If you consider yourself a fan of Trivial Pursuit, you might wonder why the brand hasn’t released an official mobile app. Though there is nothing wrong with the classic Trivial Pursuit board game format, sometimes people need a change of pace. To answer your question, allow me to take you through a brief history of Trivial Pursuit mobile apps.
Trivial Pursuit has unmatched gameplay that we all know and love. The best way to play is to gather with friends and family and whip out that good old game board. However, sometimes you want to play, but don’t really feel like getting up and playing with others. In that case, there is always the option of playing online!
Though there is currently no official Trivial Pursuit smartphone app, there are great alternatives you can try. They might lack that classic Trivial Pursuit charm, but they’ll quench your thirst for online trivia!
Before we get to that, let’s have a look at some apps and video games Trivial Pursuit released over the years and discuss why they are not around anymore.
Trivial Pursuit Apps and Video Games
Though Trivial Pursuit has been unsuccessful with the digital format just yet, some attempts are worth mentioning. Here is a brief overview of some Trivial Pursuit apps and video games that opened up the door for digital trivia.
Shuffle Trivial Pursuit
In 2014, Hasbro revolutionized the way we played Trivial Pursuit. The brand released a set of cards called Shuffle Trivial Pursuit. The spin was that you could play the game via a smartphone or tablet too! Players were invited to download the free app, though it was not necessary for the game.
Those who wanted to play the good old-fashioned way could very well do so, too. However, people were excited to try the app. The game was initially available on the AppStore and GooglePlay. Shuffle Trivial Pursuit offered a fun and unusual format for all trivia lovers. Players had to play against a timer, and if one team failed to answer before the time ran out, the other team got a point. All those who loved classic Trivial Pursuit questions and categories had a blast playing the game.
Unfortunately, the app was not as successful as the brand thought. It did not survive and is no longer available on smartphones and tablets.
Trivial Pursuit & Friends
The makers of Trivial Pursuit partnered with Gameloft in 2015 to launch a mobile game called Trivial Pursuit & Friends. The game allowed players to play online, with friends and strangers. There were weekly online competitions, where you could test your knowledge in specific areas against all other players in the world.
The “Blitz” mode allowed users to compete with three other players in real-time. You could also chat with players and create your own questions and test others. Each player was given three lives per three hours. Users were invited to pay for extra lives, but that was not a popular feature.
The free app available on Windows, Android, and Apple devices. Many people complained that the three lives they got were not enough for a decent game. Another problem was that there was no time limit on answering questions. Players often neglected the game, which led to others being unable to play for long periods of time. Besides that, the gameplay was too long.
As people still favored the classic Trivial Pursuit board game format, Trivial Pursuit & Friends was not a successful venture. The app is no longer available for download.
Trivial Pursuit Live!
If you’re really keen on playing Trivial Pursuit in a digital format, there is one alternative from the brand—Trivial Pursuit Live! Trivial Pursuit Live! came out in 2015 and is still available for purchase. It is worth noting that the game is not a phone app. You can buy it in the PlayStation store to play on your PS4 or PS5 or on the Ninendo store for your Switch (this is preferred to the Trivial Pursuit Switch game).
Trivial Pursuit Live! offers its players a real television game show experience with new and improved questions. The varying difficulty levels make the game more inclusive than ever. Unlike the original board game, Trivial Pursuit Live! is quick-paced, which is a desirable feature for the younger generation.
Unfortunately, the game did not make the stir they expected it to make. Many players still prefer the original board game format over the video game format. Though the idea is outstanding and Trivial Pursuit fans all over the world would love to play the game via game console, the execution is not there yet. Users have complained about the difficulty of gameplay and bugs.
Trivial Pursuit is on the right track, though! All we can do is sit tight and hope that the brand develops a trivia game app sooner than later.
Trivial Pursuit-Type Apps for iOS and Android
Just because Trivial Pursuit doesn’t have the technology or know-how to create an app that would measure up to its iconic board games doesn’t mean that other companies haven’t tried! There have been many attempts to create a worthy trivia game app (right now, the closest you can get is by playing some Trivial Pursuit games with your Alexa). Here are some of the best ones for iOS and Android!
QuizUp
QuizUp is one of the most popular trivia apps on the market. It is free and available on both iOS and Android devices. The game stands out with its incredible algorithm and user-friendly interface. Chances are, you won’t find another app that is as attractive and easy to use.
You can choose from a wide variety of categories to play in. The categories range from general knowledge, animals, and other broad subjects, to Harry Potter, How I Met Your Mother, and more niche subjects.
When you choose to play a game, you’re matched with a stranger that is approximately on the same level as you. You then get to compete in a few rounds of trivia on your chosen topic. The rounds feature multiple-choice questions. You get a time limit for every question, which results in quick gameplay. The quicker you answer, the better.
