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History on Screen: King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
October 15 @ 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Enjoy a free screening of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. This 2007 documentary follows a rivalry between Donkey Kong players Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, offering an inside look at the world of competitive gaming.
Arcade games first surged in popularity in the late 1970s, transforming coin-operated machines and high scores into a cultural phenomenon, where high scores were a badge of honor and competition was fierce.
In 1982, Billy Mitchell set the first widely recognized Donkey Kong world record of 874,300 points. Years later, Steve Wiebe of Redmond purchased a Donkey Kong cabinet in hopes of achieving a world record of his own, using his mathematical knowledge to exploit patterns in the game. On July 4, 2004, he became the first player to surpass one million points, with a score of 1,006,600.
Stick around after the show for a Q&A with special guest Steve Wiebe!
This program is presented in partnership with the Redmond Historical Society’s Evening Speaker Series