Top 10 Greatest Video Game Documentaries

These documentaries prove just how much passion can be found in the world of gaming. Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’ll be looking at the Best Video Game Documentaries.

For those familiar with gaming history, the video game crash of 1983 is an utterly fascinating topic. “Atari: Game Over” chronicles the downfall of the once-beloved company and the tumultuous development behind the game that led to it. “E.T.” is infamous as one of the worst games ever released. And for years, an urban legend spread about a landfill in New Mexico filled with thousands of unsold copies. The film revealed the legend to be true as the crew dug up around 1,300 Atari games out of an estimated 700,000. It’s a captivating expose on one of gaming’s most important moments and a light watch for anyone looking for a quick history lesson.

Whether you play it or not, “Minecraft” is one of the most important video games of all time. And if you’ve ever been curious about its humble beginnings, then you’ll want to check out “The Story of Mojang.” The documentary chronicles Markus “Notch” Persson’s rise from lone developer to industry titan all within a year. There are plenty of interviews with game developers like Peter Molyneux and Tim Schafer. But more importantly, we hear from the players who took “Minecraft’s” simple premise and ran with it. It stands as a testament to the passion of creation from both a developer’s standpoint as well as a player’s.

In 1984, Tim McVey became the first person to score 1 billion points on an arcade game, specifically “Nibbler.” It was a monumental achievement that took close to 2 days to reach. However, in the present day, Tim finds out his score may have been beaten though not officially recorded. The main draw of “Man vs. Snake” is whether or not Tim can beat his challenger’s score. But it’s also a story all gamers can inherently relate to. We’ve all had games we felt the need to conquer, platinum trophies we needed to obtain, or 100% marks we needed to reach. It’s hard not to get drawn in by Tim’s determination to be the best. And the accompanying animated segments are completely charming.

The video game industry has finally begun to highlight diverse voices over the past few years. But it’s been a long and grueling road to recognize female developers, journalists, and players. And we’re far from out of the woods. “GTFO” explores the widespread sexism and misogyny that women often face in the video game world. There are sobering interviews with female journalists Leigh Alexander, a target of GamerGate, and Anita Sarkeesian, who was harassed relentlessly for her “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games” web series. But the film shows that these are not isolated incidents, showcasing stories from developers and players in sickening detail. It’s a documentary we wish didn’t have to exist but is unfortunately necessary.

1993’s “Doom” is one of the most influential first-person shooters of its time, popularizing the genre and receiving several sequels. NoClip’s “Doom Resurrected” is a three-part series that explores the franchise’s legacy and the development of the 2016 revival following an 11-year-long gap. With interviews from those who worked on the original as well as the title that revitalized the franchise, it’s a must watch for any fan. It was clearly made with immense admiration as it looks at the franchise’s satisfying combat and heavy metal-centric score. 2016’s “Doom” is one of the best FPS games in recent memory. And “Doom Resurrected” is an entertaining behind-the-scenes look at how it came to be.

2018’s “God of War” was rightfully praised for its satisfying combat, remarkable voice-acting, and for revitalizing gaming’s most enraged protagonist. But it was far from an easy game to make. “Raising Kratos” follows director Cory Barlog as he transitioned into fatherhood alongside the Ghost of Sparta and the effect it had on his work. But it also chronicles the toll development took on the team. From suddenly gaining over 100 new team members to struggling to find the right voice for Kratos to having to fix thousands of bugs months before release. These issues make the moments of victory all the sweeter. And “Raising Kratos” highlights the very real people behind our favorite form of entertainment.

Video games are a proven source for bringing people together. And at one point, arcades were a beacon of this idea. “The Lost Arcade” tells the story of the famous Chinatown Fair arcade in NYC. But to the film’s subjects, it is much more than an arcade; it’s a place they can call home. As we follow several patrons, the film reveals how much of an impact one arcade has had on the community. Patrons of all walks of life found joy there, which is sure to make viewers seek out any arcade they can find. But with the film being a result of a Kickstarter campaign at the news of the arcade’s closure, there’s also a bittersweet feeling throughout that will make you long for a bygone era.

Everyone loves an underdog story. “The King of Kong” is the tale of Middle School teacher Steve Wiebe who attempts to topple Billy Mitchell’s world record score in “Donkey Kong,” which he’s held for 20 years. But the world of old school arcade players is much more cutthroat than anyone could imagine. The film focuses on a colorful cast of characters, from the joyful Twin Galaxies referee Walter Day to the scheming underlings of the conniving Mitchell. It may be a bit outdated, as all of Mitchell’s records would be stripped from Twin Galaxies’ records for using emulation hardware, though Guinness World Records has recently reinstated them. Nonetheless, it’s an enrapturing story of an ordinary man who tries to take on the King.

Video games can bring people together, but they can also help us cope with real-life problems. Ryan and Amy Green’s son was diagnosed with terminal cancer at just 12 months old. To process, they developed “That Dragon, Cancer,” a point-and-click adventure game based on their experiences. “Thank You For Playing” follows the family during the two-year-long development period of the game. While it is a video game documentary, it’s more about how art can be used as a cathartic tool to deal with grief. It’s an incredibly moving look at a family’s most tragic moment. And we defy anyone to watch it with dry eyes.

This 2012 documentary follows the creators behind “Braid,” “Super Meat Boy,” and “Fez,” three of the most critically acclaimed indie games of their time. But as they all launched at different times, the film explores the fame that can come from a successful indie game and the immense stress that comes from creating one. “Indie Game: The Movie” explores the devotion to one’s craft and dream. In moments of uncertainty, we feel the subjects’ despair. And in moments of glory, we share in their happiness. Each compelling journey instills a desire to create and highlights the possibilities of the art form.