Answer: Jeopardy
According to its developer, with the $1.99 “new Jeopardy! Platinum game for iPhone and iPod Touch, you will feel like a real Jeopardy! contestant on America’s Favorite Quiz Show®. Test your knowledge in single player or compete in a variety of online and local multiplayer modes. Use the touchscreen to write your name on the podium, pick categories and customize your own personal avatar. Hear announcer Johnny Gilbert’s voice as you take the stage and test your knowledge on topics ranging from popular culture to world history.”
Start by choosing your player (you can either pick a random contestant or customize your player by picking hair color, clothes, and accessories). And if you’re yearning for more options, you can choose from one of five “Avatar Packs” for an additional 99 cents.
You can choose Single Player or Multiplayer, and decide between Easy, Medium, Hard or Solo. Because the game is multiple choice, it’s infinitely easier than the show. For example, earlier today, I won the “Field of Interest” Achievement for correctly answering all five clues from the Physics category, which is laughable, given my lack of scientific prowess. This “achievement” boiled down to some great guesswork.
A frantic, pointing finger lets you know when to choose the next clue. My favorite User Comment about this rather annoying feature was the following: “Little hands tapping to show one where to touch the screen are REALLY annoying and unnecessary. We're playing Jeopardy, we're not stupid.”
The game has more than 2,700 clues, but extra game packs, each with approximately 700 more clues, are available for an additional 99 cents per pack.
The “Career” section offers a leaderboard with the current day’s winnings, the week’s winning, and all-time winnings. Achievements showcases which of the 19 achievements a player has accomplished (e.g., won Final Jeopardy, won a million dollars). The Player screen shows total earnings, single player record, best single player game, and best solo game.
The next feature might make it or break it, depending on your thoughts about Alex Trebek. I find him somewhat endearing, although a certain relative of mine finds his smug, know-it-all attitude rather grating, given that he’s reading the answers off a piece of paper. Because while you may hear Johnny Gilbert, Alex Trebek is nowhere to be found. You have to read those clues yourself, and no one asks you for a funny little life story after the commercial break.
But all in all, the game is fun. Nowhere near as challenging as the real deal, but maybe better on the ego.
