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National Geographic
Challenge!
This is the second quiz game from National
Geographic to be released on the PlayStation 3 that is in line with
games such as Buzz! but unlike the aforementioned trivia game, National
Geographic Challenge! is more about real-world facts as opposed to
entertainment and music questions. For those that don't own a
PlayStation 3, National Geographic Challenge! is also available for the
Microsoft XBox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. We were also quite impressed
that this title even supports the PlayStation Move which feels more like
the Buzz controllers as opposed the standard DualShock controller.
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When it comes to trivia questions, National Geographic Challenge!
contains over 4,000 questions that uses text, photos, sound and videos
in its presentation. With such a diverse history, developers Gusto Games
have a wealth of information included in this title, all from the
excellent back catalogue of the National Geographic from geography to
history with just about all aspects of our tiny planet covered. Although
this is a "game", it's more edutainment and less glamorised than Buzz!
which seems like a slick game show. Even so, compared to the previous
National Geographic game, the cartoony avatars such as the astronaut or
deep sea diver that you can pick does make it a fun title.
The questions of this title range
from easy to hard and even though a lot of it is based on general
knowledge, some younger children may have some difficulties but this is
where the team based play comes into play which really gets everyone
involved and helps those younger kids out.
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There also is a real family feel behind National Geographic Challenge! due to
the way the questions and challenges are setup. With a variety of
gameplay modes that include both single-player and multiplayer, where
the title does shine is through the multiplayer that sparks your
completive nature, especially in the Explorer Mode. This mode could be
considered a game show version of Risk which supports up to four players as they
attempt to conquer the world by claiming territories for each correct
question. Another mode is the Puzzle Battle that is basically a puzzle
game and requires each player to outdo themselves with jigsaws and the
like.
For example, the puzzles include jigsaws,
squares and slides which require the player to see the picture and then
piece them together. It is tricky on the DualShock controller but
considerably easier on the Move controls. Questions can be localised to
just a region of the world which include North America, Europe, Asia,
South America, Africa and Australia-Asia. However there is also a
mega-quiz mode which takes questions from all parts of the world. The
player can also pick the amount of questions which range from 40 to 60
and even 80. Apart from competing against other players, you have a
timer and a score system which plenty of options for bonus points and
the like. Add in a progression system via gallery pictures and even a
leaderboard and this is not a bad family quiz game.
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Graphically, National Geographic Challenge! is an okay looking game but
lacks the finesse of many other quiz games, especially Buzz! which is
the definitive quiz game ont he PlayStation 3. The videos and photos however
look great on our FULL HD TV and really add to the atmosphere of the
game from a National Geographic point of view. The music, audio and
sound compliments the graphics and gameplay, making it more interactive
which I'm sure was a goal of the developers. A special mention
should also be made about the commentator who is actually quite witty
and has a aura of Buzz! to him. He does make the game more fun.
In the end, National Geographic Challenge! is not the flashiest game on
the market but Gusto Games have created a rather in-depth casual game
for the PlayStation 3. It is a good alternative to Buzz! and best of
all, it supports the Move controls of the PS3 that makes the title more
enjoyable than the traditional DualShock controls. With up to four
players, there's plenty of quiz game fun to be in National Geographic
Challenge!.
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