Whether you are a pro gamer beginning of your long journey to the top, or you have a vested interest in the grand history of video gaming, there is a wide variety of entertainment out there. In fact, there's plenty of video game documentaries highlighting the halcyon days of the 80s and the war between Sega and Nintendo in the 90s. But let's face it, it is just fantastic entertainment. Let’s show you some of the best video game documentaries to stream right now.
High Score
This Netflix series about some of the most important moments in the history of video games is a must-watch for anybody looking to understand the driving forces behind everything we know in the videogame stratosphere. Each episode focuses on a different era of video games, starting from arcades all the way through to 3D gaming in the mid-1990s, as well as an episode focusing on the Sega and Nintendo war. If you are looking to stream this series, you've got to get on Netflix as Netflix is a treasure trove of all things nostalgia these days, and you may want to get a Netflix VPN to unlock all of the regions. This Netflix VPN review to help you get Netflix across all regions can get you started.
Console Wars
The most prominent battle of the 90s was the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo. A fun and fascinating documentary, it digs into our nostalgia for the retro 90s by showing the trials and tribulations that form the foundation of all that you associated with Sega and Nintendo, including how that Sega scream (“SEGA!”) really came about! Starting from 1990 when Nintendo was the dominating force, it shows business deals and marketing strategies that explore the underlying decisions that make us so nostalgic for the halcyon days of Sonic and Mario. While you may think that a story about business deals and marketing strategies may seem like a pretty dull storyline, it is replete with nostalgia that turns these two major companies into characters of their own. It is a David and Goliath story between Sega and Nintendo respectively.
Thank You For Playing
Possibly the most moving documentary you will see in recent times. It's a fantastic video game documentary, but it's much more than that. It follows video game designers Ryan and Amy as they create a game based on their experience raising a son diagnosed with terminal cancer. The journey as they create “That Dragon, Cancer” and their highest and lowest moments as they strive to create something to help them remember their son is on another level. It is heartbreaking, powerful, and will make us think about our loved ones even more. Video games more than escapism for some and this documentary goes beyond the typical trappings of 80s nostalgia and yearning for the retro days of Sonic The Hedgehog. It is something far more powerful and is unlike anything you will have seen.
The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters
Released in 2007, this provides an insight into the competitive world of arcade gaming. Following Steve Wiebe, as he tries to break the high school records achieved in 1981 by Billy Mitchell, it is a riveting watch. It's even more engaging when you look at what happened to Billy Mitchell since the movie came out, which resulted in him being stripped of his Guinness world records but eventually had them reinstated. Bizarre, engaging, and ultimately entertaining, this documentary delves into the highs and lows of one individual pushing himself to the brink to break a world record.
Indie Game: The Movie
Charting the rise of the indie game which has grown beyond the fringe, this movie highlights just how influential indie games are. This 2012 documentary follows the creators of Super Meat Boy, Fez, and Braid as they work to bring their creations to the world. Insightful and incredibly tense, it shows the nuts and bolts of video game creation where the artistic and the practical skills needed to not just create a game, but also live their everyday lives, shows any budding gamer or game creator the heartache and sheer terror that goes into creating something.
The Lost Arcade
It can be easy to forget that once upon a time, video games brought people together. Arcades have gradually begun to slip away, and this 2015 documentary explores an iconic arcade, Chinatown Fair, that didn't just become a hub of the fighting game community but became a place for people to connect on a human level. A love letter to the past, it is a fascinating recollection of a bygone era. Gamers now stay at home but once upon a time it was a far more communal activity.
Easy To Learn, Hard To Master: The Fate Of Atari
Way before Nintendo and Sega were battling it out, Atari was the king of video games. In fact, it was the only company for a long time. While Atari is known as the precursor to the home console industry of the 80s, we can sometimes forget what made this company the foundation for the biggest moments in video gaming history. Focusing on the people who worked on its most famous products, it highlights an unorthodox method of working that helped the company stand out head shoulders above the rest.
Telltale: The Human Stories Behind The Games
Available on YouTube, this is a crowd-funded documentary that highlights the dedication to creating the most important video games of this generation. It highlights just what it takes to bring Telltale Games products to the masses. It is one that may make you think twice if you are considering going into the gaming industry. It shows just how much sacrifice and upheaval one person has to endure to bring video games to the masses.
