Although I’m a massive gamer I must admit that I suck at a lot of classic retro games. I think that’s mostly the point, only an elite few can claim to be good at them because they require such lightning-fast reflexes, as well as intense pattern recognition, and years of training to even stand a half decent chance at earning a respectable score. But when I see these players in their element it is something truly mesmerising, and that’s why for so many years I wanted to watch The King of Kong.
Just by happenstance there was a screening of the 2007 documentary in London which I went and checked out, and I’m really glad I finally found the perfect opportunity to see this legendary showdown take place.
In 2003, high-school science teacher Steve Wiebe claimed to have set the new world record for the classic Nintendo arcade game, Donkey Kong. This was a record that had famously been held by multiple world record holder Billy Mitchell since 1982, officially recognised by Twin Galaxies, the international videogame scoreboard record keepers.
Due to Twin Galaxies being unable to verify Wiebe’s Donkey Kong hardware was legitimate, Wiebe set about beating Mitchell’s score in front of a live audience. Not one to take this challenge lying down, Mitchell agreed to a head-to-head competition in 2006 who would determine the true King of Kong.
Just by happenstance there was a screening of the 2007 documentary in London which I went and checked out, and I’m really glad I finally found the perfect opportunity to see this legendary showdown take place.
In 2003, high-school science teacher Steve Wiebe claimed to have set the new world record for the classic Nintendo arcade game, Donkey Kong. This was a record that had famously been held by multiple world record holder Billy Mitchell since 1982, officially recognised by Twin Galaxies, the international videogame scoreboard record keepers.
Due to Twin Galaxies being unable to verify Wiebe’s Donkey Kong hardware was legitimate, Wiebe set about beating Mitchell’s score in front of a live audience. Not one to take this challenge lying down, Mitchell agreed to a head-to-head competition in 2006 who would determine the true King of Kong.
It’s always strange watching a documentary so many years after the fact that the conclusion made has ultimately been made moot because of more recent events. In 2017, following a lengthy investigation by Twin Galaxies and Guinness World Records, it was concluded that Mitchell had cheated multiple times to achieve his high scores and was stripped of his accolades, discredited, and ultimately banned from ever setting a gaming world record ever again. So, knowing that going into King of Kong gave me such an eye-opening experience as it acted as a peek into the psyche of this habitual liar and cheater.
It's a really great documentary, and it acts as proof that regardless of the equipment used or experience in filmmaking, anyone can make a competent documentary film so long as they find the right story and the right people to interview. Regardless of how interested in videogames you are, I think King of Kong is a film that could appeal to just about anybody.
It takes this incredibly niche subject matter of videogame world records and makes it not only accessible to even the most technologically inept audiences but manages to make it exciting simply because of the drama fuelled by this competition.
It’s unintentionally funny a lot of the time because of how seriously these guys take the whole situation. That’s not to point my finger and laugh at these guys because they’re ‘nerds’ or whatever, because I understand their passion for videogames, but the way they phrase the importance of what they are doing is often really weird, and the complete lack of understanding that other people don’t find this as interesting as they do only solidifies this stereotype of gamers being weirdo’s that are socially inept.
It makes the whole thing so entertaining, and every single one of the people involved is a real character in some way. Mitchell is framed as this godlike figure amongst the Twin Galaxies cohort, and when you see him, he looks like a supervillain that spouts these monologues about integrity and the purity of the sport. Walter Day, the head of Twin Galaxies, is this kooky old man who’s into spiritualism. Then there’s a guy who’s helping Steve Wiebe called Roy Schildt who’s just this crazy incel who feels the need to over-exert his ‘masculinity’ at all times. These people are just downright crazy, and even if you’re not into the whole videogames thing, just like Tiger King these larger-than-life characters are just so engaging to watch.
It's a really great documentary, and it acts as proof that regardless of the equipment used or experience in filmmaking, anyone can make a competent documentary film so long as they find the right story and the right people to interview. Regardless of how interested in videogames you are, I think King of Kong is a film that could appeal to just about anybody.
It takes this incredibly niche subject matter of videogame world records and makes it not only accessible to even the most technologically inept audiences but manages to make it exciting simply because of the drama fuelled by this competition.
It’s unintentionally funny a lot of the time because of how seriously these guys take the whole situation. That’s not to point my finger and laugh at these guys because they’re ‘nerds’ or whatever, because I understand their passion for videogames, but the way they phrase the importance of what they are doing is often really weird, and the complete lack of understanding that other people don’t find this as interesting as they do only solidifies this stereotype of gamers being weirdo’s that are socially inept.
It makes the whole thing so entertaining, and every single one of the people involved is a real character in some way. Mitchell is framed as this godlike figure amongst the Twin Galaxies cohort, and when you see him, he looks like a supervillain that spouts these monologues about integrity and the purity of the sport. Walter Day, the head of Twin Galaxies, is this kooky old man who’s into spiritualism. Then there’s a guy who’s helping Steve Wiebe called Roy Schildt who’s just this crazy incel who feels the need to over-exert his ‘masculinity’ at all times. These people are just downright crazy, and even if you’re not into the whole videogames thing, just like Tiger King these larger-than-life characters are just so engaging to watch.
The film is super low quality, and there’s a charm to that. It looks like it’s been shot on a consumer grade DV cam, and the filming locations for interviews is never particularly professional. But this all adds so much character to the proceedings because it looks just as kooky as the people it’s about. I think it can also be a really inspiring film for new or aspiring filmmakers because it proves that you don’t need high end gear or a big budget to make something that’s good. It’s competently shot, well edited, and it’s the perfect length at an hour and twenty minutes.
I really enjoyed King of Kong. It captures the subject of the documentary so well that it makes it appealing to any kind of audience member. It’s concise, well-constructed, and it tells a really great story. If you’re in the mood for a documentary, particularly one with some oddball stars, then I couldn’t recommend King of Kong enough.
I really enjoyed King of Kong. It captures the subject of the documentary so well that it makes it appealing to any kind of audience member. It’s concise, well-constructed, and it tells a really great story. If you’re in the mood for a documentary, particularly one with some oddball stars, then I couldn’t recommend King of Kong enough.