Steve Wiebe to go for Donkey Kong hi-score at E3

by Jason Dobson { Apr 2nd 2009 at 8:45AM }

Amidst the lights, glitz and elbows to the face at this year's E3 will be Steve Wiebe, who will use the spectacle as the backdrop for his latest attempt to reclaim his Donkey Kong arcade scoring title.

Wiebe will take joystick in hand June 2nd at the show, marking his fourth attempt to break the record since he was outscored by fellow quarter jockey Billy Mitchell at the end of manufactured biopic, King of Kong. The undertaking will be nationally televised by G4 as audiences crowd in front of their sets, pining for a chance to catch a glimpse of Wiebe's sweaty palms and maybe, just maybe, the classic's infamous 'kill screen.'

Tags: arcade, billy-mitchell, donkey-kong, e3-2009, king-of-kong, score, steve-wiebe

Related From Joystiq

Stride Gum ponying up 40,004 quarters for a Wiebe win
179 days ago
Steve Wiebe sets Donkey Kong Jr. world record
195 days ago
Mahalo Daily talks arcade games with Wiebe, Walter Day, Joystiq
475 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ShadowXOR @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:49AM

I hope he gets it.

Antagonist @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:10AM

I just hope I don't have to watch the sorry bastard cry again if he doesn't make it. Wait a minute...yes I do want to watch that!

Negativecool @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:00AM

I wish him well too...

However, the ironic humor lover in me hopes he gets distracted by an E3 booth babe as soon as he starts and gets an embarrassingly low score, even for a n00b.

Yes, I'm a jerk.

nutman @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:51AM

That pic was from the AllGames event at E for all. Funny that G4 only uses Scot Rubin's ideas 5 years after he leaves!

bobby.glasser @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:53AM

Does anyone actually like Billy Mitchell after seeing that movie?..........or ever hearing him speak?

......or ever even seeing him?

Numbn8 @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:03AM

Billy Mitchelle does come off as a huge ass in king of kong. But after watching Chasing Ghosts I did find some respect for him. Anyone that can do a perfect game of Pac-man deservers to have an ego that big....

Although he is still an ass.

Martin @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:14AM

Dig a little deeper into the story and you'll find out just how biased King of Kong was. Even people that were in it, appearing to be against Billy and for Steve, have said they regretted how it was portrayed.

Yeah, Billy comes off as a dick, starting about halfway through the movie. But it doesn't take a movie critic to spot how slanted the movie is from there on out.

Good interview with Mitchell: http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1560691/20070529/story.jhtml

Also, if you look on the TwinGalaxies website, you'll note that Billy Mitchell's current high score was verified by Referee, not by video, and is therefore not the same score as at the end of King of Kong. (Score recorded 6/26/07, film released 4/21/07)

Source: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3852&vi=22

Smak @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:58AM

I listened to a filmcast a while back and they talked to the producers of King of Kong. When asked about the slant to make Billy Mitchell look like 'the bad guy', they said something along the lines of:

"That guy knows what we have recordings of him saying that we DIDN'T put in the movie. He's got literally no room to speak on that issue."

One of the examples they listed:

Billy asked the producers to pay for that lunch that he takes everyone to towards the end of King of Kong, only the producers should tell everyone that Billy picked up the ticket.

They may have only shown stuff to make him look like a bad guy, but with stories like that, I can't help but feel like he's just uncomfortable with himself, after seeing himself from the outside.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:01PM

I can't disagree with the "manufactured biopic" label on King of Kong. It definitely felt a bit like pro wrestling.

However, there is some truth to it, besides Billy Mitchell being full of himself (perhaps rightfully, as he is very good at games). And that is that Walter Day apparently is willing to reject scores sent in to him because his buddies say so. "the picture rolled at one point" "he met Steve Sanders (known cheater)". Apparently he's very susceptible to flimsy arguments as long as they come from his own pals.

I respect Walter for carrying the torch on gaming for so long. Without him, none of this would mean anything. But he seems biased. And Steve Wiebe was done wrong because of it.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:09PM

I guess I mean Roy Schildt above.

BananaBoat @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:47PM

Billy didn't come off as bad as his followers. I didn't even know what Twin Galaxies was before the movie, but if they are the ones that have been verifying Billy's scores....I don't trust a single score they have listed. They came over like they'd do anything for him, even if it meant sabotage.

That isn't to say that Billy didn't come over as a jerk. He basically had this holier than thou attitude the entire time despite being a nobody (I knew he was Pac-Man champion...in the 80's, before the movie. I had no idea he tried to keep that going until now). That could have been selective editing though, so I do give him the benefit of the doubt.

