Donkey Kong Arcade Game Celebrates 40 Years Of High Scores And Cutthroat Competition

The arcade game Donkey Kong, which was first released in July 1981 to Japanese audiences, became a mainstream hit in the U.S., surging a golden age of arcades for a decade.

It also created a competitive scene, with gamers all vying for high scores and world records — including the first player to a million points.

Here & Now's Alexander Tuerk speaks with Steve Wiebe, the first Donkey Kong player to hit a million points, about his saga to the top.