While video gaming continues to reach new lengths as technology advances over time, arcade games were a big precursor to what we now call the norm. From Donkey Kong to Space Invaders and even simpler titles like Pac-Man and Centipede, arcade games were once the pinnacle of gamer interaction.
One such game is called Gyruss, a classic title that launched in 1983 by Konami. Although not many younger gamers may not have heard of it, those who have made their home in arcades for decades feel at home in front of the screen.
While the world record for the longest time playing Gyruss without losing sits at a whopping 56 hours, one super-gamer, in particular, has set out to beat that, going for a full 100 hours in order to honor his recently passed friend who believed it was possible.
Kim "Cannon Arm" chose to chase that dream and caught the attention of a Danish filmmaker and documentarian by the name of Mads Hedegaard, who made it his mission to put the film together chronicling the record-breaking attempt. Aptly titled Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest, the movie has received an excellent response from viewers.
When we had the chance to sit down with Mads, we knew he wasn't a gamer himself, so we made sure to ask what it was that spoke to him about this project outside of the record-breaking aspect of the documentary.
"I think that, initially, in the very beginning, it was the record. I thought it was a nice and simple story to tell. So I was attracted to that. And then the whole arcade world, as I was talking about before, the colors, music, and everything.
But then it was really when I got to know the character side, I really thought, 'well, I'm sure anyone else could do a film about the actor community. And a lot of people have, but I can do this in this certain way.'
And I thought that it was interesting for me to approach it in the way I did with my voice and with me in a way, being the audience standing in this world and then guiding the audience through the story and telling them about the characters and about the things I learned as I did the film."
What do you guys think about the director's comments? Be sure to check out the trailer and synopsis for Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest below!
Kim Cannon Arm is not your average grandpa. With killer hand-eye coordination and a mean mullet, he's a legendary fixture at Copenhagen's Bip Bip Bar, and renowned for playing the 80s arcade game Gyruss for 49 hours straight on a single coin. With help from his buddies at the bar, a community of heroic outsiders who support one another no matter what, Kim attempts to obliterate his previous record and play for 100 consecutive hours (four days!).
Dense with nerdy narration and deep thoughts, quantum physics and pattern recognition, this quest follows Kim and the gang as they apply their collective knowledge to the task at hand—leaving their mark on the world and paying tribute to a fallen friend.
In this quirky comedy, filmmaker Mads Hedegaard provides a surprisingly philosophical look at legendary world records, quirky hairdos, the importance of community, and what a real hero looks like.
What do you guys think? Is a record-breaking 100 hour-run achievable? Be sure to listen to our full chat below and share your thoughts in the usual spot!