The legendary moment in television history when the man who had the rep of being one of the best games players in the country (and was also a genuine sex symbol) failed miserably at Super Mario 64 and then sulked about it afterwards.

Diamond's "and on that BOMBSHELL!" makes me laugh every time.

Interview with Casually Hardcore

CH: People still talk about the moment you lost on Games Master. At the time you said you was set up. What was going through your head at the time? Were the tears real or just some expert acting?

Dave Perry: Tears? There weren't any tears that I remember. But I was majorly pissed off what had gone on that day. We were told that if we took part in the quiz and got through to the final, then there would be a play off on a neutral game. Probably a new version of WipeOut from Psygnosis. However, when I turned up on the day, the game had been changed suspiciously to Mario 64 on the N64. I had recently spoken out in the trade press saying that I would not play Mario 64 until it was released officially in the UK, as the amount of press attention the new Nintendo console was getting was ruining the Christmas games market in the UK. So everyone new I had not played this game as it was not due out in the UK until the next year.

When I enquired if any of the finalists had played the game, it turned out that only one had... host Dominik Diamond's best friend. Not only had he played it, he had been playing it constantly for the past few months and completed it a number of times as he was helping develop Earthworm Jim 3D. Hardly a neutral game.

When I complained to the Director, I was told not to worry because he would not get through to the final, and if he did, then the game would be changed. I should have smelled a rat.

So, I played on, and won every round. However, when we got to the semi-final, if you watch the whole show you will notice that at least one question comes up about Earthworm Jim! The game Dominik's friend was helping develop! Coincidence?

So now he's in the final against me, on a machine I've never played on, on a game I've never played, but he's been playing on for the past few months.

When I went to see the Director about his promise that this wouldn't happen, he simply told me that there wasn't time to change anything as the crew had all run over on their scheduled time and the final had to take place immediately. He also told me that if I walked I wouldn't be allowed to use the company's hire car that had brought me to the shoot and would have to get home on my own. I was in the middle of an industrial estate in London on a Saturday evening. There weren't even any cabs. I was f*cked.

Feeling set-up and really hard done by I decided to try and play my way out of it, but predictably lost by a couple of seconds. I felt betrayed that the show I'd helped create, and had served so loyally could do this to me. I should have reacted better, but I just wanted out. At least it made good TV. I quit the show there and then and never went back.

CH: What did you think of Mario 64 once you got a chance to play the full version?

Dave Perry: I've never played it. I have always hated those cutesy Nintendo games.

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