Plastic surgeon snatches back DK record

By Fred Dutton Published 10 January, 2011

King of Kong dethroned.

New York plastic surgeon Dr Hank Chien has taken back the Donkey Kong high score world record from Steve Wiebe – the gritty everyman hero of awesome 2007 documentary King of Kong.

Record keepers Twin Galaxies have reported that Chien, pictured below, posted the new high score of 1,068,000 from his home during the blizzards that crippled the east coast of the USA late last month. The record attempt took two hours and 45 minutes.

This just pips Wiebe's best of 1,064,500, which he managed in September, knocking hot-sauce peddling bad-dude Billy Mitchell off the top, who himself had earlier toppled Chien.

And this titanic struggle is all set to continue in 2011. Wiebe is having another crack at the record at a live event in Chicago this weekend, then Chien, Mitchell and Wiebe will be going toe-to-toe again in March at a Donkey Kong challenge in New Jersey.

"Like last time, I know it will only be a matter of time before Steve Wiebe, Billy Mitchell or another competitor beats my score," said Chien.

"I will be practicing, but it's a fine balance between staying in shape and getting burned out. I think breaks are a necessary part of training much like training for a marathon. I don't think I will hold the title forever, but it is fun to see 'How High Can You Get?'"

'Plastic surgeon snatches back DK record' Screenshot 1
Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hunam #1 1 year ago

    I wonder if he ever accidental gave a woman gorilla cheeks because he was thinking about DK too much.

  • eviroboy #2 1 year ago

    It's all bollocks, they all just pander to their own ego's. If they were going for the outright record then why do they keep conveniently 'losing' as soon as they pip the last guy's score. Wouldn't imagine for the slightest I could even get into the thousands let alone a million plus but come on guys if you want the record then nail it! Stop being a bunch of geektards.

  • dagas #3 1 year ago

    eviroboy: I bet they are pretty burned out at that point, plus the adrenalin disappears after beating the high score. It's like asking a marathon runner to run a couple of more miles after he finish, you are not mentally or physically prepared for it. Beating that score is the goal and when that is finished you are finished.

  • itamae #4 1 year ago

    Also, you guys need to read up on the infamous Donkey Kong kill screen. The problem is getting the top score before you run out of game, hence the incremental advances.

  • Augmentation #5 1 year ago

    I wonder if this guy is as big a douche bag as Billy... I don't think that's humanly possible to be honest.

  • Iain815 #6 1 year ago

    He's a plastic surgeon, he shouldn't be messing about with video games, he should be trying to stop his marriage falling apart at the revelation that his son is actually his co-worker's and feeding mobsters to alligators.

  • Rorsch #7 1 year ago

    Gah, don't turn games into jobs!

  • HiredMan #8 1 year ago

    Oh man, I love this shit. I hope they make a movie out of this challenge.

  • onezeonx #9 1 year ago

    Wooooo they are so cool

    Oh wait...

  • CraigMcG #10 1 year ago

    it is fun to see 'How High Can You Get?'"
    I do it every weekend

  • mcmothercruncher #11 1 year ago

    "...but it's a fine balance between staying in shape and..."

    Um, staying in shape, er, OK.

  • sonicyoda #12 1 year ago

    Jesus Christ; you're on a games website complaining about people playing games. Chasing high-scores is no different then getting really good at CoD or whatever buzz-game you're playing. It's all about practice and perseverance. Just because the game is 30 years old doesn't mean this is in any way more 'sad' or whatever you're getting at. Shut your mouths you hypocrites.

  • lasersrule #13 1 year ago

    Donkey Kong is such weak sauce compared to the Williams and Atari machines. Like Pac Man, the maximum game only lasts a few hours before the machine ends the game for you.

    Defender, Robotron, Asteroids and Missile Command records take *days* to break.

  • PlugMonkey #14 1 year ago

    On why players quit after pipping the previous score:

    Mitchell set the new record playing at the Boomers-Grand Prix Arcade in Dania, Fla. where he played for two hours and forty two minutes before quitting once he topped Chien's score. When asked why he quit early, Mitchell said "Some say I'm being cocky. Some say I'm being lazy. I say, I'm being Billy Mitchell."

    So, there you go. It's all about being Billy Mitchell. :D
    Edited by 1 at 11/01/11 @ 10:54

  • KrazyFace #15 1 year ago

    "Some say I'm being cocky. Some say I'm being lazy. I say, I'm being Billy Mitchell." You're both those things billy, but does that also involve being a cheating, devious little inbred spunk farter? He beats high scores in privicey, and sends shoddy tapes as proof! Can't stand this guy, wish he'd take a bottle of that hot sause of his and shove it up his rectum.

    *** WEE-BEE FTW ***

  • MatMan562 #16 1 year ago

    "Mitchell and Wiebe will be going toe-to-toe again in March at a Donkey Kong challenge"
    Sounds like a great Peep Show episode

  • tossum #17 1 year ago

    Love that cabinet