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Gaming is a hobby enjoyed by people of all ages across the world. The many different cultures and sub-cultures involving gaming are highly intriguing, which is why there are numerous documentaries on the topic.
From esports and casino gaming to indie games and first person shooters, almost every genre of games has been explored through this medium. We take a look at some of the best made and most interesting documentaries on the topic of gaming that are available to watch online and through popular streaming platforms.
Jackpot: The Curious world of hardcore Bingo players
First on the list is a very intriguing documentary on the topic of hardcore bingo players. The stereotypical bingo player may be a woman of a certain age, however this documentary highlights the popularity of the game amongst other age groups and while millions of people now enjoy online bingo, this piece takes a deep dive into the lives of the most serious players.
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#1 Best Overall
Jackpot: the curious world of hardcore bingo players is certainly worth a watch. It has received many positive reviews that comment on the honesty of interviewees, as well as its compelling story s and creative editing.
While the show was released in 2009, it is still available to watch on the iWonder platform.
High Score on Netflix
In 2020, a six part documentary series was released to streaming platform Netflix featuring stories and interviews from the developers of early video games. Episode 1 focuses on the 1970s and the 1980s when arcade games were at their all-time high, this was also the era when at home video games started to become popular.
Rank #2
- 8.5GB OR 240-MINUTE CAPACITY: Each single-sided DVD+R DL disc stores up to 8.5GB or approximately four hours of high-quality video—twice the capacity of a standard recordable DVD.
- UP TO 8X WRITE SPEED: Supports recording speeds up to 8X for fast, reliable burning with compatible DVD+R DL writers.
- WIDE DVD COMPATIBILITY: Compatible with supported dual-layer writers and ready for playback with most standard DVD players and DVD-ROM drives.
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- 25-PACK SPINDLE: Includes 25 Verbatim LifeSeries DVD+R DL discs and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Episode 2 is all about Nintendo, explaining how following the economic crash in America, Nintendo began to market their Nintendo Entertainment System. Role playing games is then the topic of the following episode, with the game series Final Fantasy being the focus.
The final episodes take a deep dive into fighting games and the development of free dimensional graphics. While the docuseries has been described as being a little unfocused at times, it is an interesting look back at how gaming has developed between the 1970s and the present day. You can still find this documentary on and on streaming platform Netflix.
King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters on Amazon Prime
This next documentary is all about the much-loved game Donkey Kong. Released in 2007, King of Kong was directed and written by Seth Gordon and follows dedicated gamers who are competing to break the world record for high score on this game.
Rank #3
- 8.5GB OR 240-MINUTE CAPACITY: Each single-sided DVD+R DL disc stores up to 8.5GB or approximately four hours of video—twice the capacity of a standard DVD+R disc.
- UP TO 8X WRITE SPEED: Supports recording speeds up to 8X for reliable performance with compatible DVD+R DL writers and duplicators.
- WIDE DEVICE COMPATIBILITY: Compatible with supported dual-layer drives, most standard DVD players, DVD-ROM drives, and leading inkjet disc printers.
- WHITE HUB PRINTABLE SURFACE: Create full-color, high-quality, edge-to-edge labels directly on each disc using a compatible inkjet disc printer.
- 50-PACK SPINDLE: Includes 50 Verbatim LifeSeries DVD+R DL discs and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The main stars are Steve, a science teacher, and Billy, a restaurant owner, two talented Donkey Kong players battling it out for first place. The pear will do whatever it takes to become the King of Kong.
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Indie Game: The Movie on Amazon Prime
Another highly recommended documentary that is available on Amazon Prime is Indie Game: The Movie. Released in 2012, This film documentary explores the struggles faced by independent game developers. While certain games, like Cyberpunk 2077, have huge multi-million dollar budgets and armies of developers, independent games are created by a small team with just a few thousand dollars in the bank.
Rank #4
- 5 high-grade non-rewritable DVD+R discs with a one hundred year archival life; OEM drive certified
- Advanced AZO recording dye optimizes read/write performance and is supported by high speed double layer writers.
- Blazing speeds up to 10X allow for 8.5GB files to record in approximately 12-15 minutes and store 4 hours of DVD quality television and video
- Ideal for archiving home movies. Compatible with most DVD-R and DVD+R drives including Pioneer, Apple, Sony, Dell, LG, HP, Lenovo and others
- Verbatim has been a leader in data storage technology since 1969, and guarantees this product with a limited lifetime warranty and technical support
This documentary shows just how far creativity and hard work can get you. Games that are explored include Braid, Super Meat Boy and Fez, with the developers of each game giving a behind the scenes look at what it took to get their development over the line.
In the year of its release, Indie Game was the winner of the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award at the Sundance Film Festival. There are few places you can watch this documentary. If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription then you can catch it on Google Play or iTunes.
GameChangers: Dreams of BlizzCon on Apple TV
Also worth a mention is the documentary GameChangers: Dreams of BlizzCon. The show looks at the world of esports and follows professional players of the game StarCraft 2.
Best Value
- 15 high-grade non-rewritable DVD+R discs with a one hundred year archival life; OEM drive certified
- Advanced AZO recording dye optimizes read/write performance and is supported by high speed double layer writers.
- Blazing speeds up to 10X allow for 8.5GB files to record in approximately 12-15 minutes and store 4 hours of DVD quality television and video
- Ideal for archiving home movies. Compatible with most DVD-R and DVD+R drives including Pioneer, Apple, Sony, Dell, LG, HP, Lenovo and others
- Verbatim has been a leader in data storage technology since 1969, and guarantees this product with a limited lifetime warranty and technical support
Viewers get a behind the scenes look at what it takes to be world champion at an esports tournament. This is a motivational and heartwarming watch, you are taken on the entire journey from first entry to eventual victory.
GameChangers: Dreams of BlizzCon is available to rent from Apple TV.
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