Even if Steve Wiebe weren't already a long-standing folk hero (and crowd favorite at live events), I have a feeling that it wouldn't take him long to win them over even as a stranger.
Wiebe is the classic good guy, the fellow you just want to root for. It's that natural, effortless likeability that the producers of The King of Kong picked up on, and around which they built the emotional structure of the film.
Wiebe's top score has now been toppled by many players since the credits rolled on the movie, and some say that the game has passed him by.
Live events, however, show in no uncertain terms that he's still one of the very best competitors in the game, even after years of facing off against all the brilliant newcomers he helped bring into the fray.
Wiebe only narrowly missed taking first place at the inaugural Kong Off, hitting a near million-point kill screen before being forced to cut out early to catch his plane back home, and came in third at the Kong Off 2 with an unprecedented "back-to-back million" on the second day.
Wiebe will never reclaim the world record, having opted out of serious pursuit years ago, but he certainly has nothing to prove in live play. No other player has anywhere near the success handling a chaotic, high-pressure environment (including several past world record attempts alone, on stage, in front of a crowd and a prime time television audience).
Wiebe, like his longtime rival Billy Mitchell, is known (and feared) for his consistency—his ability to deliver strong "on-demand" results while under the gun. He may no longer hold the highest score, but perhaps there's more to being a champion?
Next: Billy Mitchell »
Posts About Steve Wiebe
- Day 1 Recap: Lakeman In Control
- Hammering Hank Chien Wins The Kong Off 4! Lakeman Defeated In Final Round Grudge Match
- The Kong Off 4 Is Here!
- Steve Wiebe World Record Attempt This Weekend in Bloomington, MN
- Kong Off 3 Tournament In Review
- Wiebe on L21, On Pace for Second
- Steve Wiebe Returning to the Record Chase?!
- Back-to-Back Millions For Wiebe
- Wiebe Now In Third
- Saglio Working On a Monster
- Play Is Underway
- The Kong Off 2: Rating the Lineup (and Picking the Winner)
- Forever Kings
- Kiehl Retakes 4th
- Kong Off 2 Player Profile: Steve Wiebe
- Hank Bumps It Up
- The Donkey Kong World Record: The Real History, From 1982 to Today
- Donkey Kong: Darling of the Media
