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2 Ottumwa Courier, Thursday, March 17, 1983Florida 'vidiots playing hereBy SARA BACHTELL Courier staff writerHe told the principal there had been a death in the family and that he would have to miss five days of school. But nearly everyone else in his Hollywood, Fla., high school knew he was going to Ottumwa to try and break world video game records and see the town that is the “video game capital of the world.”Bill Mitchell, to understate the case, is a video buff. The 17year old’s accomplishments have earned him national press,including a picture and article in Life magazine.He and other video game champs — they call themselves “vidiots” — will be featured in Ottumwa’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday.Accompanying Mitchell to Ottumwa is Jay Kim, a ninth grader also from Hollywood, Fla.Kim, 14, is now playing “Joust” in the Indian Hills Community College student union. He may be standing in front of that game until early Sunday morning, in an attempt to break the world record of 201 million points.Kim had to search around for an old “Joust” machine since new ones have a computer chip in them to prevent multi-million scores, according to Michael Buck Sr. of Ottumwa, Kim’s,official “witness.” Buck is the world champ in “Carnival” and “Ms. Pac Man.”Mitchell was mounting his own attack on the world record for “Centipede” — a record he holds — at Twin Galaxies on Wednesday. But he gave up that attempt when the machinekept “blipping out on him,” a spokesman said today.Mitchell also holds world records in “Donkey Kong,” “Donkey Kong Jr” and Pac Man,” which is pretty good for someone who took up video games a year-and-a-half ago.During his first night in Ottumwa, Mitchell broke his old “Donkey Kong” record in two hours, 10 minutes, racking up 957,300 points.He perfected his skill by spending six hours a day and $15 to $20 a week practicing in the arcades this past summer. Because of school Mitchell now plays only three or four hours a day, spending about $8 a week.Mitchell attributes his success to his questioning mind. Mitchell finds faults in the game, figures out its program and essentially beats the game.The support of his parents, Bill and Barbara, has also helped, he says.Mitchell’s trip is being funded by Circus Playhouse, a nation-wide restaurant and video arcade chain he promotes.Video game criticism doesn’t seem to bother Mitchell, who defends his pastime: “Kids put money into the machines instead of drugs and alcohol. It keeps them off the streets.”And, he doesn’t consider his hobby an addiction.“I don’t like to play games I’m not good at,” he says. He also doesn’t like games with patterns or home video games.After graduation, Mitchell plans to study restaurant management at the University of Florida.Until then, he plans to continue traveling and breaking video game records. Mitchell and other top U.S. players will take on video champions in Japan this summer.Video victorBill Mitchell sets out to break his own world Centipede record at the Twin Galaxies video arcade in Ottumwa on^ rmWednesday. (Courier photo by Rick Dugan)
Newspaper Details
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa, Iowa, US
Thu, Mar 17, 1983
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
David R.
USA 19 Mar 2023
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