FingerGaming

Rating:

• Price: $4.99 (Get It)
• Version: 1.0
• Official Site: Electronic Arts

I can think of plenty of board games I’d like to see ported to the iPhone, but I’m not sure that Trivial Pursuit would be my first request. However, that same unassuming nature of Trivial Pursuit—you know, the age old board game where you wander around a circle, snagging pieces of pie and taunting your friends—ultimately makes it a fantastic iPhone port, featuring a wealth of modes, a serious challenge, and some fantastic visual flair.

Trivial Pursuit offers several modes: individual games against AI, a challenge mode where you have to work through changing maps within a fixed number of moves, wi-fi multiplayer, and a local “pass and play” mode.

These modes recreate the spirit of Trivial Pursuit quite well, winding players through the traditional board while offering some difficult (and impressively contemporary) questions.

While the multiplayer modes more or less speak for themselves, the single-player “Pursuit Mode” is worth mentioning. Here, the player has to move through increasingly difficult and more complex maps within a fixed number of moves. Correct and quick answers propel the player forward, while incorrect and slow answers only advance the player one square.

And I mention Pursuit Mode because it’s the best part of this port, a board game turned into something of a quick puzzle. Pursuit Mode is a quick play, but its many levels are deep and seriously challenging. It also gives some variety and extra value to what could otherwise be a by-the-numbers board game re-creation.

In addition, Trivial Pursuit features the graphics and fluid interface you’d expect from a large developer like EA, and the game looks professional—rivaling some of the best work I’ve seen on the iPhone.

My only complaint is that the game sometimes offers questions in incorrect or mislabeled categories. And while selecting a sports category and receiving a question about Lost isn’t particularly the end of the world, it can be frustrating in high-pressure moments—like when you’re asked about a mislabeled category that’s less than a strong suit… in a tense, game-winning moment.

But I digress. These are minor complaints with a title that’s otherwise robust, well-presented, and easy to interact with. There are a lot of ways to cut corners on a board game-based title, but EA have instead presented an iPhone app that’s as deep as it is challenging. Fans of trivia would be wise to pick up this title.

Tags: board games, electronic arts, trivial pursuit