Previously known as The Angry Nintendo Nerd, The Angry Video Game Nerd, or AVGN as he is most commonly abbreviated, is a series of video game reviews by James Rolfe, an amateur filmmaker. His videos have gotten well over 25,000,000 views on Youtube. The Angry Video Game Nerd's comic appeal comes from his loud New Jersey accent, his drinking of Rolling Rock lager (although recently he has switched to Yuengling), and his comically frequent use of profanity. Most of his reviews have an introduction theme song played by Kyle Justin in which Rolfe describes his character as taking people "back to the past" to experience the terrible video games he had to play. He often treats the games he reviews as the lowest possible thing in existence, and saying he would rather do something extremely repulsive than play the game. Sometimes, at the end of the review, the AVGN will physically destroy the game he has reviewed. A vido of him reviewing "Back to the Future" for the original Nintendo can be found below the interview. His entire archive can be found on his Myspace: www.myspace.com/thenintendonerd.
1. How did the Angry Video Game Nerd get started?
I make a lot of short videos for comedic purposes, and one thing I decided to do for a quick little joke in 2004 was to pick on an old NES game (Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest) which is regarded as a classic game, but there sure were things in it that are annoying. During the course of the review, I got more involved than I thought. I complained about every detail I could find and felt the need to swear which later became a character trait of the Angry Video Game Nerd.
2. What was your first experience with a video game?
Probably Odyssey or Atari.
3. What's it like knowing that your videos get more views then most cable T.V. shows?
Nice, but too bad we don’t get that kind of money that they get on TV.
4. Is there any large difference between your "Angry Video Game Nerd" persona and your "real" self?
Yes. Totally different person. AVGN is a character
5. Was your video game collection always as large as it appears in the videos, or is it large now due to fans sending you old games?
Alot of it was given by mike matei. many of the nes games. a lot of the consoles. Atari, 5200, top loader, turbo grapx, Panasonic 3do.. and some is from fans.
6. What was it like getting to go to E3 2007?
Great. You can see the videos of the event at www.screwattack.com.
7. What games are you currently playing(on current consoles)?
Don’t really have time with this AVGN filming schedule.
8. How long does it take, on average, to make a new "Angry Video Game Nerd" video?
Aprrox. 30 hours.
9. What's on your iPod?
lots of stuff. Black Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Judas Priest, ACDC, Zeppelin, Rob Zombie, Pink Floyd, The Offspring, The Who, Misfits, Van Halen, Ramones..etc.
10. What's on your Tivo/DVR?
old horror movies
11. What are some of your favorite games?
On NES: Zelda, Super Mario 3, Contra, Mega Man 2, Castlevania 3, Double Dragon 2, Punch Out, Metroid. On SNES: Mario Paint, Zelda: Link to the Past, Super Metroid, F-Zero, Super Castlevania 4, Final Fantasy 3 (6 in Japan), Chrono Trigger, Donkey Kong Country 1 & 2, Super Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat 2, Killer Instinct, TMNT 4, Super Mario World, Star Fox.
12. Any ideas floating around for upcoming game reviews?
About 10 million. For one thing we get about 1000 requests everyday. And you can go to screwattack.com/forums and look at the thread for Game Suggestions. But besides that, we already have videos lined up into 2008.
13. Any words of advice for people?
Fuck Shit Ass and Balls.
