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TRIVIAL PURSUIT ELECTRONIC

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Author: unknown

Publisher: Parker 1998

Awards: none

EVALUATION

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In fall 1998 Parker entered a new area with one of their flagships - "Trivial Pursuit". After the TP-cardset for voyages, Soccer-edition, Genus-edition, PC-edition and - of course - the basic game, Parker now decided to release a Trivial Pursuit version in a hand-held computer.

The basic mechanism of the game hasnīt changed - people still have to answer questions from the 6 standart categories Arts & Literature, History, Technics, Sports, Entertainment and Geography. The game offers a variety of 3.600 questions, compiled from Genus-editions I to V, and I was eager to see whether it still carries the fun and charme of the basic board-based game.

The game itself offers four different options for play:

  • Knock-Out Multiple Choice: This is a solo game in which the player tries to answer questions from multiple-choice answers. If a player gives a wrong answer to a question, he loses the token for that category and is no more asked questions from that category. He is asked questions in a random order, and if he has lost all six tokens, the game is over and the player scores as many points as he has answered questions.
  • Knock-Out Standart: This, too, is a solo mode, working on the same principles as the first one, but doesnīt have multiple choice answers.
  • Questions & Answers: Not a real game, but just questions and answers to learn by playing.
  • Knock-Out Team Game: A game for 1 or 2 players or teams. It is closest to the original Trivial Pursuit, since now the players roll a dice to see from which category they will be asked (doubles allow re-rolls). If a category is answered correctly, that player (or team) receives a token for that colours. If all six tokens are collected, that team is asked one last question chosen by the other player (team). If this question is answered, that player (team) wins the game.

To be honest, I am hard pressed to give any judgement over such a classical game like Trivial Pursuit. For this reason, I will just give you a listing of the positive and negative aspects of Trivial Pursuit Electronic which appeared during testing:

Contra

  • At the beginning, the gameplay seems to be a bit complicated. It would have been possible to reduce the steps at which buttons must be pushed each round at least by two. This would have given a faster gameplay.
  • In the time of high-tech electronics itīs ridiculous to produce a game for just two players. Well, they try to involve more players by offering the "team"-mode, but this only serves to camouflage the fact that Trivial Pursuit Electronic initially is only for TWO players.
  • If the designers had given the game some more care, it would have been possible to produce an electronic version of the gameboard.
  • The "team"-mode itself is too fast. If more than one player are involved on one side, the chance to get the right answers is much higher. This definately shortens the game.

Pro

  • The game is playable virtually everywhere: At school, in Subway, at the Train etc...
  • Itīs small, handy and light.
  • 3.600 questions are included - enough for many hours of play.
  • If played with only two players, the "team"-mode is quite attractive. An ideal addition for holidays-luggage.

Looking for this game? Visit Funagain Games!


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Copyright © 2006 Frank Schulte-Kulkmann, Essen, Germany