On August 8th, history was made as the International Video Game Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural class. History was made the night before, however, when infamous gaming champion Billy Mitchell broke the world record scores for both Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr.

Taking 2 hours and 42 minutes to complete, Mitchell scored 1,062,800 to nab the world record in Donkey Kong. This was a grand achievement in itself, but Billy Mitchell couldn’t stop there.

“I remember a lot of celebration; hugs, kisses and a lot of hooting and hollering. Once that died down, stood there looking at Donkey Kong Jr. and thought, ‘there’s one more thing I have to take care of’.”

He then went on to achieve a high score of 1,270,900. Both high scores were verified by representatives of internationally recognized video game authority Twin Galaxies, at Boomers-Grand Prix Arcade in Dania Florida.

Although the prior Donkey Kong record holder was Hank Chien, the most-recognized rivalry in gaming was between Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe. They were both featured in the 2007 documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Billy Mitchell was considered the villain of that film by many viewers, and thus his new batch of world records could be considered a disappointment. I believe, however, that excellence in gaming is inspiring no matter what the source. Gaming, like sports, is full of grand achievements that inspire one to reach higher for excellence in their own lives. You have to tip your hat to Billy Mitchell’s competitive nature and commitment to his goals.

As far as his infamous reputation is concerned, Mitchell did not disappoint. As is often the case with Mitchell, there was some controversy at the event. He simply stopped his game as soon as he beat Hank Chien’s previous Donkey Kong world record. When asked why he did this, Billy Mitchell simply stated:

“Some say I’m being cocky. Some say I’m being lazy. I say, I’m being Billy Mitchell.”

So, Ranters, would do you think of Billy Mitchell’s new world records? Are they awe-inspiring or face-palm inspiring?

Source: Twin Galaxies, Kotaku