As you proceed in the game and get better in your own categories, you receive increasingly harder questions. You can also play against your friends and chat with other players. QuizUp allows players to compete with strangers all over the world in real-time, in categories they love most.
Update: QuizUp has since folded, but you can take a look at these similar apps, check out the newest app by the same company and find out all the information on QuizUp’s demise here.
Jeopardy! World Tour
Most people are familiar with the game show Jeopardy!, so you probably don’t need too much introduction there. The game show is so iconic that it’s received multiple awards and nominations in the world of television. In Jeopardy! World Tour, players have to answer multiple-choice questions.
The game is free and available on iOS and Android devices. You can play with strangers in real-time, or go offline and play solo. The game offers a wide range of categories and difficulty levels. You can use power-ups that allow you to remove false answers or gain more time to answer a question.
If you’ve always wanted to be on Jeopardy!, you will definitely enjoy this game.
Trivia Crack 2
Trivia Crack 2 is the sequel to Trivia Crack. The app is free and available for Android and iOS devices. The interface of this app is not as cool as QuizUp, though it will be hard to find something that attractive.
In Trivia Crack, you can play against your Facebook friends and random opponents in real-time. Take part in daily challenges and tasks on the app, and watch your score go up. The game allows you to collect themed characters as you grow and improve.
A common disadvantage is in-game ads. If they really bother you, you can pay to remove them. VIP subscription also gives you perks, like endless lives that make the game even more fun.
And find out here if we prefer the original to the sequel or vice-versa!
Trivia Crack Kingdoms
This is another version of Trivia Crack, but with a spin. It actually bears some similarities to QuizUp. In Trivia Crack Kingdoms, you get to choose the categories (or kingdoms) that you want to be questioned in.
There are single-channel games that only focus on one topic of your choosing, as well as multi-channel trivia matches. The app is free and you can play in multiple games or channels at the same time.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is based on the popular television game show. If you want the full game show experience, you can download this app for free on your Android or iOS device. A pair of players get to compete for the title of a millionaire, but that’s all you get. Unfortunately, you can’t win actual money in this game.
The questions increase in difficulty as you keep going. Just like on the show, you get your classic lifelines: 50:50, Ask the Audience, and Ask an Expert. As you continue to play, you can gain points and see how you stack up against other players on the leaderboard.
Quizoid
Quizoid is a very simple offline trivia app. You cannot play against other people as it is a single-player game. The design is not nearly as nice as in QuizUp or even Trivia Crack, but it does the job. Considering the price, which is $0, the app is great! It is available on Android and iOS devices.
You start by answering trivia questions and play until you get a question wrong. You are given three lifelines that you can use for extra difficult questions. There is decent variety, with over 7,000 questions in 17 categories. The ads can get a bit annoying, but you can pay to remove them. You can also purchase question expansion packs within the app.
Trivia360
Trivia360 is another trivia app for those who appreciate simplicity in design and gameplay. The app is free and comes with thousands of trivia questions in different categories. As an added feature, you can even submit your own questions and rate the questions you get.
View leaderboards to see where you are among your competitors. The questions come in three different formats: multiple-choice, true or false, and identification questions.
Since the game is free, it comes with in-app ads. If that gets too annoying, you can pay to remove them.
Popcorn Trivia
Popcorn Trivia is like some movie editions of Trivial Pursuit. In this game, you only get questions about movies, genres, directors, and so on. As you earn popcorn for correct answers, you can spend them on premium expansion packs with popular TV series.
You can play alone, and with opponents. Follow the leaderboards to make sure you’re in the spotlight!
Not Your Classic Trivial Pursuit!
Unfortunately, Trivial Pursuit has yet to give us a worthy smartphone app that will stay around for a while. Though the brand has been unsuccessful in the digital realm yet, we can only assume that something good is in the works. Nobody knows how long we must wait, but I believe that Trivial Pursuit will eventually be available on all Android and iOS devices. And in the meantime, we have a few worthy alternatives.
Of course, most of the trivia apps mentioned in this list lack the Trivial Pursuit appeal. There is no continuity or board game element. Not to mention, Trivial Pursuit has that special something that no other game has been able to replicate. Nevertheless, we’ve got to make do with what we have! UPDATE: As of September 2021, there is finally an app with trivia and a board game element! Check out our recent article on Trivia Crack Adventure! And for a Trivial Pursuit game you can play with Alexa, check out our review of Trivial Pursuit Tap here.
Try these apps and see which ones you like best. Most apps have leaderboards, so if you play continuously for a few months, you can watch your score go up and your rank change. Some may even allow you to win some real cash! Though no online game can replace Trivial Pursuit, you might still have fun playing!
What do you think about the apps mentioned in this article? Do you have a favorite? Is there an amazing trivia app that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
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