Video gaming is a pastime for most of us, but these documentaries truly highlight something else. The sacrifice, heartache, and sheer unorthodoxy it takes to bring video games to the world is something else!
High Score
This Netflix series about some of the most important moments in the history of video games is a must-watch for anybody looking to understand the driving forces behind everything we know in the videogame stratosphere. Each episode focuses on a different era of video games, starting from arcades all the way through to 3D gaming in the mid-1990s, as well as an episode focusing on the Sega and Nintendo war. If you are looking to stream this series, you've got to get on Netflix as Netflix is a treasure trove of all things nostalgia these days, and you may want to get a Netflix VPN to unlock all of the regions. This Netflix VPN review to help you get Netflix across all regions can get you started.
Console Wars
The most prominent battle of the 90s was the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo. A fun and fascinating documentary, it digs into our nostalgia for the retro 90s by showing the trials and tribulations that form the foundation of all that you associated with Sega and Nintendo, including how that Sega scream (“SEGA!”) really came about! Starting from 1990 when Nintendo was the dominating force, it shows business deals and marketing strategies that explore the underlying decisions that make us so nostalgic for the halcyon days of Sonic and Mario. While you may think that a story about business deals and marketing strategies may seem like a pretty dull storyline, it is replete with nostalgia that turns these two major companies into characters of their own. It is a David and Goliath story between Sega and Nintendo respectively.
Thank You For Playing
Possibly the most moving documentary you will see in recent times. It's a fantastic video game documentary, but it's much more than that. It follows video game designers Ryan and Amy as they create a game based on their experience raising a son diagnosed with terminal cancer. The journey as they create “That Dragon, Cancer” and their highest and lowest moments as they strive to create something to help them remember their son is on another level. It is heartbreaking, powerful, and will make us think about our loved ones even more. Video games more than escapism for some and this documentary goes beyond the typical trappings of 80s nostalgia and yearning for the retro days of Sonic The Hedgehog. It is something far more powerful and is unlike anything you will have seen.
The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters
Released in 2007, this provides an insight into the competitive world of arcade gaming. Following Steve Wiebe, as he tries to break the high school records achieved in 1981 by Billy Mitchell, it is a riveting watch. It's even more engaging when you look at what happened to Billy Mitchell since the movie came out, which resulted in him being stripped of his Guinness world records but eventually had them reinstated. Bizarre, engaging, and ultimately entertaining, this documentary delves into the highs and lows of one individual pushing himself to the brink to break a world record.
Indie Game: The Movie
Charting the rise of the indie game which has grown beyond the fringe, this movie highlights just how influential indie games are. This 2012 documentary follows the creators of Super Meat Boy, Fez, and Braid as they work to bring their creations to the world. Insightful and incredibly tense, it shows the nuts and bolts of video game creation where the artistic and the practical skills needed to not just create a game, but also live their everyday lives, shows any budding gamer or game creator the heartache and sheer terror that goes into creating something.
The Lost Arcade
It can be easy to forget that once upon a time, video games brought people together. Arcades have gradually begun to slip away, and this 2015 documentary explores an iconic arcade, Chinatown Fair, that didn't just become a hub of the fighting game community but became a place for people to connect on a human level. A love letter to the past, it is a fascinating recollection of a bygone era. Gamers now stay at home but once upon a time it was a far more communal activity.
Easy To Learn, Hard To Master: The Fate Of Atari
Way before Nintendo and Sega were battling it out, Atari was the king of video games. In fact, it was the only company for a long time. While Atari is known as the precursor to the home console industry of the 80s, we can sometimes forget what made this company the foundation for the biggest moments in video gaming history. Focusing on the people who worked on its most famous products, it highlights an unorthodox method of working that helped the company stand out head shoulders above the rest.
Telltale: The Human Stories Behind The Games
Available on YouTube, this is a crowd-funded documentary that highlights the dedication to creating the most important video games of this generation. It highlights just what it takes to bring Telltale Games products to the masses. It is one that may make you think twice if you are considering going into the gaming industry. It shows just how much sacrifice and upheaval one person has to endure to bring video games to the masses.
Video gaming is a pastime for most of us, but these documentaries truly highlight something else. The sacrifice, heartache, and sheer unorthodoxy it takes to bring video games to the world is something else!
No comments:
Post a Comment