I almost hope that Steve gets the title back, and then retires from playing Donkey Kong forever. I felt bad for his family during the entire movie.

chispito @ Apr 2nd 2009 2:23PM

I couldn't get over how slanted the documentary was when I saw KoK. Mitchel looks like someone you would love to hate, but you know they were fast and loose with the facts.

I bet he's really not so bad in person, just one of those eccentric guys you know that takes a little getting used to.

In A World (XBL) @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:20PM

I'd like to see Billy Mitchell vs. Steve Wiebe in "Flower" at E3, just two PS3s side-by-side... see which one of them cracks first. My money's on Mitchell.

ugotamesij @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:15AM

I really wanted to see King of Kong but I never got around to it (I'm not even sure it came out here in the UK). Anyone care to tell me if it's worth tracking down?

Pureshooter @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:20AM

Definitely. It's a well directed documentary with a classic case of "Good vs. Evil" in Wiebe against Mitchell.

drstan00 @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:20AM

I think it's worth it, at least if you didn't know that these sort of records and people existed. The film builds up a lot of drama so it's kind of fun to watch.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:02PM

It's very good and a lot of fun. Try to see Chasing Ghosts right after. It's also a lot of fun and a little more truthful. It's more like a real documentary whereas Chasing Ghosts is kind of a Michael Moore Documentary or a Law & Order-style adaptation of a real-life story.

Titanium @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:22AM

Didn't he beat him on video and live? I thought there was text on screen at the end that said that.

Also, I severely disliked Billy Mitchell by the end of that movie. I hope to never see him again.

Dink Smallwood @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:25AM

E3 2009...
Miyamoto is on the stage and about to reveal a new instalment of Zelda on the Wii, when that weird 30-year old retired guy from the "King of Kong" movie suddenly walks up to him.

- Hey, I don't want to interrupt you guys but we've got a potential Donkey Kong kill screen coming up in a minute.

Haha, that would be great.

MLS @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:27AM

hahahahahahahha

+vote

Gnoll @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:31PM

One of my favorite parts of the movie was that guy walking around to a bunch of uninterested people mumbling "hey...there's a kill screen coming up......there's a kill screen coming up guys...."

I felt embarrassed for him.

Eric @ Apr 3rd 2009 3:49PM

bwaahaha.. easily my favorite part of the film. noone looked interested at all. what a weasel.

MechaDEVO @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:33AM

While Billy Mitchell certainly makes himself look like an ass, the King of Kong documentary heavily biased against him. The Twin Galaxies forum has a section dedicated to this movie and they explain a lot of things. I liked the movie and think Mitchell is quite the douche, but as with many documentaries, doesn't tell the whole story.

http://forums.twingalaxies.com/viewforum.php?f=86&sid=669d46660d88bbc4b7b421b5bfc1804e

CL34N3R @ Apr 2nd 2009 1:45PM

This is what I came in to say also. Billy Mitchell isn't a bad guy, that movie just made him out to look like a douchebag.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:13PM

I do agree King of Kong is designed to make a point and it does so by omitting some info. But the produces didn't force Walter Day to act in a completely biased manner toward Steve Wiebe, trying to say he cheated on his video submission then later accepting a score on tape from Billy Mitchell based upon a casual or even intermittent viewing of a pretty crummy tape.

Although he later rejected this tape, his acceptance of it on the spot despite flaws (that he assumed were not on the original) and despite the fact that it was merely running the the background at another event and not as an at least semi-rigorous viewing shows how much bias Day had (and to an extent still has) towards Mitchell. Wearing a referee uniform gives an impression of neutrality that I don't really feel he lives up to.

Rhinosaur @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:35AM

Hope he gets it, but he hasn't gotten anywhere close in his previous three public attempts.

zodduska @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:37AM

You mean Chump.. Fully Chumpatized.

Psyclerk @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:43AM

For those of you interested, King of Kong is available on Netflix in the "Watch Instantly" section. Prepare to be ashamed of your hobby!

Martin @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:16AM

In addition to this, if your connection is good enough it does stream in HD.

Neuromancer @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:26AM

Good luck Wiebe, I fully except the movie's premise that you are the Luke Skywalker to Billy Mitchell's Darth Vader.

crashcarstar @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:10AM

I watched King of Kong with my girlfriend. Her first words while watching it were (about Billy): "Is that really his hair?"

I don't care how slanted the movie was, Billy Mitchell is a douche and Steve Wiebe seems like more of a normal guy. I hope Steve kicks some A.

ck @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:31AM

Yeah, I completely agree. I don't care if it was slanted, the words you say and your actions that are documented on camera will be the ones that define you - so Mitchell should have known that from the beginning. And to say that Twin Galaxies really explains things truthfully, I'm pretty sure they have a vested interest in Mr. Mitchell - he's their poster boy. So screw those people who are defending the guy. He's an ass with a huge ego.

mmxzero @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:19PM

"No punk bastard, ever got a gnarly score in Donkey Kong, by being sensitive and considerate!"

