| Thor Aackerlund | |
|---|---|
 Aackerlund at CTWC 2019 | |
| Born | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Years active | 1990–2012 |
| Era | 1990s and 2010s |
| Known for | 1990 Nintendo World Championships Winner |
| Competition record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Classic Tetris | ||
| Nintendo World Championships | ||
| 1st | 1990 Houston Championship age 12–17 | |
| 1st | 1990 World Finals age 12–17 | |
| Classic Tetris World Championship | ||
| 5th | 2010 Tetris World Championship | |
Thor Aackerlund is an American esports gamer, considered one of the first to go professional.
Early life
As a child, Aackerlund started playing computer games while waiting for a new school year to begin after having missed one due to his mother being hospitalized after a fire. He couldn't afford a Nintendo Entertainment System, so he bought a Game Boy but didn't have the money for any extra games, which put him on the path of playing Tetris, as it was included for free.
Gaming career
He was one of the winners of the 1990 Nintendo World Championships, for which he won a $10,000 U.S. savings bond, a 1990 Geo Metro Convertible, a 40-inch rear-projection television, and a golden Mario trophy. Soon after the competition, Camerica, a producer of unlicensed Nintendo Entertainment System games, signed a deal with Aackerlund to make him the official spokesman for their games. Aackerlund then became the poster child for the game, featured in commercials and fairs.
As a child, he felt pressured to play, as the prize money and endorsements were financially important for his family. At the time, he was known as the only player to claim to have reached level 30 in TetrisAackerlund soon disappeared from the scene but remained known as perhaps the most well-known name in Tetris prior to the domination of 7-time World Champion Jonas Neubauer.
Other works
Aackerlund is a featured player in the 2011 documentary film Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters, which covers his second effort in competitive video gaming at the 2010 Classic Tetris World Championship.
References
- ^ "The Warp Zone". TheWarpZone.com. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "Nintendo - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly". I-Mockery.com. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "NES Player". NESPlayer.com. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- "How Nintendo And A Band Of Teenage High Score Obsessives Created The Idea Of The Pro Gamer". Nintendo Life. 2020-12-26. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
- ^ Norström, Tobias. "Legenden om Thor Aackerlund", P3 Spel, Sveriges Radio. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ Jersenius, Erik. "Tetris är det ultimata tidsfördrivet", Vestmanlands Läns Tidning. 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020. Pages 6–7.
- Säfström, Orvar. "Den mästerlige spelnörden", Sydsvenskan. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2020. Page 15.
Further reading
- "Nintendo King Champ Says Game a Challenge but Anyone Can Play." Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- "Thor Aackerlund was born to play and win at Tetris." The Dallas Morning News.
- "Business Notebook." The Dallas Morning News.
