The history of video game-based game shows is a long and storied one...
- Starcade
- The Video Game
- Video Power
- Nick Arcade
- Takeshi's Castle
- Hi-Score
And now we add a new rung to the ladder, as 12 gamers from around the country
meet to face the ultimate video challenge. The task: outlast the others and be
crowned WCG's Ultimate Gamer. With that title comes prestige... cash
($100,000)... gear from Samsung... and the right to represent the WCG in events
around the world including the World Championship in China.
But the game is only half the story, because in this competition, the video
games we know and love will be brought to life, so expect our players to play in
a real rock-band... jam a real basketball through a real hoop... and drive a
real drift racer along a real test track.
So the question now remains... Who's gamer enough to be named the Ultimate
Gamer?
Here are your 12 combatants.
- Chelsea Alek-Finkelman (Delicate (<3)): member of PMS Clan, she likes
shooters.
- Amy Brady (Athena): Frag Doll "Valkyrie" and founding member of PMS Clan, she
loves shooters and wants a female to be crowned the Ultimate Gamer.
- Alyson Bridge (Nin9tyNin9): former member of Frag Dolls Clan, she specializes
in shooters
- JD Dorfman (KosherHamm): member of Madden NFL and NHL 2008 leagues, he's the
only sports specialist.
- Kelly Kelley (MrsViolence): professional Gears of War player, member of vVv
Clan; she is a shooter specialist.
- Daniel "Dante" Kim (DevilsAlastar): professional video game tester, he races
for his props.
- Jamal Mickens (Zophar321): winner of "Life to the Power of X", he likes
fighters.
- Robert Paz (Prod1gy X): 5 national tournament wins, he, like most of the
housemates, is a shooters expert.
- Geoff Robinson (iNcontroL): 2007 WCG US Starcraft champion, he's the
strategist.
- Mark Smith (applesauce): has won five local gaming titles, he plays shooters.
- Adande "Swoozie" Thorne (sWooZie): national Dead or Alive 4 champion, he specializes in
fighters.
- Ciji Thornton (StarSlay3r): top ranked in Guitar Hero, she's a rhythm games
expert.
Needless to say that the stereotypical gamer profile of living in a basement
with your mother is about to be blown wide open.
Here's how it works. Each week, the players will play a different game.
They'll also compete in real-life simulations of said game. The worst performers
will face off in one more head-to-head challenge. Winner stays, loser pays.
Dante's worried about Robert, who's considered a pro in many fields. Robert
says it's a definite that he's the best gamers. At the same time, he thinks that
the ladies, being almost unfairly attractive, don't stand a chance.
Meanwhile, Ciji reveals that Dante and her used to work together. It's hard
to see him here.
The loft is waiting, as is our first challenge... It's the Real-Life
Challenge, and it's worth half of your overall score. Do well here, and you may
cruise to the next round. Do poorly here, and you're going to have to prove your
skills in the Isolation Round.
And tonight's game... "ROCK BAND 2" (EA/MTV Games for multiplatforms). Ciji
is currently the top female in the world. Jamal, though... not so much.
REAL-LIFE CHALLENGE: Join a rock band.
Teams of four will have to learn how to play "New Kid in School" by the
Donnas. Each team will consist of one singer, one guitarist, one bassist, and
one drummer. They'll perform live at the world-famous Music Box Theatre in
Hollywood.
The teams are...
- "Pandora Rox" (Robert, Amy, Alyson & Kelly)
- "Pirates vs. Ninjas" (Mark, Jamal, Adande & Chelsea)
- "Napalm in the Morning" (Geoff, Ciji, Dante & JD)
And guest judging today will be... the Donnas! They basically say "Don't be
boring" and "Don't look at your feet".
First up is Pandora Rox... and Alyson forget the words while Amy learns the
difference between frets and fret buttons.
Next is Napalm in the Morning. You would think that once Dante shuts down,
the team would be all hugs and kisses and everything's going to be okay, right?
WRONG. Learn the damn words and play the damn song. They say that they got this,
as they just pretend that they're playing the game..
And finally, Pirates vs. Ninjas. Simply put... they say they rocked it.
Donnas? Pandora Rox had a great style, but they forgot the lyrics. Pirates
vs. Ninjas had spanking good teamwork. Napalm in the Morning... had no mistakes,
but Dante's pitch was bad.
