A C H I N E

[@NotTheWheel]

So many kids playing NES tetris is quite astonishing.

[@MarMaxGaming]

Lol!! Good job young man.. brilliant

[@ricogoins]

What a legend :o

[@SamsarasArt]

I thought you were gonna cover 29-5 finally being conquered

[@bendy1427]

Cobalt is doing that one

[@norukamo]

Amazing

[@SamiSaba2]

I only started playing Tetris and the highest level on A-type starting from level 0 I got was level 8. Do you have any tips

[@chrismoulistanos8884]

Hey, will there be a video about the 29-5 from Rahmations with rolling ?

[@33Pokenerd]

woah woah woah what

[@JordanICM]

such audasity

[@fckihate69jokes]

"How a fetus beat B-Type 19-5" soon

[@lebronjamesharden3958]

please explain like you're talking to a child

[@allanturmaine5496]

GG kid

[@christophschreiner9805]

How old was the other 19-5 video, you said?... i feel old to have seen it, when it came out

[@aGameScout]

It came out a little over 3 years ago

[@jsbmx2039]

Kids today are amazing

[@darkonum]

Bro only took two days 😭

[@bendy1427]

I did get pretty lucky

[@MarMaxGaming]

@@bendy1427gotta show up and try in order to “get lucky” you earned it broseph

[@RilGames.]

tetris

[@hoebackytblademan17]

DASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSW

[@llkurofoxll1013]

No way

[@Isoundfiveyearsold]

Tetris hardest challenge I thought it was rebirth

[@bendy1427]

The title is a callback to a previous video

[@versilver]

Wait I am curious what was that blanket that he had?

[@bendy1427]

TNT Minecraft blanket

[@versilver]

@@bendy1427 Oh alright, cool.

[@ehhhhhhhhhhk]

It looked like a swastica

[@orllyfools14X8]

🎉

[@freescape08]

Did anyone else see yhe thimbnail and wonder if that was Das (streamer/youtuber) when he was younger?

[@NerdTheBox]

ordinal number

[@ryanamburgy2791]

christmaspingbear

[@SnowmansApartment]

13:06 ??