The 20 quiz questions
Question 1 : Mario was originally a carpenter, not a plumber.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! In Donkey Kong (1981), Mario was called "Jumpman" and was a carpenter. He only became a plumber in Mario Bros. (1983).
Question 2 : The PlayStation 1 was Sony's first game console.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Before the PlayStation (1994), Sony had no console but had collaborated with Nintendo on an abandoned CD player project for the Super Nintendo.
Question 3 : Minecraft was created by a Swedish developer nicknamed Notch.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Markus "Notch" Persson created Minecraft in 2009. He sold Mojang to Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion.
Question 4 : Sonic the Hedgehog is Nintendo's mascot.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Sonic is SEGA's mascot, Nintendo's historical rival. Nintendo's mascot is Mario.
Question 5 : The first Pokémon game was released in Japan before the United States.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan in 1996, but didn't reach the United States until 1998 (and Europe in 1999).
Question 6 : The Nintendo 64 controller had two joysticks.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The N64 controller had only one analog joystick (in the center). It was Sony's DualShock that popularized two joysticks.
Question 7 : Tetris was invented by a Soviet programmer.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris in 1984 in Moscow. The game gets its name from the Greek prefix "tetra" (four) because all pieces have 4 blocks.
Question 8 : Grand Theft Auto is developed by Electronic Arts.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! GTA is developed by Rockstar Games (formerly DMA Design) and published by Take-Two Interactive, not by EA.
Question 9 : Nintendo's Wii is primarily controlled through motion detection.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Released in 2006, the Wii revolutionized gaming with its Wiimote that detects player movements using accelerometers.
Question 10 : Lara Croft first appeared on PlayStation 2.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Lara Croft made her debut in Tomb Raider in 1996 on PlayStation 1 (and Saturn/PC). The PS2 wasn't released until 2000.
Question 11 : Fortnite was originally a cooperative survival game, not a Battle Royale.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! "Fortnite: Save the World" was released in 2017 as a PvE survival game. The free Battle Royale mode was only added after PUBG's success.
Question 12 : In The Legend of Zelda, the hero you control is named Zelda.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The hero is named Link. Zelda is the princess he must save. This is one of the most common misconceptions in gaming!
Question 13 : The original Game Boy did not have a color screen.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The 1989 Game Boy had a monochrome green/black screen. It wasn't until the Game Boy Color in 1998 that color was available.
Question 14 : Call of Duty is a series of exclusively futuristic games.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The series started with World War II (2003). It has explored different eras: Cold War, modern, futuristic, and returned to WW2.
Question 15 : Pac-Man was originally called "Puck-Man" in Japan.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The original name was Puck-Man (from "paku paku", Japanese onomatopoeia for eating). It was changed to prevent vandalism on arcade machines.
Question 16 : Minecraft was acquired by Sony.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! It was Microsoft that acquired Mojang (Minecraft studio) in 2014 for $2.5 billion, not Sony.
Question 17 : The Sims allows you to control the daily lives of virtual characters.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Created by Will Wright in 2000, The Sims is a life simulator where you manage all aspects of characters' lives (work, relationships, home...).
Question 18 : The Xbox is a console made by Sony.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The Xbox is Microsoft's console, launched in 2001. Sony makes the PlayStation, its direct competitor.
Question 19 : Animal Crossing runs in real time according to the console's clock.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The game uses the console's internal clock: day/night, seasons and events follow real time. One day in-game = one real day.
Question 20 : Super Smash Bros is a racing game.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Super Smash Bros is a crossover fighting game featuring characters from different Nintendo franchises (and others). Mario Kart is the racing game.
