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There must be very few people in the Galaxy who have not played - or at least heard of - Trivial Pursuit, a legendary board game of astonishing Triviality. This classic board game has now been officially and faithfully converted to the C64 courtesy of Domark.

The object of the game is to get to the centre of the board... after collecting six different 'wedges' of pie by correctly answering lots of questions on key squares. The questions are selected from six categories: Art and Literature, Science, Geography, Sport and Leisure, Entertainment, and History. If a question is correctly answered on a category HQ square, you are awarded a subject wedge. When you have six wedges you can then head for the hub at the centre of the board and answer a final question to finish the game.

On loading the screen fills with option menus. The main menu offers options concerning game play, such as number of players, start game, timer on, sound effects on or off, load new questions, and analysis of the current scores. There is also an option to select whether TP is awake or asleep.

TP is Mr. Trivial Pursuit, a mascot which has been adopted to act as question master and die (or in this case, dart) thrower. After entering each participant's name (a maximum of six people can play), the game board can be accessed. TP stands at the bottom right hand side, dart in hand. Pressing the fire button makes TP throw the dart at the board - a variation on throwing the die.

When a number has been selected, several segments flash to indicate which moves are possible. By moving your counter onto the desired segment and pressing fire, TP jumps off his platform and waddles over to the question room, decorated with bookcases, a fireplace, and a grandfather clock which chimes the hour. Several forms of question can be asked in this room, either a text, visual (which involves TP pulling down a small projection screen upon which a drawing is displayed) and aural (played through TP's midi hi-fi unit).

Each question is displayed at the top of the screen and you are given a time limit in which to answer it. Pressing the fire button reveals the answer, and it is then up to your honesty to say whether you answered the question correctly. (Additional rule: If one player is dishonest, hit him over the head with a wet kipper). If you have answered a wedge question correctly then a little ditty plays announcing the fact.

Having returned to the board screen, it is possible to view your score to date. The game continues until a player has obtained six different wedges and has made his or her way to the centre of the board and correctly answered a question, the subject matter of which is determined by the other players (ho ho!).

I've never actually played the real Trivia board game, but if the official computer game is anything to go by then it must be damn good fun. OK, so it doesn't work as a single player game, but with a number of people it all becomes very entertaining and enjoyable.

The TP character works really well, but you can always switch him off if his smart-ass sarcy comments get you annoyed. The questions are varied and I was surprised that so many had been squeezed into the game. There's also a number of question files whch can be loaded in, and Domark have promised that there will be add-on modules in the not-too-distant future. All in all, a great Trivia game which should be purchased by any Commodore owner wanting to use their brains rather than reflexes.

Yet another Trivia game for the Commodore, only this one is the 'real thing'. And very close to the original board game it is too - which is why I don't like it. I hate Trivia games. I find them dull and trivial. Even so, I must admit that Domark have produced a quality product which will certainly appeal to those interested in the board game.

TP is a 'cute' addition and works very well with the balance of visual, aural and verbal questions (I was very surprised and amused by some of the visual questions - deer turd indeed!).

If, however, you don't live, breathe and eat trivia then try out Arcana's Powerplay - it may well be a Trivia-orientated game, but as far as I'm concerned it's not so dull and trivial.

At last, Domark (with a little bit of help from ODE) have come up with a decent game. I've never been into using the old grey matter, but this is what a Trivia game should be: interesting, varied and, most importantly, fun. Everything has been well defined, the graphics complement the atmosphere very well, and TP's sarcastic comments are really jolly witty - horrid little person!

Okay, so it's not much fun to play on your own, but as a party game it is the best around.

Presentation 98%
Effective tape handling. Many impressive touches throughout the game.

Graphics 79%
Not outstanding, but suited to the game.

Sound 78%
Again, nothing outstanding. But what's there works well.

Hookability 95%
Incredibly simple to get into - great fun too!

Lastability 92%
Months of fun for all the family - very few computer games offer so much social interaction for so many.

Value For Money 91%
Cheaper than the board game and just as good.

Overall 91%
A competent adaptation of the highly successful board game.