Think back to the first Trivial Pursuit board game that debuted in the 1980s. The game has come a long way since then! We have seen a succession of Trivial Pursuit board games and tens of spin-offs. Starting with the regular six general knowledge categories that we all know, there is not a topic now that doesn’t have a Trivial Pursuit version dedicated to it, from Harry Potter and Friends to Pop Culture and the ’90s.
The creators of the game didn’t stop there, transforming the board game into video game format for Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation. Trivial Pursuit also inspired the creation of game apps such as Trivia Crack, where players are invited to compete in the six familiar categories and enjoy the classic board game gameplay on their smartphones or tablets.
What’s next? Is there another, even more modern way to play Trivial Pursuit? Why, yes, there is! Keep reading to find out how to play Trivial Pursuit with Alexa.
Can You Play Trivial Pursuit on Alexa?
Yes, you can play Trivial Pursuit on Alexa. Trivial Pursuit has its own skill that you can get using your Amazon account. The skill is called Trivial Pursuit Tap. “Skill” is Amazon’s way of describing an app or a game. Playing used to be more complex than just downloading the skill; a couple of years ago you would also need a pair of Amazon Echo Buttons. That is not the case anymore, and you cannot create the game show experience in your living room with the help of Trivial Pursuit Tap. However, you can still play a fun game of trivia with friends.
Once you’ve got your equipment, you must ask Alexa to start the game. Find an opponent to play against or divide into two teams if more people want to play. You will hear the questions through your speaker and have to give clear and concise answers.
The premise of the game is the same as the original Trivial Pursuit. There are six question categories. You must answer one question correctly in each category and close the game with one final question. If you get one question right, you can have a go at another. Keep answering correctly, and you won’t even give your opponent the chance to win. Below is a step-by-step guide for playing Trivial Pursuit Tap.
Step 1: Get the Skill
The first thing you need to do to start the game is—get the skill. That’ll be easy, provided you have an Amazon account. Assuming you do, since you have an Amazon Echo speaker with Alexa, go ahead and download the Trivial Pursuit Tap skill. It is free to enable on the amazon.com website.
Step 2: Start the Game
Now that you’ve enabled the skill, you can start the game. Get your opponent ready and give Alexa a command to begin. To start, say, “Alexa, open Trivial Pursuit Tap,” or, “Alexa, launch Trivial Pursuit Tap.” If you ever get confused, Amazon suggests asking Alexa for help with a simple “Alexa, help.” To start a new game, say, “Alexa, start over.” If you didn’t hear the question right, say, “Alexa, repeat.”
Step 3: Answer the Questions
The rules of the game are fairly simple. If you’ve ever played a version of Trivial Pursuit before, you will quickly get the hang of it. The goal of the game is to answer a question right in each of the six categories. To secure your win, you will need to answer one final question. If you get one question right, you can keep answering new questions until getting one wrong or winning. Speak your answer clearly and concisely. Alexa has been known to reject correct answers because they were not exact. Also, remember that you’re dealing with a speaker, so speak loudly. The speaker will hear you out and determine if you will get a go at another question or if that privilege will be passed to your opponent.
Alternatives to Trivial Pursuit on Alexa
If Trivial Pursuit Tap disappoints you or you’re simply looking for alternatives, you can try several other skills. Amazon is consistently widening its selection of games that can be played on Alexa. Check out the following games and let us know which you like best! For a longer list of games, visit this page.
Jeopardy!
That’s right; the iconic television game show also has an Amazon skill! If Trivial Pursuit is not doing it for you, Jeopardy! just might. Those who’ve always dreamed of answering questions on that famous stage can now recreate that experience at home with the help of their Amazon Echo device. Jeopardy! promises to deliver new clues every weekday. You can answer questions in the very categories you saw on the show’s latest episode. You will hear the clues from no one else but Mayim Bialik herself.
To get started, say, “Alexa, open Jeopardy,” or, “Alexa, play Jeopardy.” If you can’t figure it out, follow this step-by-step guide.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is another popular TV game show that we’ve been watching since we were kids. With the help of Amazon, you can cosplay a character on one of the episodes at home. The premise is simple: answer trivia questions for a chance to win $1,000,000. Of course, the money is not real, but the feeling of winning is. There are lifelines, just like on the show. The question library is updated daily, so you’ll never have to answer the same question twice.
