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.
This documentary takes many different angles, at times it is funny and at one point it explores the lives of a mother and daughter bingo team who use the game to communicate with the dead. On another note this show follows a gentleman who took bingo to the extreme and suffered the consequences of failing to manage his time and bankroll effectively.
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.
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.
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.
It goes to show that gaming is much more than a simple hobby or pastime for some of the most dedicated players. The documentary is available to view for Amazon Prime subscribers.
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.
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.
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.