Evan Brown @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:27PM

GO STEVE!

samechick @ Apr 2nd 2009 12:58PM

Slanted or no, as it's been said earlier, the video tape submission debacle was just uncool.

Good luck Steve I'll be watching =)

ohblackjesus @ Apr 2nd 2009 1:01PM

Billy Mitchell's mullet+goatee+american flag tie combo supersedes any plot devices, real or manufactured. He is a fanny pack wearing, hot sauce peddling goon.

G$ @ Apr 2nd 2009 1:01PM

Go Steve!

Billy seems like the kind of man that feeds on negative comments.... so I'll leave it at that.

Joloto @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:03PM

All this just reminds me that people who become too obsessed with being the best at a single game are seriously missing out. Being able to sit around for days on end trying to get a perfect score in Pacman or being number 1 in Donkey Kong isn't something to be proud of (much less egotistical over), it's a serious sign of being neurotic. There is so much other stuff to be done, both inside and outside of the video game world.

kenC @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:08PM

Oh so after Mitchel see's himself on film and realizes he is such a doushebag, he says he is portrayed wrong? He dissed Wiebe on camera at the arcade with his wife

Ryan Hamilton @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:21PM

How does Wiebe know he can beat the high score on that DK Machine? Let's say for example he makes it to the kill screen. The Kill screen is random. So he could be at 995,000 and the kill screen decides to kick in, unless he's staying longer in stages and jumping more barrels, to be at a higher score before the kill screen happens?

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:31PM

The kill screen is random. It comes at a fixed board number (256 I think). The reasons the scores differ is that you can score varying amounts of points on each board. If you hang out on a board longer, scoring quickly, you can make more points then running through it and just collecting the time bonus.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:32PM

Er, is NOT random. Whoops.

Ryan Hamilton @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:38PM

Oh ok. I understand. Thank you for clearing that up.

vaylen @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:47PM

I'll go there just to get Steve's autograph. Not because he's good at Donkey Kong, but because he's a nice guy who put up with the crap Billy and Walter threw at him and didn't give up.

But I gotta add one thing. I was 13 when DK came out, so obviously I was a huge fan of all those early 80's arcade games. However it kind of embarrasses me that people would care any more who currently holds the DK high score record than they would care who holds the high score at Mattel handheld football or who can best sing an Aldo Nova song. Time moves on and we of the early 80's video game generation don't stay young by pretending nothing came after the stuff we loved as kids. I hope Steve Wiebe retires from Donkey Kong and starts playing Braid.

Otis Whitaker @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:51PM

You can say all this crap about things being slanted all you want.

Billy Mitchell is a douche, and I've been saying this years before the movie was even made.

aida @ Apr 5th 2009 5:14PM

It's time this corruption STOPS here is a word from the real king of kong this is an official message not propoganda either.

Hi ****
I don't think theres anything we can do.
I'm not familiar with the circumstances of your history with TG, but judging from my own, I can see how one can easily get screwed over in the name of politics and/or profit.
I actually have a copy of the game I played 9 years ago that was the "real" one that beat Billy's long standing record from the 80's.....NOT Webie. The whole KoK thing is built starting from a purposely manufactured lie.
I made 2 copies, one I sent to TG, the other I kept for myself....THAT I STILL HAVE.
Dwayne Richards and a few other notable people have seen this video from 9 years ago and agree theres no disputing it, it was all legit,
Seth Gordan intentionally lied. I was screwed out of my right full place in KoK.
I can't tell you how angry I am that an accomplishment I originaly did was simply taken away from me with intentional lies, handed over to someone else (they purposely lied to do it) so they could all profit! NOW THERE'S A MOTION PICTURE IN THE WORKS?! I got zero!
I'm the one who first actually beat Billys long standing score, can prove it and they hand it to Webie and B.S. the public with a so-called ..."documentary"?
Trying to explain the truth about the whole KoK thing to the general public is like trying to explain quantum physics to a taylors dummy. No one wants to hear it even though you can back up your argument with truth and videotape.
The public actually thinks KoK is a real life,real events documentary.
Both these Film people and TG now have a lot of $$$ tied up in the KoK sham.

Another game has been wronged as well see his you tube pages

http://www.youtube.com/user/trtomkitinholloywood

and petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/11/the-right-to-play-twin-galaxies

Twingalaxies will try to cover it up but it's ALL true

VyX @ Apr 9th 2009 7:54AM

Haha, I had to watch King of Kong in class. Although it is biased, I agree with everyone else that Billy Mitchell is a douche, and if I saw him in real life, I'd probably punch him.

Good Luck Wiebe!