The simplicity of a quality trivia game makes for a fun, varied and even personalized game night. Adults seeking an activity that requires little setup and commitment, but plenty of mental challenges can embrace any number of generic or specific trivia games with any number of friends.
The best trivia game, Half Truth, adds several strategic elements and a bit of luck to the standard question-and-answer template. With many trivia games available covering a wide spectrum of content, there is much to consider when investing in the popular pastime.
Trivia games may be general in scope or highly specific. Some games feature various categories, which may appeal to those working in teams where strengths and weaknesses are different. Other trivia games, however, focus entirely on a certain topic, like movies, sports or history. Some are even more niche, tackling a popular movie or series like “Game of Thrones.”
How many questions are included will dictate the diversity of gameplay and the replay value. Those with only 100 or 200 questions may not have a particularly long shelf life, while those with 500 or even 1,000 offer a bit more opportunity to continue play. It is worth noting whether and how these questions are divided up. Picking a game where there is an unpopular category may result in those questions rarely if at all being selected.
Consider with whom you’ll often be playing trivia games. Most cater to between two and four players, but some welcome six, eight and even ten or more. Most trivia games allow for teams, even if it’s not directly mentioned in the rules. Some trivia games can even be played by yourself.
It’s important that the degree of difficulty of any given question is within a reasonable range of the player's knowledge base. If questions are too easy, the game is likely going to lack suspense, strategy and engagement. A game that’s too hard, however, is likely to be discouraging and not particularly fun to play. Most games will display a few questions on the box so that potential consumers can get a feel for the type of questions and level of difficulty.
Niche games tend to be more difficult and require a strong knowledge of the subject at hand.
In some games, questions are divided by difficulty so players can toggle the settings as desired.
It’s recommended to buy trivia games from trusted brands and retailers to help ensure quality construction and longevity. Poorly-made games will wear down over time, especially when questions are read off cards. Since they are frequently handled and shuffled, it’s important to find those that are well-made and can stand up to regularly play.
While some trivia games simply feature questions and some sort of scoring mechanism, there are others that incorporate a board, dice, tokens and other elements of board games. These offer a bit more variety and require not only knowledge of trivia, but strategy as well.
Some base games allow for expansion should you go through the included number of questions. This will increase the longevity of games, especially if there is a board game element that can remain static. Expansion packs are cheaper than the initial game but must be used with the base.
Most trivia games cost between $15-$25 with price varying based on the number of questions included and how simple or elaborate the game is.
A. Experienced gamers may find they can tweak some of the gameplay elements or rules to make for more exciting or accessible games. Some players may want to do away with certain categories or change their scoring, while there's always the option of simply reading the question and determining your own scoring system and rules for victory. Players can also create teams to make the game more collaborative or evenly matched.
A. Not every game is simply about having memorized facts. Some trivia games allow players to read the questions themselves rather than have them read aloud, while others offer answers from which to choose; both elements may be of benefit to some players. For certain players, niche games may be better suited to help focus on a particular topic.
What you need to know: Clever and strategic trivia game that incorporates board game elements with high replay value.
What you’ll love: Each question offers three correct and three incorrect options, with players selecting between one and three answers. Variable scoring mechanism makes the game exciting and different. Includes 500 questions.
What you should consider: Somewhat pricey. Best with at least three players.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: Based on the popular podcast, this fun game tests adult’s knowledge of important trivia across a range of topics.
What you’ll love: Good value for this varied game with questions about history, science and pop culture. The “myths and legends” category is novel and exciting. Incorporates strategic board game elements.
What you should consider: Requires at least 3 players.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Trivial Pursuit Decades 2010-2020
What you need to know: This recent game from a trusted name in trivia mines the past decade with a staggering amount of questions.
What you’ll love: This latest offering of the classic trivia board game features 1,800 questions about pop culture from the 2010s. Categories include streaming content, hit music and news. Trusted, beloved brand.
What you should consider: Gameplay hasn’t been updated, may be overly familiar to some.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Anthony Marcusa writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
