Donkey Kong high score competition
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:34:25 AM Wikipedia source
Players have competed for the highest score for the video game Donkey Kong since its release in 1981. The competition became more prominent after it was covered in the 2007 documentary The King of Kong.
Tables
· Timeline
April 20, 1982
April 20, 1982
Date
April 20, 1982
Score
398,000
Player
Leo Daniels
July 10, 1982
July 10, 1982
Date
July 10, 1982
Score
478,500
Player
Scott Talmage
July 24. 1982
July 24. 1982
Date
July 24. 1982
Score
561,300
Player
Shawn Beard
October 25, 1982
October 25, 1982
Date
October 25, 1982
Score
591,200
Player
Jeffrey Brandt
November 7, 1982
November 7, 1982
Date
November 7, 1982
Score
874,300
Player
Billy Mitchell
August 17, 2000
August 17, 2000
Date
August 17, 2000
Score
879,200
Player
Tim Sczerby
June 3, 2005
June 3, 2005
Date
June 3, 2005
Score
985,600
Player
Steve Wiebe
August 3, 2006
August 3, 2006
Date
August 3, 2006
Score
1,049,100
Player
Steve Wiebe
February 26, 2010
February 26, 2010
Date
February 26, 2010
Score
1,061,700
Player
Hank Chien
August 30, 2010
August 30, 2010
Date
August 30, 2010
Score
1,064,500
Player
Steve Wiebe
December 27, 2010
December 27, 2010
Date
December 27, 2010
Score
1,068,000
Player
Hank Chien
February 27, 2011
February 27, 2011
Date
February 27, 2011
Score
1,090,400
Player
Hank Chien
May 18, 2012
May 18, 2012
Date
May 18, 2012
Score
1,110,100
Player
Hank Chien
July 25, 2012
July 25, 2012
Date
July 25, 2012
Score
1,127,700
Player
Hank Chien
November 5, 2012
November 5, 2012
Date
November 5, 2012
Score
1,138,600
Player
Hank Chien
September 5, 2014
September 5, 2014
Date
September 5, 2014
Score
1,141,800
Player
Robbie Lakeman
December 1, 2014
December 1, 2014
Date
December 1, 2014
Score
1,144,800
Player
Robbie Lakeman
September 17, 2015
September 17, 2015
Date
September 17, 2015
Score
1,170,500
Player
Wes Copeland
September 18, 2015
September 18, 2015
Date
September 18, 2015
Score
1,172,100
Player
Robbie Lakeman
October 21, 2015
October 21, 2015
Date
October 21, 2015
Score
1,177,200
Player
Robbie Lakeman
January 4, 2016
January 4, 2016
Date
January 4, 2016
Score
1,190,000
Player
Wes Copeland
April 11, 2016
April 11, 2016
Date
April 11, 2016
Score
1,190,200
Player
Robbie Lakeman
April 19, 2016
April 19, 2016
Date
April 19, 2016
Score
1,195,100
Player
Wes Copeland
May 5, 2016
May 5, 2016
Date
May 5, 2016
Score
1,218,000
Player
Wes Copeland
December 22, 2017
December 22, 2017
Date
December 22, 2017
Score
1,230,100
Player
Robbie Lakeman
February 2, 2018
February 2, 2018
Date
February 2, 2018
Score
1,247,700
Player
Robbie Lakeman
March 17, 2019
March 17, 2019
Date
March 17, 2019
Score
1,249,500
Player
John McCurdy
May 25, 2019
May 25, 2019
Date
May 25, 2019
Score
1,259,000
Player
John McCurdy
June 15, 2020
June 15, 2020
Date
June 15, 2020
Score
1,260,700
Player
Robbie Lakeman
September 22, 2020
September 22, 2020
Date
September 22, 2020
Score
1,271,100
Player
Robbie Lakeman
January 11, 2021
January 11, 2021
Date
January 11, 2021
Score
1,272,700
Player
John McCurdy
June 8, 2021
June 8, 2021
Date
June 8, 2021
Score
1,272,800
Player
Robbie Lakeman
| Date | Score | Player | Notes |
| April 20, 1982 | 398,000 | Leo Daniels | |
| July 10, 1982 | 478,500 | Scott Talmage | |
| July 24. 1982 | 561,300 | Shawn Beard | |
| October 25, 1982 | 591,200 | Jeffrey Brandt | |
| November 7, 1982 | 874,300 | Billy Mitchell | |
| August 17, 2000 | 879,200 | Tim Sczerby | |
| June 3, 2005 | 985,600 | Steve Wiebe | |
| August 3, 2006 | 1,049,100 | Steve Wiebe | |
| February 26, 2010 | 1,061,700 | Hank Chien | |
| August 30, 2010 | 1,064,500 | Steve Wiebe | |
| December 27, 2010 | 1,068,000 | Hank Chien | |
| February 27, 2011 | 1,090,400 | Hank Chien | |
| May 18, 2012 | 1,110,100 | Hank Chien | |
| July 25, 2012 | 1,127,700 | Hank Chien | |
| November 5, 2012 | 1,138,600 | Hank Chien | |
| September 5, 2014 | 1,141,800 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| December 1, 2014 | 1,144,800 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| September 17, 2015 | 1,170,500 | Wes Copeland | |
| September 18, 2015 | 1,172,100 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| October 21, 2015 | 1,177,200 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| January 4, 2016 | 1,190,000 | Wes Copeland | |
| April 11, 2016 | 1,190,200 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| April 19, 2016 | 1,195,100 | Wes Copeland | |
| May 5, 2016 | 1,218,000 | Wes Copeland | |
| December 22, 2017 | 1,230,100 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| February 2, 2018 | 1,247,700 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| March 17, 2019 | 1,249,500 | John McCurdy | |
| May 25, 2019 | 1,259,000 | John McCurdy | |
| June 15, 2020 | 1,260,700 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| September 22, 2020 | 1,271,100 | Robbie Lakeman | |
| January 11, 2021 | 1,272,700 | John McCurdy | |
| June 8, 2021 | 1,272,800 | Robbie Lakeman |
References
- Lakeman's play session lasted over three hours and ended with a score of 1,141,800, besting Chien's score by 3,200 point
- Saglio's score: 1,206,800.
