Presented for your information and adulation: the official top 20 Donkey Kong scores!
If you're coming in "off the street"—perhaps from a Google search after a viewing of The King of Kong—the first thing you need to understand is that a great deal has changed since the movie.
Neither Steve Wiebe nor Billy Mitchell hold the Donkey Kong world record anymore, or even a top 3 score. Both players are still great, and highly revered (Wiebe's stunning performance at the Kong Off 2 in November 2012 was nothing less than historic), but their status as the undisputed best has been challenged.
The "Billy vs. Steve" era is now history, the record chase having been passed on to a new generation. The movie brought hundreds of new competitors to the game from all over the world (even Eminem!) and intensified the competition to an extreme level. Brilliant, talented players like Hank Chien, Vincent Lemay, Jeff Willms, and Dean Saglio have risen to the top.
Poke around the blog or join us at the Donkey Kong Forum if you'd like to go deeper.
Links within the table will take you to posts on Donkey Blog that offer more details on the particular game in question.
This leaderboard was last maintained on March 7th, 2013.
Arcade Machine
Standard (hammer-allowed) play, Tournament Settings (3 lives to start, extra life at 7,000 points)
| Rank | Score | Player | Date |
| 1 | 1,138,600 | Hank S Chien | 11/1/2012 |
| 2 | 1,135,900 | Vincent Lemay | 1/11/2013 |
| 3 | 1,105,400 | Jeff Willms | 11/18/2012 |
| 4 | 1,079,400 | Dean Saglio | 11/18/2012 |
| 5 | 1,064,500 | Steve J Wiebe | 8/30/2010 |
| 6 | 1,062,800 | Billy L Mitchell | 7/31/2010 |
| 7 | 1,052,900 | Mark Kiehl | 8/7/2012 |
| 8 | 1,037,500 | Shaun Boyd | 5/21/2012 |
| 9 | 1,015,000 | Dave McCrary | 12/30/2011 |
| 10 | 1,012,800 | Kyle Goewert | 4/27/2012 |
| 11 | 999,800 | Estel J Goffinet | 2/11/2012 |
| 12 | 964,600 | Steve Wiltshire | 9/17/2012 |
| 13 | 957,400 | Eric Howard | 2/23/2011 |
| 14 | 903,400 | Benjamin M Falls | 6/13/2009 |
| 15 | 900,900 | Ike Hall | 6/14/2009 |
| 16 | 900,500 | Eric Tessler | 11/18/2012 |
| 17 | 895,400 | Scott Kessler | 5/30/2008 |
| 18 | 892,800 | Jeff Wolfe | 11/18/2012 |
| 19 | 885,800 | Hans Kollinger | 5/17/2012 |
| 20 | 879,200 | Timothy F Sczerby | 8/17/2000 |
M.A.M.E. Arcade Machine Emulator
MAME is a piece of software that runs old arcade games via PC. This table includes games submitted to Twin Galaxies as INP recordings made in WolfMAME Plus 0.106—one of many MAME variants, and the official Twin Galaxies competition edition of MAME. You can download the program here. Want to play Donkey Kong? Unfortunately, it would be against Blogger's Terms of Service for me to link you to the Donkey Kong ROM images, so you're on your own on that one. (What I definitely won't do is tell you to go to Google right now and type "MAMEST", because that's a silly-sounding word that doesn't exist.)
| Rank | Score | Player | Date |
| 1 | 1,167,400 | Dean Saglio | 4/21/2012 |
| 2 | 1,107,600 | Jeff Willms | 8/15/2011 |
| 3 | 1,050,200 | Vincent Lemay | 2/16/2011 |
| 4 | 917,600 | Ross Benziger | 9/4/2008 |
| 5 | 916,600 | Scott Kessler | 4/6/2008 |
| 6 | 916,300 | Josh Criss | 11/7/2010 |
| 7 | 904,100 | Benjamin J Walbeehm | 2/8/2005 |
| 8 | 897,400 | Hank S Chien | 2/21/2009 |
| 9 | 874,100 | Benjamin M Falls | 6/22/2008 |
| 10 | 871,400 | Juan C Medina | 12/9/2009 |
| 11 | 860,600 | John Marks | 9/22/2007 |
| 12 | 855,400 | Andrew J Gardikis | 5/9/2011 |
| 13 | 849,800 | Chris R Psaros | 12/28/2011 |
| 14 | 789,700 | Allan Edwards | 2/8/2005 |
| 15 | 777,400 | Jeff Harrist | 6/2/2012 |
| 16 | 758,500 | Philip M Tudose | 4/19/2010 |
| 17 | 757,400 | Scott Cunningham | 1/19/2012 |
| 18 | 741,700 | David A Shoup | 6/8/2010 |
| 19 | 740,200 | Jeff Wolfe | 2/8/2005 |
| 20 | 666,400 | Jonathon Mckinnell | 8/23/2010 |
The Aggregated Top 20
This table shows the top 20 overall scores between the two platforms. Some (myself included) would say that this is the "true" top 20, since there is virtually no debate that Donkey Kong plays identically on MAME: It's the exact same code that the arcade machine runs, and the emulation is perfect. The only difference is the controls.
