Annual video games trade show E3 always sees top games publishers showing off their latest and greatest wares, but one of the biggest happenings at this year's show was thanks to a classic arcade game that's older than many of the show's attendees. Steve Wiebe, an algebra teacher from the Seattle suburbs, took on the Donkey Kong world record in a day-long clash that thrilled crowds and had the Internet buzzing, reports CNET.
Today, the ape won.
The story of the fight to break the Donkey Kong record was the subject of a 2007 documentary movie entitled The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, which starred Wiebe and the current record holder, Billy Mitchell. Today Wiebe was playing for a prize fund of $10,001 -- all in quarters.
But luck wasn't with Wiebe. After an early attempt was unexpectedly halted by a power cut, Wiebe won through to the game's infamous 22nd level, where a bug inevitably causes the game to generate a level with a time limit that's impossible to beat. Wiebe's final score was 989,400 -- just short of the existing record set by Billy Mitchell in 2007, which stands at 1,050,200.
Wiebe's valiant attempt still captured the hearts of spectators around the world, driving the challenger's name to the top of the trending topics list on Twitter. "I think Oxford should consider replacing the definition of epic in their dictionary with a picture of #Wiebe," commented one fan. Better luck next time, Wiebe.
Related story: Donkey Kong Champ Competes For $10,001 In Quarters
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Posted: 2 Jun 2009
