Kotaku: billy mitchell

Major General Hammond Invokes Pac-Man

Mike Fahey — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:20:14 MDT

U.S. Major General Jeffery Hammond, delivering a press briefing on the progress of the 4th Infantry's efforts in Iraq, revealed the inspiration behind their current strategy for dealing with Al Qaeda operatives and Shiite extremists.

"I believe they have been degraded, we continue to PacMan, like the video game, away at their efforts, at their different levels," Major General Hammond said.

While it's nice to see a video game reference made by high-ranking military officers, I have to wonder exactly what this means. I get this bizarre mental image of an overhead view of the streets of Baghdad, fruit carts spilling into the streets and the military struggling to pick up the produce for extra points. Are we the ghosts, or are we Pac-Man himself? Are power pellets sanctioned under the Geneva Conventions? With so many questions, one thing remains quite clear - we need to air drop Billy Mitchell into the war zone immediately, hot sauce and all.

4th Infantry Update from Baghdad [KXRM Fox 21]

Arcade Gaming Making A Comeback

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:26 MST

I. Love. Arcades. Seems I'm not alone! Forbes has a short piece about the retro arcade revival going on in the States. While some Americans are content to play retro titles on emulators and whatnot, there is a growing number of gamers who want a realer experience. And with the US arcade scene limping along, some are getting their gaming fix by purchasing retro game cabinets for home use. Says Rick Kirby of coin-op supplier Betson Enterprise:

The last few years, we've seen an all-time high in sales of machines for home use... The buyers of these machines are families, husbands and wives who grew up playing the games in the arcades and today want them for their game rooms.

Of course, there are places in the States like Brooklyn's Barcade, which do a lovely job of preserving these cabinets. Shame there aren't more places like Barcade.
Arcade Games Make A Comeback [Forbes via Arcade Renaissance] [Pic]

The King Of Kong Is Now On DVD. If you missed ...

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:00:00 MST

The King Of Kong Is Now On DVD. If you missed the theatrical release of the Donkey Kong score-off documentary The King of Kong, you now have a chance to catch it on DVD. The film, which chronicles the high score struggles of chronic weeper Steve Wiebe and the dastardly tactics of the ultra-patriotic Billy Mitchell can probably be had from fine retailers and/or Netflix as of today. It's a gripping, if somewhat manipulative, good time and a worthwhile primer for the Hollywood adaptation.

Kinnear of Kong

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:00:04 MST

The King of Kong was so good that it deserves a Hollywood remake. Or something. So, if we were casting the role of school teacher challenger Steve Wiebe who tries making a go at arcade hero Billy Mitchell's Donkey Kong record, we'd say Greg Kinnear would make a fine choice. But what does Greg Kinnear think?

I saw that documentary. I loved it. I thought it was a very cool documentary. If they make that into a movie...I wouldn't want to play Kong. So that guy [Wiebe] would be better.

So that just leaves casting Billy Mitchell. Suggestions welcomed.
Kinnear in Kong [Multiplayer]

King of Kong Trash Talk

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:00:39 MDT

At the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers (yes, I know), arcade champ Billy Mitchell posted the top Donkey Kong score. Previously, he lost it to unknown Steve Wiebe. But now that Mitchell has reclaimed his crown, what does Wiebe say?

I knew he wasn't going to take this lying down. And he knows I won't let him get the record and just go away quietly. So I'm going to start firing up the game again... So like I said, the saga continues. I know I can get a higher score than what he posted, and I plan on putting it to a level where he can't break it.

Take THAT!! Wiebe even offered Mitchell a chance to go head-to-head on the machines. We wait with bated breath.

Mitchell Reclaims Donkey Kong Record

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 22:00:35 MDT

The game? Donkey Kong. The location? The Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers in Orlando, Florida. Arcade champ Billy Mitchell has reclaimed the top DK score with a record breaking 1,050,200 points. This comes weeks before documentary The King of Kong gets released. The doc follows Steve Wiebe who claims the Kong high score.

