This week we look back at the Spy Hunter World Champion,  Paul Dean.    This article was done on March 26th, 2016. Hope you enjoy. 

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Paul Dean, who currently is displayed on card number 49, from the Superstars of 2011 Collection.  Paul is also featured on card number 2108, from the Superstars of 2015 collection.   Paul has had many Video game accomplishments in his career such as a 41 hour marathon of the game “Frenzy” in 2005.   In 1985, Paul broke the world record on the Arcade game “Spy Hunter” which still stands today.  Paul’s score of 9,512,590 is still the only million points or higher game recorded for Spy Hunter.  You can see Paul each year at the California Extreme Expo, which he runs various competitions open to the public.  

Are you still involved with gaming today, and what role do you play?

Yes, I still compete from time to time as well as run high score contests at California Extreme and at the Arcade Expo. I have been running high score events since 2006 and it has been a lot of fun getting the players back together each year to compete.  I have done video game panel discussions and events at the Ottumwa Iowa Big Bang, California Extreme, Banning Arcade Expo, San Diego ComicCon, Portland ComicCon, E for All, E3, The Kong OFF 2 & 3 and the Seattle Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show.  I also have a web site named spyhunter007.com which covers a lot of the competitive history of video gamer's and I post to the CAGdc classic gaming forums run by Mark Alpiger. I also follow the new Twin Galaxies site run by Jace Hall and I am a member.

Our next Trading Card Spotlight Features Eric Liddell who is displayed on card number 268, from the Superstars Collection of 2012.  Eric holds the world record for the Arcade and MAME version of the game Solarquest.  He also is a huge contender on many of the Williams arcade games, such as Defender and Joust.  Eric collects classic arcade games and loves to try and break new records when he has time.  He also is looking to marathon arcade games and his goal is to marathon Defender.  

Do you remember your first video game / arcade you played and what do you remember about it?

I remember being a 10-year-old kid in 1978 living in Traverse City, Michigan when I first started seeing arcade games pop up around town, I was instantly obsessed.  I would beg my parents for quarters everywhere we went so I could play games while they shopped. The first games I played were all the early classics starting with Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Galaxian, Asteroids, Defender, Star Castle, Centipede and a few others during that initial 78-81 boom time.  Most places around town had some combination of those games.  One of my favorite things was to be dropped off downtown at Papa J’s Pizza. They had a good selection of pinballs and a Defender. I'd go with 5 bucks to last the whole day and when it was gone that was it, time to go home. 

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Lauren Featherstone, who is displayed on card number 2752, from the Superstars Collection of 2017. Lauren is the current World Record holder on the arcade game “Tapper.” With a score of 14,000,600, she played for more than 24 hours straight before walking away with lives still left. Lauren broke the previous world record after 18 hours and kept going as the crowd cheered her on. Lauren has definitely set the bar with a score that will be hard to beat. When not playing her favorite arcade game, Lauren is a yoga and fitness instructor and a student pilot. 

If you could own one arcade game or pinball game, what would it be and why? 

Even though Tapper is my personal favorite, at home I would probably choose a pinball game like The Machine: Bride of PIN•BOT. It’s visually interesting and challenging, but still very accessible for any visitor to play, young or old. Anyone can win or lose a match!

Our next Trading Card Spotlight Features Hollyanne Setola who is displayed on card number 293, from the Superstars Collection of 2012. Hollyanne is one of the most competitive female gamers out there.   She has been playing games since she was 12 years old.   She has placed first in numerous LAN games across the east coast.   She has worked as a correspondent with GameChurch, conducting interviews at places like E3 2016 and Gamestop Expo 2015.  Other places Hollyanne has worked at are Aztec Gaming and Geek Fuel.  She can be featured in the upcoming documentary, “No Princess in the Castle”,  coming soon in 2017.  

Do you prefer playing video games alone, against friends or online against the world and why?

I am SO passionate about online gaming and about playing at LAN centers. It is not only something I am passionate about, but it is one of my favorite things to do. Gaming alone is fun and all but for me what really makes the game is the community. I have had many positive (and negative) experiences with the counter strike community but I think it really is the thing that has kept me playing for all these years. I love all of the friendships that I have made, and really so many of my fans are now my friends, and many of them are like family to me. Regardless of the negativity and difficulties I endure community wide, I would go through it all time and time again for the amazing relationships I have today.