World's Best Donkey Kong Players Go Head-To-Head In Denver

DENVER (CBS4) - It's the game where Mario rushes to save the princess and it's become iconic in the gaming world. This weekend, the Donkey Kong championships were held in Denver.

"It was one of my favorite games back in the day. So it's kind of a way to relive, you know, your teenage years," player Jeff Harris said.

"It is the hardest arcade game out there so this is the creme de la creme of gaming," said Jourdan Adler, owner of 1-Up, an arcade and bar.

Nearly a dozen Donkey Kong arcade machines were lined up in a row as players went head-to-head competing for the top score. The competition was tough.

Hank Chien currently holds the world record for the highest Donkey Kong score. He came to Denver all the way from New York City to defend his title.

It is more than just fun and games. It only costs a quarter to play and other than the world championship title, the winner will take home some pretty big prizes.

"The winner is going to go home with not only the machine their playing on, $2,000 cash and the title of the world's best live Donkey Kong player," Adler said.

"That'd be ridiculous. My car just broke down a week ago and we're looking for a car for $2,000, so that'd be a God send," player Mitchell Elliott said.

The "Kong Off" runs through Sunday at 1-Up in downtown Denver. The highest score was well over a million points.