Epic Joystick Joust Determines “The King of Kong”

The end of the semester rush is officially in full swing, and for those of us who have procrastinated a bit too much, finding time to sit down for a movie is nearly impossible. Therefore, I must confess that I have no opinion or review for this Saturday night’s movie The Bucket List. Although Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 41%, its being shown in the quad for free, so I’m sure that many students will go regardless of my or any other review. That said, I will focus on a genre rarely touched in campus films, and probably the weakest part of most student’s DVD collections: the documentary. Far from boring science class films, a good documentary proves that real life can be more entertaining than fiction.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is a real life underdog story set in the world of competitive classic arcade games. From the balding man with oversized glasses and an afro who watches hours of world record videotapes to the weaselly, mustached man who games with his feet, classic gaming is a world where the die-hard and socially inept go seeking fame and glory. As graying video game referee Walter Day puts it, “I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be the center of attention. I wanted the fame. I wanted the glory. I wanted the pretty girls coming up to me and saying, ‘Hi, I hear that you’re good at Centipede.’” In this maze of childlike men, one gamer stands above the rest.

“Everything about him is perfect,” one gamer says of Billy Mitchell, a man adored and worshiped by many in the industry. Mitchell has been a figure in competitive classic arcade gaming since he appeared in Time magazine in 1982 as one of the top gamers in the world. An owner of a hot sauce company with long black hair and a fetish for patriotic ties, Mitchell’s sense of arrogance is obnoxiously obvious. For example, he calls himself a born champion, answers his phone as “world record headquarters,” and claims that his words are as controversial as the abortion issue. Declared the “Gamer of the Century” at the 1999 Tokyo Game Show, only one of Mitchell’s numerous records remained unbeaten: his 1982 Donkey Kong score.

When family man and Washington native Steve Wiebe is laid off, he decides to fill his time challenging Mitchell’s record. A high school pitcher who cracked under the pressure in his biggest game, Wiebe’s competitive nature has many times driven him to the brink of victory, only to face defeat. Wiebe is convinced that Donkey Kong is his last chance at holding a number one title. Breaking the record, however, proves the easiest part of Wiebe’s quest for victory.

As an outsider in the tightly knit gaming world, Wiebe is forced to travel across the country and play live to have his record recognized by Twin Galaxies, the “official” arcade scorekeepers of whom Mitchell is a member. With virtually everyone in the gaming community working against him, Wiebe is ready to add another failure to his list. But when Twin Galaxies invites Wiebe and Mitchell to a head to head Donkey Kong battle for the Guinness Book, Wiebe sees his final chance to be recognized as world champion. Wiebe and his family travel across the country for the competition, a few miles from Mitchell’s house, only to find Mitchell suspiciously absent. As some gamers seek to cover for him, it soon becomes obvious that the once great Billy Mitchell is afraid to lose his crown. But without an official victory, will Mitchell’s friends at Twin Galaxies recognize Wiebe as the best or once again side with classic gaming’s poster boy?

Equipped with an obnoxious and arrogant villain, a determined everyman branded a failure, and a bevy of bizarre, awkward, and completely ridiculous characters, The King of Kong proves that life can be more entertaining than fiction. As documentaries go, The King of Kong posts a very high score.