Henk Rogers Reflects on Nintendo's Dr. Mario and Tetris Legacy

Henk Rogers, a key figure in the gaming industry and the driving force behind bringing Tetris to Nintendo’s platforms, recently revisited his long-standing relationship with Nintendo and the creation of iconic puzzle games.

Rogers, known for his influential work on The Black Onyx and for helping secure the rights for Tetris, played a critical role in transforming the Game Boy into a global phenomenon.

In 1989, Tetris debuted on the Nintendo Game Boy, rapidly becoming one of the system’s defining titles and achieving multi-million sales worldwide.

This partnership between Rogers and Nintendo is well-documented, but it’s also marked by moments of corporate rivalry and creative competition. In his new book, "The Perfect Game—Tetris: From Russia With Love," Rogers shares insights into his collaboration with key Nintendo figures such as Gunpei Yokoi, the creator of the Game Boy, and former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi.

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Rogers recounted the circumstances surrounding the release of Dr.

Mario in 1990 for both the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy.

Dr.

Mario arrived a year after Tetris’ groundbreaking success on Nintendo’s consoles, featuring a color-matching, block-clearing puzzle mechanic that many considered a spiritual sibling to Tetris. Speaking to PC Gamer, Rogers revealed his mixed feelings about Nintendo’s decision to develop Dr.

Mario as a direct competitor to Tetris.

He explained, "I met with Gunpei Yokoi a number of times and we became close friends through our mutual efforts launching Game Boy and Tetris.

Even so, I was somewhat disappointed when Nintendo attempted to produce a game that could surpass Tetris.

That directive likely originated after Mr.

Yamauchi sought to acquire Tetris outright, and I refused.

Subsequently, instructions were given to create a game on par with Tetris.” While Dr.

Mario achieved moderate critical and commercial success and spawned several sequels, Rogers viewed it as an unmistakable attempt to replicate the magic of Tetris.

In his words, Dr.

Mario was "an obvious effort to create another Tetris—and it simply didn't measure up." Despite his personal disappointment, Rogers maintained respect for his colleagues at Nintendo.

“I was upset, but it’s just part of doing business.

I can’t really fault Gunpei Yokoi or the team for the outcome,” he added. Dr.

Mario, though not as universally recognized as Tetris, has persisted as a beloved Nintendo franchise with continued releases on platforms like the Nintendo Switch via the eShop and in classic game compilations.

Rogers’ reflections shed light on a pivotal era in gaming history, illuminating the competitive drive that fueled both creative innovation and complex relationships among Nintendo’s leadership.

For fans of puzzle games and Nintendo’s rich hardware lineage, these stories underscore how landmark titles like Tetris and Dr.

Mario shaped the entire genre for decades.

Tetris Henk Rogers Nintendo Dr. Mario Game Boy NES Mario Xbox Series X|S