Billy Mitchell is/was the all time record holder in several classic video games, including Pac Man and up until very recently, Donkey Kong. I worked at one of the largest arcades in the world in high school, Funspot at Weirs Beach in New Hampshire. While I never met him, I do remember seeing him once there. I've always been into competitive gaming even though I've never participated in it. Now, he's been accused and found guilty of using an emulator to achieve the high scores.
Anyone who has seen the movie, "The King of Kong" remembers the scene where Mitchell talks about how fraudulent game scores shouldn't be counted. Now, he's been caught in his own net. He strikes me as an arrogant ass and a bully, so I get a lot of pleasure watching his fall from grace occur in real time. Apparently Billy also got special treatment from Twin Galaxies, the organization that keeps the scores of classic video games, and now they are found to be just as corrupt as he apparently is.
Billy Mitchell needs to answer these questions, and I'd like to sit down with him like Oprah sat down with Lance Armstrong.
1. Yes or no, have you ever used an emulator to practice or play retro video games? (he danced around the issue in an interview here (go to 12 minutes 43 seconds. He claims to have not have except for one time)
2. Yes or no, did you use an emulator to achieve your high score in Donkey Kong?
3. Yes or no, did Twin Galaxies know you used an emulator for your high score for Donkey Kong?
4. Yes or no, did you use an emulator for your Pac Man record?
Competitive gaming is an odd hobby, not very popular and certainly not for everyone. This scandal goes to show however, that human nature is the same no matter what your hobbies and interests are. If there is a way to cheat the system, some people will always take it.
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