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Interviews: Ask "The King of Kong" Billy Mitchell About Classic Video Games

Posted by samzenpus on from the go-ahead-and-ask dept.

samzenpus (5) writes Billy Mitchell owns the Rickey's World Famous Restaurant chain, sells his own line of hot sauces, and was called, "probably the greatest arcade-video-game player of all time". He was the first to achieve a perfect score in Pac-Man, and held many record scores in other arcade games. He is probably most famous for the 2007 documentary,"The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters". The film follows a challenger on his quest to surpass Billy's high score in Donkey Kong, which Mitchell had set in 1982. Since the film was made, the Kong crown has been held by a number people including twice by Mitchell. Billy has agreed to put down the quarters and answer any questions you might have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

9 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. Modern computer games. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Do you play many modern computer games these days, such as the current (Xbox One / Playstation 4) or recent generation? How do you think they differ from decades ago with cabinet based titles you are so well known for playing?

  2. OK by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why did you waste all that money on Donkey Kong when Galaga is clearly the superior game?

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  3. Regret? by Catiline · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What (if anything) do you regret about your fame as a champion video game player?

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    Do you like Japanese imports?
  4. A Lost Era by niado · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Every arcade that I have been inside in the last 10 years or so has been filled with terrible ticket-churning games. The commoditization of gaming hardware seems to have permanently killed off the classic arcade. Do you think this is an accurate observation, and do you see any way that the arcade-game scene could be rejuvenated?

    1. Re:A Lost Era by psyclone · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Even if there are arcade "museums" and other classic arcade venues to be found, do any of those have NEW games? There's a new 4-player pac man game (amidst many ticket-churning games) at a local arcade, which is fun, but it's an iteration on an old game.

      My Billy Mitchell question: Is there anything new out there in arcade games that play in a more or less classic style, but don't churn out tickets?

  5. How much time? by turp182 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Can you estimate how many hours you have spent playing Donkey Kong? Is it still fun to play?

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    BlameBillCosby.com
  6. "Competitive" Gaming? by timrod · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is your opinion on today's competitive gaming, where there are corporate sponsors, live streams viewed by thousands, tournaments with prize money in the millions of dollars, and a focus on games made to be played competitively - games like Starcraft 2, Counter-Strike GO, DOTA and its dozens of clones, Street Fighter, and even modern competitive Pac-Man (Championship Edition DX II)? Do you think it is an improvement over the eighties, where perfect-scoring Pac-Man got you some media attention and that was pretty much it?

  7. Re:You were the bad guy by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How about answering the main charge directly: Why don't you play in public like all the other challengers?

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  8. In reverse by tepples · · Score: 4, Interesting

    One might say that Donkey Kong is a Popeye clone. Nintendo was developing a video game adaptation of Popeye, which it retooled to use original characters when negotiation with King Features weren't going well. Had DK development gone according to plan, the Popeye we know would have been Popeye 2.