Documentaries in the world of video games can show a lot of the behind-the-scenes during the creation of a video game. You get to see the day-to-day life of developers, as well as the problems and what has to be overcome. Sometimes, it is about competitors or a glimpse into a culture around games.
It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but the experiences depicted connect us through shared human experiences. Here are some of the best gaming documentaries and where to watch them.
Console Wars
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Services: Paramount+
When you were younger, did you ever argue with a friend about what console was better? The war between Nintendo and Sega was real console war that changed gaming.
Nintendo brought video games back after the industry crash, but Sega wanted a piece of that pie, and boy, did they take it. Sega of America started to make moves that had Nintendo threatening stores to pull their products, and one that got Sega pulled in front of Congress caused the creation of ratings being slapped on video games by the ERSB.
The Miracle of Pakistani Tekken
Runtime: 12 Minutes
Services: YouTube (Channel: Core-A Gaming)
With only twelve minutes of runtime, Core-A Gaming shows you the tough culture of fighting games in Pakistan and the rise of one of the top Tekken competitors.
It is rare to get such a deep look inside gaming in other cultures. Seeing what players in Pakistan must do to get their hands on the game or even a gaming console makes it seem like you are witnessing the impossible. Pakistan has become a place where other Tekken pros have started to train.
Following the rise of Asrlan Ash and his country’s rise to prominence is so interesting that even if you aren’t into fighting games, it will get its hooks into you.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Runtime: Varies
Services: All major consoles, Steam, and GoG
Digital Eclipse has found its niche in making playable documentaries. You get video interviews, playable games, playable demos, and even the design notes of Jeff Minter.
Jeff Minter is a legendary name that modern gamers might not recognize. Minter’s career spans decades, and The Jeff Minter Story shows that his passion and left-field ideas were so unique that they pushed him out of the mainstream gaming world. That never stopped him as he continued to make classics like Tempest, Gridrunner, Centipede, and many others.
This in-depth playable documentary is a piece of gaming history no one should pass up. Jeff Minter is what every game creator should strive to be in the modern industry.
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Indie Game: The Movie
Runtime: 103 Minutes
Services: Amazon, Apple TV, and Steam
Indie Game: The Movie follows four people who create indie games. As they develop their games, you see their personalities for better and worse.
The three games in this film, Braid, Super Meat Boy, and Fez, really ushered in a new age for indie games. Watching developers follow different paths to create their games shows how different game development can be. It also shows how crunch time and delays affect developers’ lives. Following a developer’s highs and lows isn’t for the faint of heart.
Before you begin making games, you should watch this film. It shows you the reality of game development.
God of War – Raising Kratos
Runtime: 114 Minutes
Services: YouTube (Channel: PlayStation)
The continuation of the God of War series showed how fatherhood can change you. Raising Kratos shows how the game came to be and all the struggles the development team overcame before launch.
Raising Kratos follows Santa Monica Studio’s creative struggles, personal sacrifices, and determination to create God of War (2016). The film reveals the emotional side and the technical challenges of game development. It highlights how the development team worked with a single creative vision to redefine Kratos and the game he stars in.
Fans and creatives owe it to themselves to see the ups and downs of video game creation. Raising Kratos is a triumphant tale of a nearly impossible task being taken on and succeeding to the highest degree.
Thank You For Playing
Runtime: 80 Minutes
Services: Unavailable (Must Buy DVD)
It is unfortunate that the Documentary made for the making of the game That Dragon, Cancer, isn’t readily available. Watching parents grieve while making a video game based around their terminally ill son will change you.
Thank You for Playing follows Ryan and Amy Green as they develop That Dragon, Cancer, a game chronicling their young son Joel’s battle with terminal cancer. The film tackles themes of love, loss, and the therapeutic power of creativity. It shows how art can help with the process of grief and connect people through shared human experiences.
It is a beautifully haunting piece of media that will never leave you after watching it.
FGC: Rise of the Fighting Game Community
Runtime: 75 Minutes
Services: YouTube (Channel: Hold Back to Block)
Hold Back to Block creates a documentary to take you behind the scenes in the communities of fighting games. It shows what it means to find a community that accepts you and feels like family, even outside gaming.
The fighting game may seem crass and hardcore to an outsider, but there is more than meets the eye. The film not only shows what the community means to different competitors but also shows you the biggest stages they face off on. Seeing all the competitors speak on their origins and how they came up is so interesting because it isn’t something you often see with video games.
Even if you aren’t part of the FGC, this documentary will give you a glimpse of an aspect you never knew about. Communities are full of families and enemies; the FGC is no different. In a game that is 1 Vs. 1 you wouldn’t think there are the people to have your back.
DOOM Documentary (3 Part series)
Runtime: 79 Minutes
Services: Youtube (Channel: Noclip – Video Game Documentaries)
Imagine you are tasked with the massive burden of making a new entry in the legendary series DOOM for modern audiences. This documentary covers DOOM (2016) from concept to creation.
The story behind the new era of the franchise is messy. You have failed sequels and internal power struggles during the buyout of id Software. Watching people being so open about their failures in game development is rare. DOOM 4 seemed destined to fail, and the team knew that. They buckled down and decided to make a modern game that was close to the franchise’s roots.
You see every step and misstep that created DOOM (2016), from the concept art to the amazing music. The interviews are so open and honest that they are refreshing.
The Making of Karateka
Runtime: Varies
Services: All major consoles, Steam, and GoG
Before creating Prince of Persia, Jordan Mechner made one of the best-selling games of 1984 while in college. The game was like playing a karate movie and was called Karateka.
Once again, Digital Eclipse created a playable documentary that brings you closer to the game. It shares Mechner’s early life and the games he created interestingly. Seeing all the notes and everything involved in making Karateka is a rich experience that gamers should appreciate.
Playing older games doesn’t have to be a boring experience, and Digital Eclipse proves this by providing more than just a re-release of a classic game. This type of presentation makes you care more about the subject.
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