Blind Gamer preps for Kombat in Japan

Brice Mellen is one of the best players at the DogTags gaming center in Lincoln, Nebraska. And he's blind. We've written about the 18-year old gamer and his peculiar talent before and now it looks like his fame is spreading around the globe. By using sound to gauge his performance in the game, Brice has been able to defeat his challengers, as he did on Sunday in a best out of three competition. He has been invited to travel to Japan later this month to compete with some of Japan's best Mortal Kombat players for a special on Nippon TV.

There has to be some kind of psych-out factor at play too. Sort of like getting beat at Soul Calibur by a little kid... not that I have... 'cause I wouldn't... but some other people have...

[Thanks, Todd]

Reader Comments (16)

I can play SCII with my eyes closed, just attacking by the rythm and rumble. It's an unpleasant surprise when I fall off the edge though...

'tap'. 'tap tap, (button mashing frenzy)'. twisting of the controller, accidentally blocking the opponents view of the television. "(more mashing) "Hey, fuckin' move it!" too late. "Victory!"

That's awesome - good for him. I wish him the best of luck.

I know what it's like to get your ass handed to you in SC2.

That would be a useful skill.

Think about it. No-one can block the TV, for one thing.

I bet this guy wouldn't do so well using a Revolution controller.

Nice, he's going over to Japan to play MK.......where no one plays it. I'd like to see him play some 3rd strike vs. Japanese players,, haha, pwnage!

Good on him, developing interactive media for blind people has always intrigued me, theres so many layers of sounds that game designers could add in to games to notify a blind person of whats happening on screen without distracting sighted people.

He ain't got no distractions

Can't hear those buzzers and bells

Don't see lights a flashin'

Plays by sense of smell

Always gets a replay

Never tilts at all

That deaf, dumb and blind kid

Sure plays a mean pinball.

I'm not much of a fighter fan, but one of my finest gaming moments was kicking a guy's ass in Tekken with my eyes closed. It was funny because I could never beat him with my eyes open.

Unbelievable. I have heard about this kid before. I couldnt imagine doing what he does. I'd like to see him try to play a Zelda like game though. OOh what now? JK If there is such thing as the "force" this guy certainly uses it.

I think he was in an issue of EGM. It's pretty cool that he uses his hearing for the punches, kicks, blocks etc. Hopefully he wins, then he'll be recorded in gaming history.

I remember reading in an old egm about some guy who was blind that kicked ass in street fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat by hearing the attacks and how close he was to his oppenant. its truly an amazing story

I believe this same kid was on G4's Attack of the Show sometime last year. I forget who he played against but he kicked the other guys ass. I THINK the guy he played was one of the creators of the MK series...I forget which one tho.

I'm sick of hearing about this kid. I live in the same area as him and in the last few weeks or so 3 different newscasts have had a story pertaining to him. He's blind and plays games, wow.

That's why its so amazing to people...he's BLIND and is playing something that normally REQUIRES you to be able to see what you are doing AND he can kick some ass.

Are you bitter b/c you lost against him or something?

Hey guys.

I can tell you right now that I am blind myself, and that I love fighting games.

It's not true at all that sight is required to play fighting games. Sound cues are more than enough for us blind folk.

Some of you should really try it.

Go into practice mode in MK deception. Try punching and kicking with your eyes closed.

Try doing some combos.

You will notice that when you block, punch, kick, etc, the sound is slightly different.

Blind Gamer preps for Kombat in Japan

Reader Comments (16)

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