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Pac-Man world record is broken photo

A perfect score in Pac-Man was obtained ten years ago by Billy Mitchell, meaning that no one can ever score higher. How then does a person break the world record in Pac-Man? By doing it faster of course. Since Billy Mitchell the record has been broken four more times, and now we can add a fifth. David Race is your new world record holder for the Pac-Man high score with the time of 3 hours, 41 minutes, and 22 seconds. That's only 42 seconds faster than the previous time of 3 hours, 42 minutes, and 4 seconds, which was held by Chris Ayra.

In case you're wondering what it entails to get a perfect score, it means that the player has to eat every dot, every bonus fruit and every blue ghost possible throughout the game until it crashes at level 256. Pretty daunting, and to pull it off in under four hours is practically inhuman. I hope Race got many hearty pats on the back for his achievement or at least a job well done. 


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42 comments | showing # 1 to 42

Gyrael's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:02
Gyrael
Shitballs.
ndschroede23's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:05
ndschroede23
Wow.

In the King of Kong, Billy Mitchell really came off as a huge dick. Hope this lowers his ego a few points.
Los255's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:07
Los255
Wow
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:08
Monodi
Suddenly I thought it was beaten by score, and I was going to wonder the possibility due to the glitch at the end of the game.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:10
Dexter345
Whoa.
garison's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:11
garison
That's not even impressive. I bet I could do it in like half a second.
Spykron's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:17
Spykron
his eye must be bleeding for a week after that.
MrSadistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:19
MrSadistic
Make it rain, Pac-Man.
Harris Hatsworth's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:19
Harris Hatsworth
I like when people do speed accomplishments with names like Bolt and Race.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:21
Xzyliac
Good golly Miss Molly!

So how does one do it "faster"? I'm trying to figure that out.
Arkhon's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:21
Arkhon
I will never ever understand hardcore competitive gaming like this. It just doesn't make any sense.
HerosPlayDumb's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:30
HerosPlayDumb
@garison pics or it didn't happen
Solid Squirrel's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:33
Solid Squirrel
To be fair being someone involved in reality TV, you can edit anything to make someone look like an utter tool, and I truly believe that's what happened to Mitchell.

That said, I wonder if Race has ever kissed a girl.
king kong five's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:34
king kong five
Isn't it still possible to beat level 256 though? I read/heard somewhere that someone with a great memory and a lot of luck can beat it.
Arkhon's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:36
Arkhon
@king kong five:

No, it takes a patch. The original arcade game crashes at level 256 because they never really thought anybody would get that far.
Arkhon's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:41
Arkhon
I just found a relevent Wikipedia entry here about kill screens in general.
soberaddict's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:43
soberaddict
I'm at a loss of words as to this accomplishment. All I can say is I'm glad we're talking about humans pulling technological high scores. Someday, we might be talking about technology pulling those same high scores.
Takeshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:45
Takeshi
I can think of so many better things to do in 3 hours, 42 minutes, and 4 seconds. But hats off to the record breaker. In fact I just took my hat off for I'm going to bed.
mrplow8's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:47
mrplow8
How do you play a game for nearly 4 hours straight without messing up once? That's insane.

If someone told me that I could play any game, take as long as I wanted, and take breaks in between anytime I wanted for as long as I wanted, as long as I played through the entire game without ever making a single mistake, I don't think I could ever do it.
mr spooky's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:49
mr spooky
Oh no Billy going for the big one.
Haxan's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:52
Haxan
Billy has a tape of himself doing it faster. It's going to emerge any minute now.
ace of knaves's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 23:57
ace of knaves
"We've got a kill screen coming up."
ButcherPete's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 00:01
ButcherPete
@ndschroede23

Uhm, the article says he's been beaten four times since then, this guy is just beating the last guy to beat the score, not Billy, and I'm sure Billy's score was beaten before King of Kong, but he was recognized as being the first to achieve a perfect score so it was mentioned in the film.
ndschroede23's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 00:38
ndschroede23
@ButcherPete

I wasn't referring to him looking like a dick in regards to his Pac-Man score, I was just speaking generally. And yes, I am aware that this guy is one in a line of people that have beaten Mitchell, but if I once had a world record and I moved from 4th place to 5th place, I'd be a little ego-hurt.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 01:02
GoldenGamerXero
That man isn't human! How do these people do things like this! The Grand Theft Auto one was really meh but WOAH!
DarkMagic56's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 01:48
DarkMagic56
@Haxan Agreed, everybody knows Billy is gonna comeback with a better time and pretty much give this dude a big F-U to his face
GDMFSOB's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 01:53
GDMFSOB
@Solid Squirrel
It's pretty well known that King of Kong was edited to be more dramatic. For example, there was actually a third guy competing for the high score during the same period and they did interview him, but it's not very "good vs evil" to have 3 guys battling it out so they just completely skipped it.

Billy, however, has been in several documentaries and always behaves the same.
watermeter's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 02:37
watermeter
It looks a interesting game.Magnet Material
horrorscope's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 03:01
horrorscope
Im just going to jump in my time machine and travel back 30years when this would have been impressive. To my future self: Do Not Invest In the Phantom Gaming Console.
PreacherMan89's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 03:04
PreacherMan89
Dang, that's crazy.
Artemus's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 03:14
Artemus
Now that's one helluva feat...
I can't begin to think how one would prepare to accomplish something of that magnitude. Amazing. Imagine the pressure?!
Records like this, video games or not, need to be recorded and seen, rather than just heard about in passing. Epic moments like this should be covered by CNN and other reputable news fronts.
deewang's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 03:23
deewang
Inhuman. Who pulls it off in under four hours is practically inhuman.ed hardy
king kong five's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 04:08
king kong five
@Arkhon
I see. I was under the impression that the right half of the 256th level was still "there" (as far as the machine is concerned), and that the glitch, while making it nearly impossible to complete the level, was purely aesthetic. Thanks for the correction, and the link.
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 07:37
lewness
That's nothing. I reached level 257. I turned to Akuma and revived Aerith. It was amazing.
Everyday Legend's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 08:00
Everyday Legend
I don't have that level of dedication to even attempt something like this - I like beer and pu--y too much.
Gen Eric Gui's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 08:47
Gen Eric Gui
It's pretty sad that even on a hardcore gaming site, people who set these kinds of amazing records still get comments like "This guy needs a girlfriend" and "Wow has this guy ever been kissed by a girl?"

This is an amazing achievement, and this guy should feel proud of himself.
JohnThEReaper617's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 09:05
JohnThEReaper617
That's cool and def something i couldn't do but he should be proud. But now Billy Mitchell is going to start having anyone who breaks the record or even tries killed with poisoned hot sauce.
ShuperShawn's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 10:02
ShuperShawn
That's god damn impressive! Billy must be pretty pissed off right about now.
tylermager's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 10:03
tylermager
it's alright, billy mitchell will send in a tape of him beating it sooner
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 11:55
Holyetheline
that is one hell of a world record... wow wtf.
fozzyozzy's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 13:02
fozzyozzy
Forget playing the game, can you imagine the boredom of watching someone play pac-man for nearly four hours?
Banana Kid's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 16:19
Banana Kid
...BILLY, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! First you lose the Donkey Kong record to that Weibe kid, and now you've lost Pac-Man?! Is the hot sauce distracting you from your true calling? Step it up, man! These people are stealing your glory out from under you!

You know what, you aren't even worthy of that American flag tie anymore. I expect it on my desk by Friday.
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