Hank Bumps It Up

August 22nd, 2012 - The Donkey Kong world record doomsday clock has ticked one minute closer to midnight.

Earlier today, Twin Galaxies announced that Hank Chien has once again bested himself: the top mark in Donkey Kong now stands at 1,127,700, which adds 17,600 to the good doctor's 1,110,100 score announced just under three months ago.

In light of the news, world record aspirant and current fourth-place contender Shaun Boyd perhaps not-entirely-jokingly voiced what many competitive Kongers might be thinking today: "Now announce your retirement from DK so the rest of us can have a chance at #1, please!"

But with an ever-growing list of million-point players now hovering within legitimate striking distance of competitive gaming's top crown—in particular Kong master Dean Saglio, who is only being held in check by the gulf between keyboard and joystick—it would appear that Dr. Chien is doing his best to shut the door and lock it as the once and final Donkey Kong champion.

He is, at any rate, not going about it in the way of Billy Michell.

The last three times Mitchell took the record, he did so with symbolic scores: The infamous "tape" of 1,047,200 from 2005 beat Steve Wiebe's 947,200 by exactly 100,000 points.

When Wiebe topped that score with 1,049,100 in 2006, Mitchell replied about one year later by pushing the record exactly 1,100 points further before surrendering the controls.

Then Chien announced himself with 1,061,700 in 2010, to which Billy responded with another 1,100 point nudge, before once again ditching the game-in-progress.

All three were coded messages: the first said "you aren't even close, and I've already been there." The two 1,100 bump-ups that followed winked and smiled as if to whisper "1.1 million... meet me there... I dare you."

And now Hank has done it. Twice.

It must be left to the eye of the beholder whether Mitchell's stunts were challenges, taunts, or friendly sportsmanship, but one thing is evident: such theatrics aren't Hank's style.

No games. No soft-play. No compromise.

Dr. Kong wants the last word.