Hey there,
I'm actually the guy who wrote in about "the Tetris effect" and just wanted to thank you guys for the insight and links. My degree is in Psychology and while I was able to ascribe certain concepts, I wasn't aware there was research conducted on the subject matter. I'll definitely be doing more research myself. I sometimes wonder if the shapes used in Tetris Attack (hearts, diamonds, etc) were chosen on the premise that they're universally recognized and therefore more approachable to a wider audience (and also more addictive...many slot machines work this way).
Somewhat related: When Katamari was mentioned on the podcast, it sort of hit me like a ton of bricks. One thing Katamari does so well is mix fantastic music and sound design with the idea that every single little thing you pick up matters. I don't know if you guys have sat and watched someone else play the game next to you, but it might be the most frustrating thing in the world to experience. You can see so many objects that they're completely missing and you have no control other than to yell and point.
Anyhow, thanks again for your insight and stories! Was really excited to hear my message on the show!
