Tap into trivia!

An issue with many trivia games is that the players need to be at the same level in order be competitive. That’s fine if you’re playing with friends, but it doesn’t work so well with the varying ages of family members. Papa’s Quiz changes the formula just enough to help solve that problem.

First, though, let’s talk about the game’s design. At the onset, players are tasked with creating their character. You start with what looks like a Tylenol capsule and give it a hat, facial features, clothing, etc. You can also assign its name, choosing two words from the predetermined options so you can end up with something like Tiny Love or Uncle Lonely. It’s somewhat humorous, but considering the game allows for up to eight players, this can really bog things down from the start.

Players are able to join via their smartphones or tablets, using the familiar method of logging into a website with an assigned room code to participate. One excellent feature here is that your phone can display basic controls if you’re using the TV, or a more complete option that puts everything you need to see right on your phone. In other words, you can play with people who aren’t even at your location.

Once you’re in, the quiz show takes place in what appears to be a living room with a giant couch. Your host (whom I’ll assume is Papa) works with a co-host named Montgomery to push things along. Both have exceptionally robotic voices that are humorous at first, but they’re too slow and repetitive to remain entertaining.

Thankfully, the quiz show setup is nicely paced. There are five rounds that involve multiple choice questions, photo identification, photo completion, etc.

Each begins with the players selecting a category from four options. All players tap their device in an attempt to push the cursor towards one particular category or towards the category reset button. Depending upon how far apart everyone is with their choice, this can actually take a bit of time. It’s a fun way to generate some competitiveness before the questions even start, but it can also be frustrating if your preferred category is never picked. The categories themselves are quite diverse, and some are marked as “junior” categories. This makes it easy for family members to help the younger kids out if they’re behind.

No matter the category or round, the questions are always multiple choice, and everyone gets to answer. The faster you provide the correct answer, the more points you get. Allowing everyone to be part of the game makes it more fun for all involved. The final round is set up so your avatar slides down a hole until you select your answer. If you’re right, you move back up a bit. If you’re wrong, you fall further. The higher your score leading into this round, the higher you start. It’s a great way to make sure everyone still has a chance at the end while also ensuring in the lead still have the competitive advantage.

That’s really all there is to Papa’s Quiz, but it’s enough. Oh, wait, there’s the dancing. After winning a round, you get to select a victory dance. You can skip it if you want, but what’s the fun in that? And don’t be surprised if the players in your real living room get up to imitate the moves.

With over 3,000 questions in 185 categories, there’s more than enough in Papa’s Quiz to keep you entertained for a while. It’s not the most engrossing trivia game you’ll play on the Switch, but it does a great job of levelling the playing field for all players. It also has a very friendly, good-hearted vibe to it, which is refreshing amongst the snarky attitude that otherwise permeates the genre these days.

I also credit the developers for referencing Megaguirus in one of its questions. That’s a pretty deep cut for Godzilla fans like myself.