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No thanks, I'm good.Updated 4th February 2017
Free Gaming Documentaries on YouTube? WTF?
That was my reaction when I found these hidden gems. Sure, I’d read about them. Hell, I’d watched a couple of them.
But I can watch them on Youtube? For free? YES Please!
Here are my top 5. Enjoy and thank me later.
Like most people out there, I am not a professional gamer. Far from it.
I play video games when I can, but that’s about it.
But it wasn’t always like that. In my younger days, I played video games a lot. There were certain games which I spent hours trying to master (and got absolutely nowhere). There were certain MMO games I spent an entire week of my life trying to complete (and didn’t get close).
Those times are behind me now, with age and more responsibility time dwindles and often is no longer my own. But I look on those times fondly and miss the days when time was very much on my side.
Now, I love to watch movies and documentaries in which gaming is so much more to people; people who haven’t broke free of their addiction.
They’re fascinating. The lives these people lead; I’m both envious and glad I’m not counted among them.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve discovered something amazing: 5 of my favourite gaming documentaries are freely available right now to watch on Youtube.
5. Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade
Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade came out the same yeah as King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters and kind of gave a historical gaming background that underpinned the story arc in King of Kong.
This movies is about the history of arcade games, with its pinnacle in 1983 with the infamous Twin Galaxy meet up for the Time magazine spread organised by the fantastically eccentric Walter Day.
Day founded Twin Galaxies; an arcade venue and organisation which gaming world records are kept and update still to this day.
All of this precious, precious history is detailed along with Walter Day’s struggles to keep Twin Galaxies alive.
This documentary is absolutely epic.
4. Free to Play
Free to Play is a rather awesome documentary which follows a team of gamers as they compete in eSports most lucrative tournament: The International.
The team plays DotA. Can they win the tournament? Just how dedicated do these gamers have to be to compete at this level?
The answer might shock you. It shocked the hell out of me.
3. Ectasy of Order: The Tetris Masters
Ectasy of Order follows the top Tetris masters as they prepare to compete in the 2010 Classic Tetris World Championship held in Los Angeles, California.
Each competitor has a different character, yet all have the same goal. To win the Tetris tournament.
With Tetris enthusiast Robin Mihara looking to gather America’s best players to compete in the tournament, a Tetris champion from the Golden Age of Nintendo is teased.
His name is Thor Aackerlund and he has claimed to achieved unthinkable feats in Tetris; he reached level 30.
Did he actually reach level 30? Who is this mysterious Thor Aackerlund now? Will he show up for the tournament?
You gotta watch it to find out.
The Smash Brothers is a LONG documentary – really it’s a series of episodes – which followers the main players of the N64 The Smash Brothers game.
Each episode features a star or a past star and follows their career and life with the game.
It’s as fascinating as it’s detailed and I’d highly recommend you guys take the time to watch the series – whatever explanation I provide here are NOT going to do it justice.
1. King of Kong
King of Kong: A Fist Full of Dollars was the gaming documentary that made me realise I LOVE watching gaming documentaries.
I mean, it had it ALL.
A hero with a goal and clear path to reach that goal.
A villain and his men who’s sole role was to prevent the hero from reaching his goal.
The ambivalent authority figure who was getting duped by the villain.
Man, it’s really awesome watching. I mean, the sheer tension that gets built up just by a bunch of people playing video games is astounding. It’s powerful stuff and compelling viewing.
The story has dips, peaks, swerves and everything else you can imagine inbetween. Hell, it’s goddamn Shakespearean.
You need to watch this movie and you can, right here on Youtube for free.
Thank me later.
Guys, you have homework.
I want you go and watch these free gaming documentaries on Youtube and tell me which one YOU think is the best.
For bonus points, I also need you to let me know on Twitter or Facebook if there are any other free gaming documentaries on youtube that you love and recommend.
Let me know via Twitter or Facebook
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