Dominik Diamond: The man, the legend!

Earlier today, I managed to corner Dominik Diamond and while I had his full attention I forced him to take part in an illicit interview session! The steamy results can be found below.

Tigervamp: What are your fondest video game related memories back when you were a student?

DD: Being piddle-poor at Cyberball in the Student Union arcade in Bristol (this was back in 1989!). Years later I bought it for the Megadrive and my mate Sad Andy STILL kicked my arse.

Tigervamp: Could you tell us some of your favourite games of all time and give us reasons why you love them so much?

DD: Sensible Soccer – best sports game ever in terms of pure gameplay and learning curve.

Final Fantasy 7 – most immersive gaming experience ever, I was doing a late night sport show for Channel 5 called Live and Dangerous at the time. I used to get home at 2am then play it til dawn. Every day. For a month. Nearly killed me.

Championship Manager – the first few incarnations. Before real football management got too complicated.

Deus Ex – most immersive gaming experience since FF7

Super Mario Sunshine – First game I ever completed with my daughter. She did the levels and I did the bosses.

Pro Evo – back in my mad days I would get together with a bunch of lads with a ton of beer and narcotics and play for 12 hours straight. Amazing times.

3D Tower Bloxx on the Mobile – proof that mobile gaming can be as good as on consoles.

GTA 4 – looked forward to it for months and didn’t disappoint. Spent every day of the three weeks I played it talking about it to my mate Kirk every day. And we’re in our late 30s with jobs and kids too.

Guitar Hero on Tour – DS – proof that Nintendo is the undisputed master when it comes to imaginative peripherals.

Tigervamp: Which consoles do you currently own and are there any upcoming games on those systems which you have your eye on?

DD: I have every console. Though my 3 kids tend to monopolise the Wii and the clutch of DSs I have lying around. The upcoming GTA on the DS looks amazing. I’m intrigued by how Wario Land Shake will work. And I’m ashamed to admit it but I will be playing Samba di Amigo with the kids.

Tigervamp: Would you say that the current trend in “casual games” is a good or bad thing for video games?

DD: I am APPALLED by the latest incarnation of Tiger Woods where it has that ‘All Play’ thing. Ditto Madden. The best thing about those two is it takes real skill and dedication to become good at them. If you want simplicity then play Buckaroo.

Tigervamp: There seems to be a never-ending debate on the level of sex and violence in video games, where do you stand on this topic?

DD: Erect.

Tigervamp: Do you feel that a video game show, in this day and age, could ever emulate the success of GamesMaster or do you feel that Internet based shows, such as Consolevania, can sufficiently fill the gap?

DD: Consolevania is a work of genius. It’s a much better video game show than Gamesmaster ever was because it’s much funnier and more passionate about the games themselves. I am a huge fan. But to emulate the success Gamesmaster had you have to get 3 million viewers, which is why ours was a light-entertainment format that had more mass appeal. Nobody would commission a show like that now – it was a total fluke that Gamesmaster got on air to begin with. TV commissioners are generally conservative and clueless.

Tigervamp: I couldn’t let you go without asking you about your time on GamesMaster and there are a few things which fans of the show have been wondering for many years.

Firstly, how was your relationship on and offscreen with Dave Perry?

DD: Initially alright, but I grew tired of the boy after a while. I distrust people whose desperation to be famous is in inverse proportion to their ability. I suspect he auditions for Big Brother every year.

Tigervamp: Secondly, you vanished from our TV screens during Series Two of the show, many fans believe that this had something to do with the show being sponsored by McDonald’s, could you clear this up for us?

DD: I do not agree with McDonald’s politically and philosophically. I therefore could not ally myself to their cause in anyway. So I left. Then when they assured me the sponsorship had been cancelled I came back.

Tigervamp: Last, but certainly not least, while on GamesMaster did you ever witness Patrick Moore playing the Xylophone?

DD: No. But I can play one myself, in a very limited way so I wouldn’t say no to a future duet.

Tigervamp: Oh, and one more thing before you go, is there anything else you’ve been dying to get off your chest but until now haven’t had an opportunity to do so?

DD: It’s one of life’s ironies that I am FAR more appreciative of the genius of video games NOW than I was back then.

(End of interview!)

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