If you were born between the 80s and 90s, who knows how many times you have played a Snake, The famous snake video game. But if you think that this mobile pastime is relatively recent, you are only partially in the right because, in reality, Snake has much older roots, which they sink in the very early years of the videogame industry. The concept behind this game – move an element that grows to each “meal”, trying to survive avoiding obstacles and its own trail – is born in the 1976 with a video game called Blockade. From there, through a path made of variants, conversions and various clones, it has evolved to become the famous version of Snake del 1997, scheduled by Tanli Armanto for the Nokia 6110. His success had a huge impact: he transformed his cell phone into an entertainment platform and opened the road to an entire mobile gaming industry, now evaluated in dozens of billions of dollars. In this article we retrace the entire “path” of Snake, from its arcade genesis to the global consecration on Nokia devices, passing through the technical choices and the design ideas that made it the “pop” phenomenon that we all know.
1976: Snake’s origins
The first incarnation of the concept behind the operation of Snake dates back to 1976with Blockadean arcade game for two players developed by Gremlin Industries. At that time, video games were still monochromatic and very simple, but even then Blockade introduced a dynamic that would remain unchanged for decades: each player controlled a growing line that left a solid trail behind himself and lost if he collided with an obstacle, including his wake or that of the opponent.
Despite its simplicity, this game scheme proved extremely effective and engaging. The success was such that several iterations were born within a year: in the 1977the Atari he made various similar games; In the 1978 I arrive Worma computer version developed by Peter Trefonas and in 1982 It was the turn of Nibbleran arcade version for a single player set in a labyrinth developed by Rock-anex.
Snake’s invention, the game of the snake for Nokia 6110
When Tanli ArmantoFinnish engineer with a past as a board games enthusiast, was hired by Nokia In the 1995still had no experience in video game programming. His interest in man-macrine interaction and simple but effective mechanics proved to be a perfect combination for the task that was entrusted to him: develop games for the nokia 6110. This device, which would have been launched in 1997had to have an improved user interface and offer new functions, including a pre -installed video game.
Initially, Armano tried to bring Tetris On the phone, but legal issues related to the rights prevented the use of the famous title. At that point, considering the technical limits of the device – such as the small screen, the reduced memory and the absence of advanced checks – chose a simpler but equally effective solution: An updated version of the Snake concept. He had already played a similar version on a computer Macintoshand believed it was perfect for Nokia. The challenge was to make the game fluid and reactive, despite the limited performance of the hardware.
During the development, Armanto inserted a small delay in the most advanced levels to improve playability: a trick that granted the player a fraction of a second to change direction before crashing. This intervention made the game more accessible, without sacrificing its growing difficulty. At each level, the snake moved faster, but without ever reaching a speed such as to make the game unstable to be performed on the phone.
When The Nokia 6110 was launched on the marketat the beginning of the 1998Snake scheduled by Tanli Armanto was already included in the phone: it was enough to turn it on and play. This accessibility was one of the keys to his enormous success. Unlike arcade or video games on consoles, which required dedicated devices, Snake was already in the palm of the hand of millions of people.
Snake spread with wildfire, not only among the usual gamers, but also among people who had never taken a hand until then joypad. It became a universal pastime, capable of transforming any waiting moment – on the bus, in line to the mail, or during a work break – on a pleasant opportunity for leisure, think that the game record is record 61 minutes and 54 seconds.
What happened to the author of Snake
Armantedespite being the author of one of the most popular games in history, He remained a semi-unknown figure to the general public. For years Nokia has not officially highlighted its contribution, as per company practice. Only in 2005during an event organized by Mobile Entertainment Forum In London, Armanto received recognition for the key role played in the development of the mobile entertainment sector. Today, after a long career in Nokia and in the world of technology, he works like architect of systems And look with affection in the years spent in Nokia. In an interview with Mel MagazineArmanto remembers those years with a pinch of nostalgia:
Overall, I miss every years spent in Nokia. It was beautiful and stimulating, even after Snake. Even if the company has grown and there were problems, the spirit within the local teams, at least as far as I know, was fantastic. After all, we build a better world.
