There
was a time when video games got you out of the house and up on your feet. In
the 1980s, gaming was done in the arcades, requiring at least some level of
human contact. Some people remain nostalgic for old school video games and as
is often the case with gamers, a few are still prone to obsession. That could
very well be the case when the original Nibbler champion seeks to regain his
title. Tim Kinzy & Andre Seklir document his underdog pursuit of
retro-gaming glory in Man vs. Snake (trailer here), which screens
during the 2016 Portland International Film Festival.
It
might take you a while to remember Nibbler. It was sort of like Pac-Man, but it
featured a snake with an inconveniently growing tail rather than ghosts. It was
not exactly the most popular game in the arcade, but it was attractive to
competitive video-game players, because it offered the chance to score one
billion points. Tim McVey was the first documented player to reach that milestone.
That would be the other, nicer Tim McVey.
For
years, he assumed he was still the Nibbler champ, but he comes out of
retirement when he learns a player in Italy bested his score. However, he will
have competition from a younger player gunning for the title himself. It might
seem like a dubious quest, but his indulgent wife supports him. He also has the
old school video game establishment in his corner, including the media-savvy
Pac-Man champ Billy Mitchell.
Aside
from his understanding wife Tina, McVey sort of fits the gamer stereotype. He
is somewhat on the schlubby side, working a depressing job and going through
life with an unfortunate name. Yet, M vs.
S will challenge many of the viewers’ snarky prejudices. Walter Day, the
owner of the arcade where McVey set his original record and the leading arbiter
of competive arcade gaming is a case in point. Deeply steeped in eastern
philosophy, he turns out to have a lot more going on than Nibbler. Yet, they
all seem to be pulling for McVey for the same reason they did in the 1980s. He
just needs it more than his competition.
