Man vs Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler

MAN VS SNAKE tells the story of Tim McVey (the gamer not the bomber) who in 1984, on a single quarter (and over forty-four hours of non-stop play) was the first person in history to score over one billion points on a video game.

I love that this is a thing, a whole subgenre of documentaries about classic video games and the people who set the high scores. Walter Day is great, and the whole entourage (Billy Mitchell, etc) are interesting characters. Tim McVey is very much an everyman, and his story is in some strange way inspirational.

Nibbler, man... of all the games to pick... but they did a great job putting this together and keeping it moving. I suppose they could have had a bit more about the game's history and knockoffs, but I don't feel like it would be necessary.

Before I saw this documentary, I can't recall ever hearing about a video game called 'Nibbler'. This surprised me a bit, as I grew up during the heyday of coin-op video games in the late 70s and through the 80s and played quite a few. Somehow I missed Nibbler. I also missed the insane record that some odd people have pursued...trying to score a billion or more on this game. This feat takes almost two days to do...and is grueling...though you do wonder why!

This film is specifically about a guy from Ottumwa, Iowa who was the first to break the billion mark. While Tim McVey (not THAT one) did this, what's interesting about him is that decades later, he's STILL playing that accursed game in an effort to have the highest score ever, as his unbeatable mark has been beaten.

Unlike "King of Kong", this documentary looks like it must have taken about a decade to make. Some of this might have been due to financing...and some due to Tim's continued obsession with the game. Regardless, it is interesting and I am glad I saw it...but I also felt that it was too long and my interest was waning a bit near the end.

"Man vs. Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler" is riveting documentary about a man on a quest for redemption. The title seems like it should refer to an adventurer like The Crocodile Hunter or Indiana Jones who must face off against a slithery foe; however, this is actually a film that chronicles a video gamer's journey to reclaim his high score on Nibbler. I'm not telling you more... just watch it.

I liked that Tim McVey is really good at playing a totally obscure video game. I like that he is over weight, he is not rich, he is totally ordinary. He is not one of the celebrated, over paid sport stars with their noses up in the sky. This documentary is for you and me.If you remember how it was to play games in the arcade halls or at the local cafeteria, then this is for you. I remember me and my childhood friend playing a game, I think it was Commando, down at the hotel. We might have been 10, then after playing for a long time and having a huge score, the owner of the hotel, an old woman, came and unplugged the plug from the socket, because it was closing time. If you understand why this upset us, you will like this documentary. There are many other things that I liked about Man vs. Snake. For example the polite and cool Italian who claimed he had beaten the record, the black sheep rival Dwayne Richard, who might or might not have cheated by replacing parts so the game slowed down and the obvious love story between Tim and his wife. I recommend this documentary for all these and more reasons!

Enjoyable movie with a good storyline, ok characters, and nice nostalgia. It is an interesting documentary that takes place over a few years in the life of a former video game champion, Tim McVey. His Nibbler high score achievement of the 1980s is introduced with archived footage and photos, and serves as the foundation of his ongoing quest to reclaim the worldwide high score from competing players who may or may not have bested his number in recent years. The movie follows McVey as he practices and plots the best strategy to reclaim his title. Many interviews with him, his wife, friends, Nibbler competitors, Official Video Game gatekeepers, and technical types all fill out the film and add context to the quest. Multiple locations are featured, giving it some globe-trotting scope, and the camera crew even meets with a disputed high score holder on his own turf in Italy. Iowa and Canada are also seen.

Good that the show includes McVey's Nibbler competitors.....especially when one is portrayed as a possible cheating villain. Or is he only a savvy loophole-exploiting player? And to bring in a KNOWN gaming villain (Billy Mitchell) for interviewing and supportive words helps give the movie some reach and weight, especially by overlapping with King Of Kong. Good to see Walter Day of TWIN GALAXIES get some screen time, and the personal details of his life are quite illuminating. Funny that the show somehow portrays McVey as a Rocky-type of underdog. But his ongoing successes and setbacks really give the movie some nice ups and downs. Interesting to see what he goes through trying to reclaim the title, and the true details of standing at an upright game machine for 40 hours really lend an appreciation to his zeal. Not athletic (although he does compare himself to a World Class athlete, as well as Michael Jordan) but not for the faint of heart, either. ALSO..... there are some very nice dots connected that allow this film to be about matters beyond gaming...... personal connections drawn that ANYONE can relate to regarding trials and tribulations that they may have in their own life. Inspiring and uplifting, with the spirit of camaraderie definitely overtaking the competitive nature of the subject matter.