There have been questions about the authenticity of the high scores and whether or not "doctored" arcade boards were used. Both claim that they haven't cheated. For example, Wiebe shot his high score with a handheld camera in his garage. He filmed himself installing the genuine arcade board, reaching his high score and then taking out the same arcade board. For his latest record, Billy Mitchell had his board verified by Nintendo of America and didn't take it out of its Nintendo of America packaging until the Brokers convention. As he placed it in the cabinet, Mitchell had a security guard, a notary public and a GameStop manager on hand. This was also filmed!

After Mitchell beat this high score, he let the clock run out. Mitchell still had one Mario life left. He says:

"I'm not Steve Spurrier," Mitchell said of the legendarily aggressive football coach. "I'm Billy Mitchell. I don't need to run up the score. I just want to put one in the win column. I want to make it competitive. I didn't want to make it too tough."

Your move, Wiebe.
Mitchell Back on Top [MTV]

King of Kong Speaks

Kim Phu — Wed, 30 May 2007 12:40:00 MDT

The King of Kong documentary has been making the rounds this year in various film festivals around the US and now there is a controversy over how one of the movie's "characters" was portrayed. In the movie, two men (Billy Mitchell and Steve Weibe) are trying to be crowned the King of Donkey Kong. Mitchell has held the title of the highest score in Donkey Kong up until recently, when Weibe and a documentary crew set out to challenge it.

Just from looking at the trailer, it's pretty easy to tell who the director thinks the real hero (come on, one possibly works at a fast-food restaurant and the other is a science teacher). Mitchell hasn't even seen the movie, knows that he has been casted the villain from reading the reviews and press. Now he is speaking out in an article by MTV along with friends and colleagues who have come out to clear the air. According to Twin Galaxies' top scorekeeper, Walter Day:

When I saw the film, I was very upset. I saw the dynamics of stress between Billy and Steve and all those other people. At first I was mad at the players, mad at me and mad at everyone. Then I went away and sent [the filmmakers] an e-mail and said, 'Look, you got the plot all wrong.'

Tales of tweaked arcade circuit boards, skewed storylines, and made-up plots are just the tip of the iceberg in this video game drama. It's definitely a fun read for anyone missing "The OC". Kim Phu

Ex-'Donkey Kong' Champ Finally Speaks After Getting Bruised By New Doc [MTV Movie News]

Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championships

Mike Fahey — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:20:06 MDT

Start cultivating your mullet and break out the American flag neckties, cause it's on baby! Microsoft and Namco have announced the first Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championship, allowing gamers around the world to finally prove that the only sauce Billy Mitchell brings is teh weaksauce.

Sponsored by Quiznos, the contest will pit the highest leaderboard scores from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and Mexico, along with two finalists from Europe and the US against each other in what may come to be known as the ultimate Waka-off. Also joining them will be the winner of the Pac-Man Fanatic contest, a wildcard entrant who will most likely suck badly at actually playing the game.

The grand prize winner will be crowned Pac-Man World Champion and receive a custom Pac-Man 360, 100,000 Microsoft points good for a couple Guitar Hero II song packs, 26 years of one free Quiznos sub a week, and hopefully some sort of vomit capturing device. Quiznos is good and all, but $13,520 worth of Quiznos is not.

The contest begins on April 25th and runs through May 9th, after which the finalists will be chose and 'it' will officially be 'on'. Think you got what it takes (no life, a good memory, and a mullet)? Hit up the Xbox Live Tournament page on or after April 25th to register. Good luck, and godspeed. Michael Fahey

WAKKA ... WAKKA ... WAKKA
Microsoft and NAMCO BANDAI Create Video Game History With First-Ever Xbox 360 "Pac-Man " World Championship

"Pac-Man" fans to compete on Xbox LIVE Arcade for chance to be world's best "Pac-Man" player.

LONDON — April 18, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. and NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. today made video game history by announcing the first-ever Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship, presented by Quiznos. From 25th April to 9th May, fans of one of the world's most beloved video games of all time will compete on the classic arcade game via Xbox LIVE Arcade on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, evolving "Pac-Man" gameplay from the local pizza parlours and arcades of the '80s to the Xbox 360 and its online gaming community with more than 6 million members. The top finalists from participating countries around the world will be flown to New York City for the finals on 5th June, with the winner being crowned the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Champion by Toru Iwatani, the creator of "Pac-Man."

