Blind Teen Amazes With Video-Game Skills

[Alpha]

LINCOLN, Neb. - Brice Mellen is a whiz at video games such as "Mortal Kombat." In that regard, the 17-year-old isn't much different from so many others his age. Except for one thing: He's blind.

 

Those bold enough to challenge him weren't so lucky. One by one, while playing "Soul Caliber 2," their video characters were decapitated, eviscerated and gutted without mercy by Mellen's on-screen alter ego.

 

"I'm getting bored," Mellen said in jest as he won game after game.

 

Blind since birth when his optic nerve didn't connect because of Leber's disease, Mellen honed his video game skills over the years through patient and not-so-patient playing, memorizing key joystick operations and moves in certain games, asking lots of questions and paying particular attention to audio cues. He worked his way up from games such as "Space Invaders" and "Asteroid," onto the modern combat games.

 

"I guess I don't know how I do it, really," Mellen said, as he continued playing while facing away from the screen. "It's beyond me."

 

"He enjoyed trying to play, but he wasn't very good at first," said his father, Larry Mellen. "But he just kept on trying.... He's broken a lot of controllers."

 

While playing "Soul Caliber 2," Mellen worked his way through the introductory screens with ease, knowing exactly what to click to start the game he wanted.

 

He rarely asked for help. Once the game started he didn't need any help.

 

"How do I move?" an exasperated opponent, Ryan O'Banion, asked during a battle in which his character is frozen in place.

 

"You can't," Mellen answered before finishing him off.

» Read the full article here.

 

These are great stories just to prove to people that practice makes perfect. It can work when you're blind, deaf, or you just suck. But I guess it goes to show that even blind people can play video games.

[Wizard]

Your a few days late GC

 

HAHA

YES

I FINALLY SAID THAT TO HIM.

 

As I said in another forum. He has mad skillz yo

[Gryph]

I bet he just button mashes.

 

gg.

[Agozer]

m(_V_)m I always respects god-like gamers.

[Robert]

A real-life Tommy (for those of you old enough to remember Pinball Wizard)

[suvo]

that is so awsome... i mean i can imagine him playing gta but that is very good how he can do that , he could kick my ass anyday at soul calibur

[Z-Neo]

Very cool and inspirational story. Seems he is pretty proficient at fighters, I wonder how he handles driving games?

[suvo]

Very cool and inspirational story. Seems he is pretty proficient at fighters, I wonder how he handles driving games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i dont want to wonder , thats almost impossible for him

[Lucandrake]

Wasn't this on EGM a few months back?????????

[Smilee]

Pretty amazing kid, but isn't that Mortal Kombat on the screen instead of Soul Caliber 2?

[Cominus]

I can beat him.