| Rank | Score | Player | Date | Platform |
| 1 | 1,167,400 | Dean Saglio | 4/21/2012 | MAME |
| 2 | 1,138,600 | Hank S Chien | 11/1/2012 | Arcade |
| 3 | 1,135,900 | Vincent Lemay | 1/11/2013 | Arcade |
| 4 | 1,107,600 | Jeff Willms | 8/15/2011 | MAME |
| 5 | 1,105,400 | Jeff Willms | 11/18/2012 | Arcade |
| 6 | 1,079,400 | Dean Saglio | 11/18/2012 | Arcade |
| 7 | 1,064,500 | Steve J Wiebe | 8/30/2010 | Arcade |
| 8 | 1,062,800 | Billy L Mitchell | 7/31/2010 | Arcade |
| 9 | 1,052,900 | Mark Kiehl | 8/7/2012 | Arcade |
| 10 | 1,050,200 | Vincent Lemay | 12/30/2011 | MAME |
| 11 | 1,037,500 | Shaun Boyd | 5/21/2012 | Arcade |
| 12 | 1,015,000 | Dave McCrary | 12/30/2011 | Arcade |
| 13 | 1,012,800 | Kyle Goewert | 4/27/2012 | Arcade |
| 14 | 999,800 | Estel J Goffinet | 2/11/2012 | Arcade |
| 15 | 964,600 | Steve Wiltshire | 9/17/2012 | Arcade |
| 16 | 957,400 | Eric Howard | 2/23/2011 | Arcade |
| 17 | 917,600 | Ross Benziger | 9/4/2008 | MAME |
| 18 | 916,600 | Scott Kessler | 4/6/2008 | MAME |
| 19 | 916,300 | Josh Criss | 11/7/2010 | MAME |
| 20 | 904,100 | Benjamin J Walbeehm | 2/8/2005 | MAME |
Hank Chien, Vincent Lemay, Dean Saglio, and Jeff Willms each appear twice in the aggregated list. Twin Galaxies enforces a "one score per player" policy, but only by platform, so both their arcade and MAME scores are included.
39 comments:
So does this mean Dean Saglio can beat Steve, Billy and Hank?
im just glad that billy doesnt hold the donkey kong record. more over, that he is now in third hahahahahaahahahaha
Whenever twingalaxies gets back up. Ill then be able to send in my donkey kong arcade score to be in the top 20! They've been down probably two weeks so I hope it's nothing bad.
Nice job, Joseph! I Googled you. Looks like you've been working on this for a couple of years now. Did you manage to kill-screen the game?
Thanks for the Eminem story!
Haha billy is third, billy ant the best no more.
Think billy needs to practice more. Maybe get some glasses to
Help him in his old age
Interesting fact: NES Tetris scores are highly analagous to DK scores. This post is correct in calling DK the most competitive top 10 in gaming... but we are coming up :)
http://tetrisconcept.net/forum/showthread.html?t=1918
Billy will be always the dk champion. he did it back in '82, without internet, guides, etc. and at the same time he held world records in major games like centipede, burger time, pacman...
Agreed. In the future, I am going to write on that topic. Not only did Billy have DK nailed literally decades before anybody else (and in a total information vacuum), he was 17 years old when he did it! Love him or hate him, he's phenomenal.
Ive had my machine since May and Im in the 480,000 range for my high score. For you experienced players, is this decent progression?
Would like to see some south african players in the top 20 I'm well on my way with a score 490,600
Chrispy raises a good point of interest...is MItchell the youngest verified kill-screener in DK, or has someone done so before the age of 17 ?
Robert T Mruczek
Former Twin Galaxies chief referee
Star Wars classic arcade marathin champion
After another viewing of King of Kong just then, I literally could not be happier to see Hank S Chien as current arcade champ-
Sincerest congratualations to him, and sincerest congratulations to that other champion in 2nd place- ecstatic you're sitting above that narcissistic oxygen thief!
