Multiplayer quiz show experience
Are You Smarter Than the Crowd? is a paid puzzle game from TipsyDuck. This multiplayer experience is modeled after television quiz shows, complete with the entire production set you can explore. You can choose to play against the audience as the game show contestant or as a part of the mob.
With limited IQ tests available and a range of game-crashing bugs, even the set design and the humor can’t save Are You Smarter Than the Crowd? as it is. For solo players, try Millionaire Trivia: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire instead or Pico Park for multiplayer puzzle solving.
Underutilized game show premise
The first thing to note about Are You Smarter Than the Crowd? is its customization option. Every player has a simplified avatar that looks like Pou with appendages, which you can modify to suit your tastes. It even shows promise in terms of inclusivity, as you can play as a wheelchaired character. Then, you get to meet the host of the show, as you are ushered, game show-style.
As soon as you start the game, you are treated to a visual tour of the set where the game show will be played—it’s massive, detailed, and lifelike. Before every game starts, however, you have to go through the same intro skit from the show host. Then, the game starts, but with limited content. The three puzzles are challenging enough, although it’s made more bearable when played with friends.
One point worth mentioning is that most of the lines spoken by the host carry the signature Tipsy Duck humor. Also, after the game, it records your IQ score and is added to your country’s data accessible from the main menu. Unfortunately, the game is so riddled with bugs that it takes the joy away from an otherwise promising game show, from crashing randomly to the controls not responding.
A promising concept
There have been countless video games based on game shows, but few have decided to adopt the whole television set experience like Are You Smarter Than the Crowd? Unfortunately, the game ultimately fails to follow through with its concept. Lacking in content, variety, and polishing, it’s not worth the price. However, should TipsyDuck work on fixing the bugs, things can change.