Trivia Hero
We like games that offer a unique selling proposition. Trivia Hero sets itself apart by turning trivia quizzes into a race against the clock. The player gets one minute to answer as many questions as they can. There is no time to think; either you know the answer or you don’t. The winner will not always be the smartest, but the most strategic. You can play against the clock and try to beat your own best, or invite up to 20 other players to compete against.
Trivia Battle
Trivia Battle is a battle of the United States of America. To be more specific, players are divided by state. Your goal is to win as many games as you can to help your state become the smartest state according to Trivia Battle. You get to play against individual players from all over the States. Trivia Battle is not so different from Trivial Pursuit. It offers the same classic question categories—history, math, science, sports, entertainment, and more.
Sporcle Trivia
Sporcle started as a trivia website in 2007. It quickly grew into an empire, with its own app in the App Store and Google Play. Sporcle Party: Social Trivia is another app introduced by the creators of Sporcle. The focus of Sporcle Trivia is predominantly on the questions. The gameplay is not unique, so it’s hardly the selling point of this Amazon skill. People like this game because it’s easy and fun. If you want to take your mind off work, try it out!
Critique of Trivial Pursuit Tap
Since the game was released in 2017, it has gathered many reviews on Amazon, over 2,000 to be exact. Though many players do admit that the game is a nice reminder of how fun playing the traditional board game version of Trivial Pursuit with the whole family used to be, some issues stand out in multiple reviews.
The first critique of Trivial Pursuit Tap is the lack of diversity in question topics. It appears that most questions cover pop culture and nothing else. Forget history, geography, or science. Some players reported that their older relatives found it difficult to play because they knew nothing about pop culture of the 2020s. We have to agree, that’s very limiting.
Another reason the game can be challenging is that your answers must be exact. One player reported that they could not switch the words in their answer around or miss even one word. Alexa is a strict game show host that will not miss the chance to tell you you’re wrong. Who needs Jeopardy! when you’ve got Alexa and Trivial Pursuit Tap?
An unpopular peculiarity of the game is that you get to answer multiple questions in a row if you keep getting them right. That means that, sometimes, other people never get to play at all. If you’re particularly well-versed in pop culture, you might snatch that win from your opponent before they even get the chance to answer their first question.
Like any other software, you’re bound to run into some bugs. Players have reported that, sometimes, Alexa doesn’t even wait for your answer to tell you it’s wrong. Perhaps the issue could lie in the speaker interpreting any sound after the question as the answer. If that’s the case, ensure the room you’re playing in is quiet, and don’t forget to enunciate.
How Do You Start a New Game of Trivial Pursuit Tap on Alexa?
Starting a new game of Trivial Pursuit Tap on Alexa is very easy. All you have to do is give Alexa a corresponding command. The wording recommended by Amazon is, “Alexa, start over.” You can try variations like, “Alexa, start a new game,” or “Alexa, start a new game of Trivial Pursuit Tap.” Try it out, and let us know what works best!
What Happened to Amazon Echo Buttons?
You can’t have a real game show experience without buzzers, right? Trivial Pursuit Tap did not respond to just any buzzers; players were invited to purchase Amazon Echo Buttons. The buttons started gaining recognition towards the end of 2017 and Trivial Pursuit Tap was partial to that rise in popularity. It was dubbed one of the first games to use Amazon’s buttons by BusinessWire.
You could connect a maximum of four buttons to your Amazon Echo device. If you had the standard two-pack, you would have to play against one opponent or separate all players into two teams. The buttons could turn any simple game of Trivial Pursuit Tap into a game show. That ended in 2021 when the Trivial Pursuit Tap skill no longer recognized Echo Buttons.
Since then the buttons have been discontinued. The game is now available to everyone. It lacks the game show element that was so attractive, but it’s become more accessible. If you’re interested in playing with a pair of Amazon Echo Buttons, you can still find them on eBay.
Final Words
In short, playing Trivial Pursuit Tap using your Echo device is as easy as saying, “Alexa, open Trivial Pursuit Tap.” Owning a pair of Amazon Echo Buttons used to be a big prerequisite for the game, but it’s not anymore. As of now, nothing is stopping you from playing Trivial Pursuit Tap, except for the quality of the game. Consider the critiques shared by other players throughout the years.
Unlike the original Trivial Pursuit, which could involve the whole family, Trivial Pursuit Tap sounds very niche and unavailable to many. Whether or not the game will work for you is entirely up to you! Give it a go and let us know what you think of it. Share your opinions and experiences with us in the comments!
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