There should be a separate category for Live Kong records. Wiebe for President.
Please have respect for the original players like Billy. They made their scores at a time when everone was playing the game and not a handful like today. Basically people like Billy beat all comers
Please acknowledge that obnoxious, self glorification of one's own self is offensive to all others,regardless of a played up or played down verbal delivery, and for that reason alone, cannot, and should not, be praised, heralded or otherwise.
This applies then, and this applies now.
Great people are known as that only by way of the profession's of others.
I never knew how people can score so high on arcade game machines. I once spent a few hours playing a game and I still did not win, nor did I get any kind of high score. You guys are awesome to have such a score!
I never turned my score in to Twin, looks like they are really going downhill. Robert was a great person to have on there team and it's showing that the fall of this empire has come. I heard right when I was getting my dvd ready to send in they were only accepting top scores only. I haven't really played in months. Way to take the fun out the game twin galaxies.
Billy L Mitchell suck my dick
Here here!
To all "Billy haters", I totally sympathize with your view of him. And watching "King of Kong", Billy Mitchell came off as being super arrogant, petty, childish and downright ignorant.
However, I hear from not only one source, that he and Steve Wiebe are good friends IRL. Is this true, and if it is, did this come to be after the documentary was made or before?.. does this change what we saw in the film? Possibly!
This of course brings the objectivity of the documentary into play.
All I'm saying is this: Watching the film, I thought Billy was an asshole, but now I'm not so sure.
I do know a few pro gamers (and wannabe pros), who many of you would regard as being just that; assholes, and you might very well be right! is Billy one of these?.. maybe. Can we be sure?.. no!
Twin Galaxies is back online! Sweet!
Maybe it has been posted before...but why arent the two scores that was on the show fistful of qtrs on this list for mitchell and weebe?
I have a quick question i have a 60 in 1 arcade machine it has a small computer chip that runs 60 games would this be consider a MAME style of play even though it has a the classic arcade conrtols and body style? thnx also ive been playing since march 7th 2013 and my best score is 214,600 on lvl 7 is that good
The two questions after Dennis...
Anonymous 1: Twin Galaxies only allows one score per player. As soon as you beat one of your previous scores, the old one is replaced with the new one. Billy and Steve have both beaten the scores they achieved in the movie.
Anonymous 2: Unfortunately, 60-in-1 boards are not (currently) accepted by Twin Galaxies for Donkey Kong scores. However, the rules for DK are "in limbo" right now, so that might change within the next few months. As for your 214,600 score, it's good, and it shows you have the potential to go a lot further in the game. If you have more questions about playing and recording for TG and in competitions, you'll be welcomed with open arms at The Donkey Kong Forum.
Thanks Chrispy i have gotten a score of 287,300 since then but ive been practicing point pressing and it is difficult. I live 35 minutes from Funspot and been playing there at least twice a week the original game has a better joystick then mine. They have a classic arcade tournement the first week of june from thursday to sunday i hope to see some top cuntenders there, steve weibe was there a month ago but i didnt get to see him he did a random pop in when he was on vacation with his family in maine. But i hope to get alot better by then but who knows thanks again and if anyone is going to funspot in june hit me up on this post my name is roger champagne and could always use some pointers from the pros.
Just wanted to add Chrispy thnx for that forum has alot of helpful hints broken down then just watching youtube clips of world record videos. Thnx again :) ill record me playing in the next couple days and post it on youtube under donkey kong champagne.
just put up a score today at funspot of 397,900 with 2 deaths that should have never happend i was at 11.3 level and trust me when i say that damn game was not making nething easy. and yes it is the machine in the king of kong and there is no way brian kuh could have got a kill screen and only getting 545,000 point i wasnt point pressing and gettin alot of stages down to 3 to 400 bonus points left
Brian Kuh has never gotten a kill screen. Hes homless living I n Laconia
yea i heard that just yesterday when i was at funspot, someone said even funspot fired him lol.. how can u retire at 30 with no money lol. More like retarted at 30. Maybe if he got a KS he would have been rich and famous
You're welcome, J'lo!
Billy mitchell is such a pussy
Billy Mitchell has already done what everyone else is trying to emulate. Everyone after Mitchell is a poser!
A very good article. That's what I'm interested in topic.
POLSKA PRZEJMUJE TĄ STRONE!
Billy Mitchell is the world champion at being a complete ****wit!
After watching the King of Kong, it's come to my attention that Steve Wiebe is the only person on the documentary that has had sex with a woman.
Billy, your hot sauce tastes like Donkey Kongs jizz!
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