- Score currently recognized by Guinness World Records, but unrecognized by Twin Galaxies.
- Electronic Gaming Monthlyhttps://egmnow.com/the-split-screen-man/
- Official Video Game & Pinball Book Of World Records
- New Times Broward-Palm Beachhttps://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/arcade-king-6320646
- "The 'King of Kong' could be stripped of his high score"https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/02/donkey-kong-billy-mitchell-high-score-fraud-allegation/
- The Vergehttps://www.theverge.com/2014/9/6/6114979/donkey-kong-arcade-world-record-set-by-robbie-lakeman
- Kotakuhttps://kotaku.com/5642690/the-king-of-kong-once-again-the-king-of-kong
- ESPNhttp://www.espn.com/espn/page2/index/_/id/5607626
- Yahoo Gameshttps://web.archive.org/web/20160201134230/https://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/donkey-kong-scoring-record-falls-once-again-192247730.html
- Telegraph.co.ukhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/11089175/Donkey-Kong-the-game-that-refuses-to-be-beaten.html
- donkeykongblog.blogspot.comhttp://donkeykongblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/eminem-donkey-kong-scores.html
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/game/donkey-kong/arcade/points-hammer-allowed/page/1
- Polygonhttp://www.polygon.com/2015/9/19/9357273/donkey-kong-world-record-broken-robbie-lakeman-wes-copeland-hank-chien
- Polygonhttp://www.polygon.com/2016/1/9/10740760/new-donkey-kong-world-record-set-and-theres-not-much-room-left-for
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/12/the_donkey_kong_world_high_score_record_just_got_smashed_to_bits_again
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/2018/4/12/17228994/billy-mitchell-king-of-kong-high-scores-vacated-banished
- Guinness World Recordshttps://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/6/a-statement-from-guinness-world-records-billy-mitchell-621053
- The Vergehttps://www.theverge.com/2020/6/19/21296819/guinness-world-records-billy-mitchell-pac-man-donkey-kong-scores-reinstated
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/12/twin-galaxies-goes-on-the-legal-offensive-against-billy-mitchells-fraud/
- perfectpacman.comhttps://perfectpacman.com/2022/09/06/new-technical-analysis/
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/02/did-billy-mitchell-use-this-illicit-joystick-to-set-a-donkey-kong-high-score/
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/billy-mitchells-donkey-kong-records-reinstated-twin-galaxies
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/01/twin-galaxies-billy-mitchell-settle-donkey-kong-score-case-before-trial/
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/feed_details.php/6194/twin-galaxies-statement/5
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/The-Original-TG-Historical-Database
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/game/donkey-kong/arcade/points-hammer-allowed/page/1
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/scores.php?player=12958
- donkeykongblog.blogspot.comhttp://donkeykongblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/donkey-kong-world-record-history.html
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/2016/5/8/11635188/donkey-kong-all-time-high-score-wes-copeland-perfect-game
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/2018/2/4/16970554/donkey-kong-world-record-all-time-high-score-robbie-lakeman
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/feed_details.php/4832/Jeff%20Wolfe%20&%20John%20McCurdy%20Are%20The%20New%20Kings%20of%20Kong/25
- Twin Galaxieshttps://www.twingalaxies.com/showthread.php/207400-Arcade-Donkey-Kong-Points-Hammer-Allowed-1-259-000-John-McCurdy?s=c0e13c82c205be22c1e63b2f327250e1
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/feed_details.php/6133/John%20McCurdy%20Reclaims%20His%20Donkey%20Kong%20Crown/25
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/showthread.php/232686
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/game/donkey-kong/arcade/points-no-hammer-challenge/
- www.twingalaxies.comhttps://www.twingalaxies.com/game/donkey-kong
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/11/old-king-of-kong-rivals-squaring-off-at-kong-off-3/