Who designed Microsoft’s 1999 computer puzzle game Pandora’s Box?

Alexey Pajitnov designed Microsoft’s 1999 computer puzzle game Pandora’s Box.

Pajitnov is a Russian computer game designer best known as the creator of Tetris. For Pandora’s Box, he designed a Windows puzzle collection that combines several types of challenges rather than focusing on one repeated mechanic. Microsoft developed and published the game in 1999.

The title uses a mythological framework to connect its puzzles. Players work through challenges associated with opening and dealing with the contents of Pandora’s box. The game’s variety reflects Pajitnov’s interest in accessible, rule-based puzzles that can be understood quickly but mastered over time.

The game is separate from the many films, albums, and books that share the Pandora’s Box title. It is also distinct from Tetris: although both are puzzle games designed by Pajitnov, Pandora’s Box is a multi-puzzle collection with a narrative presentation and several different formats.