Michael Tang

Michael Tang deserves induction into the International Video Game Hall of Fame as a documented 1990s national champion who helped define—and quietly elevate—the standards of console competition in that era. Period testimony confirms he won the Howard Johnson (HoJo) National Championships on Sonic the Hedgehog 3, a wide-reaching Sega-backed program that toured North America and put hotel-chain qualifiers and finals on the same map as the better-known publisher events of the day.

Tang then leveraged that mastery to coach and strategize with his brother Chris ahead of Sega/MTV’s landmark 1994 Rock the Rock finals on Alcatraz, directly influencing one of the decade’s most iconic victories. In addition to those key victories, Michael has also achieved tournament champion at other high-profile tournaments of that era including: Kids Go Hojo with Sega (1993), Kids Go Hojo with Sega (1994), Funcoland National Video Game Championships (1996) and the Konami Gradius V Championship (2004).

It is clear that his championship caliber tournament play, including the records of his HoJo national titles and the scale of the HoJo Sega circuit, attest to a champion operating at the highest tier of 16-bit competition. Making an outstanding impact on the scene and one of its marquee champions, Michael Tang is exactly the kind of athlete-mentor whose achievements and influence the IVGHOF was created to honor.

Michael is the winner or a top finisher in many gaming competitions. 

Tournament Results:

2nd Place (Regional) Capcom Disney Afternoon Playtour 1991 Northern California City Championships

1st Place (Regional) Kids Go HoJo with Sega 1993: Santa Clara City Championship

8th Place (National) Kids Go HoJo with Sega 1993: National Championships

1st Place (Regional) Kids Go HoJo with Sega 1994: Los Angeles City Championship

1st Place (National) Kids Go Hojo with Sega 1994: National Championships

1st Place (Regional) Funcoland National Video Game Championships 1996 San Jose City Championship

1st Place (National) Funcoland National Video Game Championships 1996 Grand Finals

4th Place (Regional) Sega Mobile Assault Tour 1999: Top 4 Finalist High Score Qualifier

2nd Place (National) Sega Dreamcast Championships 2000

3rd Place (National) Working Designs Raystorm $10,000 High Score Contest 1998

1st Place (Local) Konami Gradius V Championship 2004