Since launching in 1980 in Japan and in 1981 around the world, "Pac-Man," its host of ghosts and the famous "wakka wakka wakka" sound have become global pop culture icons. This arcade game played an instrumental role in establishing the video game industry in the '80s, while the launch of Xbox LIVE in 2002 was a key factor behind the rapid growth in popularity of online gaming. Today, Xbox LIVE Arcade is the premier online destination for digitally distributed, high-definition games — with more than 25 million downloads — offering fans of "Pac-Man" across the globe a great opportunity to connect, compete and enjoy the fun through the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship.

"NAMCO BANDAI Games and I are proud to partner with Microsoft on the Xbox 360 'Pac-Man' World Championship, which celebrates how popular 'Pac-Man' remains to this day," said Toru Iwatani, creator of "Pac-Man" and currently a professor at Tokyo Polytechnic University. "The success of "Pac-Man" stems from its fun gameplay and host of characters that have been enjoyed by families for generations. It will be exciting to see 'Pac-Man' fans from around the world compete on Xbox LIVE Arcade to become the first-ever 'Pac-Man' World Champion."

"'Pac-Man' reached an iconic status in the '80s across multiple generations and cultures, so the Xbox 360 'Pac-Man' World Championship provides a great incentive for fans old and new to fall in love with the game all over again," added Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of Global Marketing for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "We are thrilled to be partnering with NAMCO BANDAI Games and our sponsor, Quiznos, to invite 'Pac-Man' players from around the globe to join in the fun."

A total of nine finalists in the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship will advance to the finals based upon the highest Xbox LIVE Arcade leaderboard scores. There will be one finalist from each of the following countries and geographic areas: Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Mexico; and two finalists from Europe and the United States. This group will also be joined by the winner of the "Pac-Man" FANatic contest, a competition that will encourage "Pac-Man" fans from the United States and Canada to submit a video that demonstrates why they are the ultimate "Pac-Man" fan. The winning entry will be flown to New York as a wildcard entrant in the final round of the tournament. Details are available online at http://www.xboxlivetournament.com starting 25th April 2007.

The Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Champion will receive worldwide acclaim from being the first-ever Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Champion and gain a place in gaming history. The winner of the finals will also receive other great prizes, including 26 years of free Quiznos toasted subs (one sandwich a week for 26 years, a $13,520 (U.S.) value), 100,000 Microsoft Points for games, movies and other fun content available on Xbox LIVE, and a one-of-a-kind Xbox 360 featuring a special design inspired by "Pac-Man."

"Great food and entertainment go hand in hand, and we expect international gamers to connect with Quiznos food with the same passion that they bring to their gaming," said Steve Provost, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Quiznos. "The Xbox 360 'Pac-Man' World Championship promises to be a milestone moment in video game history, and we're thrilled that we can help make it into a reality."

Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship, Presented by Quiznos

Participation Information and Timeline:

Gamers who want to start practicing can download "Pac-Man" (400 Microsoft Points) now from Xbox LIVE Arcade on the Xbox 360.

Starting 25th April 2007, at 00:01GMT/ 01:01 CET, gamers can visit http://www.xboxlivetournament.com to register and review full eligibility criteria, regulations and rules.

Also on 25th April 2007, at 00:01 GMT / 01:01 CET, the worldwide competition will officially kick off on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Previous leaderboard scores for "Pac-Man" will be deleted to provide a clean and fair slate for all gamers participating in the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship.

Concurrently, "Pac-Man" fans in the United States and Canada can also enter the "Pac-Man" FANatic contest and receive an invitation to compete in the finals in New York City. Starting 25th April 2007, they can visit http://www.xboxlivetournament.com for more information on how to submit a creative video that best illustrates their love for "Pac-Man."

On 9th May 2007, at 23:59 GMT / 00:59 CET, the competition will officially cease and nine finalists from the identified regions, based on the top leaderboard scores,* will advance to the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship.

Before 1st June 2007, the top nine finalists will be announced.

The nine finalists will also be joined in New York City by the winner of the "Pac-Man" FANatic contest, and compete for the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship title on 5th June 2007, in New York City.

For a complete list of participating countries and country-specific eligibility criteria, rules and regulations and to sign up for the Xbox 360 "Pac-Man" World Championship, gamers can visit http://www.xboxlivetournament.com starting 25th April, 2007.