The Micro User
1st March 1991
Author: Pam Turnbull
Publisher: Superior/Acornsoft
Machine: BBC B/B+/Master 128
Published in The Micro User 9.01
A pink ball, Dave...
Based on the Radio One DLT quiz, this is the way to really astound your friends with your general knowledge. A mix between Trivial Pursuit and snooker, it's quite surprisingly addictive.
You can play with up to three other people and answer questions from a choice of six categories: Science, Pop Music, Geography, Leisure, the Arts and History.
The first question is chosen randomly by the micro from the list - a red ball question - and you must choose the right answer from a choice of four. You can either press the appropriate number key or, on the Archimedes, click the answer with the mouse.
You pick the subject for all future questions. All are of comparable difficulty, but the varying time you are allowed to answer them in can cause problems. The black ball questions score highest because you have only about two seconds to answer. You'll need very quick reactions to get the maximum break of 147.
You may decide to pass on your go, but you can only do this three times - also you must decide to pass before the question put to you. Sometimes you get a message stating that the ball is over the pocket. If you fail to answer the question it's a foul and your opponents get the points - nasty.
The digitised pictures and sounds on the Archimedes version are very nice indeed. The timer really adds to the atmosphere - I panicked the first time I tried to answer a black question. The colour and type of questions change round each time and some of the questions are very difficult indeed to answer in the time allowed.
If you get it wrong you are not told the right answer. I realise this is so that you don't become familiar with the answers, but I'd have preferred to know - especially when I'm sure I'm right.
On the Archimedes version the excellent graphics mean that you can have picture questions that very well, and there are sound questions, although I'm not impressed by some of the music - excruciating in places.
That apart, it's good to play on your own or with friends.
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