So, is it any coincidence that there’s suddenly, not one, but two, streaming shows that serve to take you on a short journey through the lengthy history and intrigue surrounding classic video games?
Netflix’s High Score served first, with all 6 episodes released in mid-August. Returning that serve merely a month later is CBS All Access’ Console Wars, a single-sitting documentary from Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg.
Ok, I don’t know off-hand who Evan Goldberg is but pretty much everything Seth Rogen touches turns to gold, and I can’t wait to experience his humorous and dialed-in spin on what was the ground zero of console wars: the early 90s rivalry between established juggernaut Nintendo, and the scrappy upstart Sega.
But Netflix’s High Score is the one I’ve actually seen…this because I’m not reupping my CBS All Access subscription until there’s another modern Star Trek season to disappoint me (looking at you Discovery and Picard).
Actually, High Score’s 6 episodes almost work like classic Star Trek episodes. They’re all independent, yet tethered stories that attempt to paint a spotlight on individualistic themes underneath the surface of more recognizable stories, like Mario vs. Sonic.
One episode of High Score explores the legacy of Doom and the creation of the 3D multiplayer deathmatch that’s spawned decades of team multiplayer. Another explored the early and lasting impact of video games on the LGBT community by detailing the story of a lost-in-history PC game GayBlade, which was presumably the first LGBT-themed video game. The first episode jumped into some Atari lore by chronicling the development and release impact of the much-derided E.T.
While this style of storytelling can certainly keep you coming back for more, it was High Score’s frustrating bounce between similarly-themed stories in each episode that disrupted my engagement in the narrative. Loosely following the history of video games through linear time, High Score just bounced around too much for my tastes. Add to my disappointment the fact that episode 6 left me feeling that the story was cut immensely short – wrapping up its short-lived run with the developments of 3D games like Doom and the SNES’s Star Fox. Sorry, the story doesn’t end there, and there are seemingly no plans I can find for a second season of this self-described “limited release.”
I want Nintendo 64 vs. newcomer Sony. I want the deflation of Sega through the Dreamcast. There were more 90s in my 90s High Score!
The stories and conflicts surrounding Atari, Nintendo, Sega and other video games of the times High Score covers are already too deep and fascinating for a mere six episodes, so asking for even more years to be covered may be silly, but High Score’s ultra-short run may be its greatest flaw. There was so much opportunity left on the table for this show to find it's legs in seasons two and beyond.
As for High Score’s best traits? With more focus on the subject material, it would wonderfully cover less widely-lauded stories that many lifetime gamers may have never been the least bit aware of. And yet, for as sporadic as its narrative can be, I learned some really interesting things about the history of video games and the players and great minds behind them.
But the best trait overall has to be its hype-inducing episode intro that near-perfectly replicates classic video game vistas and gameplay set to a retro tune that will have you looking forward to the next episode before your current one is over.
If you've seen High Score already, what are your thoughts? Drop those in the comments below!