The winners of the first Real Life Challenge... PIRATES VS. NINJAS! So
sWooZie, Jamal, Mark, and Chelsea will each take home an Ion Drum Rocker Premium
drum set! They also take first in the leaderboard. Second are Napalm in the
Morning (Geoff, Ciji, Dante & JD). Last place team of Pandora Rox (Robert, Amy,
Alyson, and Kelly) will go into the Isolation Chamber tied for last.
Kelly hates to lose, but she's going to knock them out in isolation.
Back in the loft, it's a very somber surround. No one wants to go home, but
the bottom line is that the best player could get out with a bad performance in
the Isolation Chamber. Robert's afraid of being sent home early in the game, so
he starts up an alliance of anyone who will have him. Dante doesn't trust him,
but Robert promises that anyone who teams up with him will be assured of final
four.
The next morning, Alyson wakes up to practice her Rock Band skills.
Geoff and Kelly have been bonding over breakfast. Kelly's husband and her are
separated, but in the house, Geoff can put a smile on her face.
Joel enters with news of...
ISOLATION CHALLENGE: Play "Rock Band".
The bands that have played last night... Gone. Now new bands are formed
through random lots.
GREEN: apple, JD, Robert, Kelly
RED: Jamal, Dante, sWooZie, Amy
BLUE: Alyson, Chelsea, Geoff, Ciji
Now today's challenge, play "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit for high-score both
individually and as a team. Robert sees it as a strength. Geoff sees it as a
weakness. Meanwhile, Ciji can't help but notice that Dante's checking out
Chelsea... again.
Welcome to the Isolation Challenge. Scores here will be added to scores from
yesterday. Last place automatically goes to the Elimination Challenge, where
they will fight to stay alive.
First is the Red Band. They enter the chamber, which looks like the R&D room
out of Wayne Enterprises if you've ever seen "The Dark Knight". It's a
minimalist dream.
After everyone's performances, we add the scores... And the player in last
place... ROBERT. The guy who's better than everyone is going to play for his
life.
1st place: sWooZie, Amy, Jamal, Dante
2nd place: Ciji, Chelsea, Alyson, Geoff
Last place: Mark, Kelly, Robert, JD
In first place... sWooZie. He has a tough decision to make... He has to call
out one player to challenge Robert in the Elimination Challenge.
Robert's alliance-mates pact, while Ciji practices. She thinks she's going to
get the nod, because she's the only one who can take Robert out.
At the roof, it's raining in LA. Swoozie has picked to challenge Robert...
someone he views as a threat... JD. ... Wait, what? In the rankings, JD came in
10th, so how is he viewed as a threat?
JD is the weakest. The good move would be to put the best guitarist up
against Robert. The entire house basically calls him on his metagame, saying
that he as no balls.
So while Robert heads on the treadmill, Mark and JD begin practicing. "There
is no sleeping tonight". JD is bringing his A-game under increasing pressure,
getting Robert a little bit hot under the collar? Is he being too lax about
this, or will Prod1gy rise to the newfound challenge?
Let's go... to Samsung Stadium!
ELIMINATION ROUND: Rock Band Battle!
JD and Robert will face off in a guitar battle of the Offspring's "Come Out
and Play (Keep'em Separated)". High score wins. Low score goes home. Let's go to
the tale of the tape...
ROBERT PAZ |
VS |
JD DORFMAN |
Bronx, NY |
Home turf |
Southern California |
Prod1gy X |
Handle |
KosherHamm |
First Person Shooters |
Specialty |
Sports |
The players take their positions. And... GAME ON!
At the beginning, it's a draw battle. Robert's favored to win because of his
specialty of being a jack-of-all. JD is in trouble because he recently broke his
hand.
Robert takes the lead going into the chorus, and JD is going to need a huge
overdrive in order to get back into this. If you've ever played "Rock Band 2",
you know that the overdrive is the meter on the bottom of the screen, and if you
fill it all the way, you get to play for double score.
The song both are playing is not long. But JD is playing with the solo fret
buttons rather than the main ones at the top of the guitar neck. This is a risky
move. Probably because of that, the gap grows. At this point, it's pretty much
an open-and-shut case.
Final score...
ROBERT: 81,975
JD: 25,100
Robert with his last place finish and his first place elimination win has put
10 other gamers on notice. But unfortunately for JD, this order of KosherHamm is
to go. For JD... it's GAME OVER.
Next week, the remaining players are kicking and screaming on their way to
$100,000 and the title... of WCG Ultimate Gamer. Rock on!
If you would like to find out more about the World Cyber Games or watch this
episode in its entirety, check out
www.wcgultimategamer.com or
www.scifi.com/wcgultimategamer.