Although score is very important I believe that it's not the only thing to greatness. I believe being a pioneer in the game. Being the person that everyone copies also is a sign of greatness. So with that in mind, here is my top 10 greatest Donkey Kong players of all time
1. Dean Saglio- He changed the way the game was played. He was far ahead of his time, and was pulling off moves that people years later would attempt
2. Wes Copeland-Wes, and Robbie did to the arcade what Dean did to MAME. They dared to try styles that no one else did.
2. Robbie Lakeman- He actually created a few moves, and created a style on arcade that can lead to a much, much higher score. So both are number two on my list.
4. Billy Mitchell- Yeah, controversy swirls around him, but he's still the original killscreener, and started the whole ball rolling.
5. Steve Wiebe- His back, and forth with Billy Mitchell are only second to Wes, and Robbie's back and forth. Steve, and Billy took the game to another level.
6. Ross Benzinger- Never a champion, but he was darn close to pulling it off. He along with Dean deserve credit for the modern game play we see today.
7. Tim Sczerby- His story will be told here. He was the first one to go after the "invincible" Mitchell score. He also gets credit for sticking with the game over a decade later, and getting a new personal high that beat's Billy and Steve.
8. Hank Chien- He carried the mantel of World Champion for some time before Wes, and Robbie came onto the scene. He was a great statesman for the game, and deserves credit for it.
9. Ben Jos Walbeehm- Was the very first person to pull out 900k on Arcade or MAME. He was the first person who was doing more than just running the boards, and he was doing it in 2001.
10. Vincent Lemay- Didn't get a World Championship, but he still had an epic rivalry with Hank Chien that helped Hank Chien nudge that score even higher. He came oh so close to getting the record, but the Hank Chien force field was too strong.