Sources and checks

Every question is researched from at least two independent sources, such as a studio’s or publisher’s own page, a store page carrying the publisher’s description, museum and archive records, and reviews from the time. Questions say which version they mean (“the original PC release”) where later remakes or ports differ. Before a question is published, a server fetches each source page again and checks that the quoted fact is really there. A question ships only when at least one source is confirmed this way, and the game credits only the confirmed sources; some sites block automatic checks, so a few questions show one source although they were researched from two.

Questions are written for Game Club; explanations are our own wording. Corrections are welcome at support@twindle.nl.

PC classics, 1990–2005

50 questions. The answers aren’t listed here, so the pack stays fun to play.

Which studio developed the original PC version of The Sims? Electronic Arts / Maxis, Computer History Museum
Which utility does the underground pipe network carry in SimCity 2000? Maxis manual (HTML transcription hosted by Abandonware DOS), Ars Technica
Who created the original PC RollerCoaster Tycoon? Chris Sawyer Software Development, MCV/DEVELOP
Which British studio developed the original PC Theme Hospital? GOG, PC Gamer
Which company published the original 2001 PC Zoo Tycoon? Microsoft, Quarter To Three
Which 1994 Bullfrog PC game asks you to build and run an amusement park? GOG, WIRED
Which Chris Sawyer game first released for DOS PCs in 1994 lets you build a business using rail, road, air and sea transport? Chris Sawyer Software Development, Game Developer
Which real amusement-park company officially licensed parks for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2? GOG, GameRevolution
Which SimCity 4 expansion focuses on traffic and adds the U-Drive-It vehicle missions? Electronic Arts (Steam store page), The Gamers’ Temple
In which year was The Sims 2 first released for Windows PCs? Electronic Arts / Maxis, Common Sense Media
Which studio developed the original DOS game The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici? GOG, Tom’s Hardware
Which 1997 Bullfrog PC game has you build underground rooms to house and feed fantasy creatures? GOG, GamesRadar+
Which company published the original 1994 DOS version of Transport Tycoon in the US and Europe? Chris Sawyer Software Development, RGB Classic Games
Which PC SimCity sequel lets you create several connected cities within a region, rather than manage just one city map? Electronic Arts (Steam store page), Game Industry News
Which RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 expansion adds Prehistoric, Mythological and Future themes? WorthPlaying (Atari launch announcement), Gameswelt
What are SimCity 2000’s huge buildings that combine residential, commercial and industrial space called? Maxis manual (HTML transcription hosted by Abandonware DOS), Ars Technica
Which expansion for the original PC The Sims introduced the Downtown area of shops and restaurants? GameRevolution, GameVortex
Which original medieval RTS includes campaigns featuring William Wallace, Joan of Arc and Genghis Khan? Microsoft, GameRevolution
Which original RTS features the Terrans, Zerg and Protoss? Blizzard Entertainment, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which RTS has Humans, Orcs, Night Elves and Undead as its four playable races? Blizzard Entertainment, GamesFirst!
Which faction opposes the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) in the original Command & Conquer? Electronic Arts (Steam product page), GameRevolution
Which two sides are playable in the original Command & Conquer: Red Alert? Electronic Arts (Steam product page), GameRevolution
Which 1999 turn-based strategy game was originally subtitled The Restoration of Erathia? Ubisoft (Steam product page), GamesFirst!
Which company developed Sid Meier’s original Civilization? Centre for Computing History, Game Developer
In which year was the original Civilization II first released for Windows PCs? Centre for Computing History, The Scientific Gamer
Which Firaxis strategy game begins with seven rival ideological factions colonizing an alien world? Electronic Arts, Macworld
Which original RTS progresses through the Stone, Tool, Bronze and Iron Ages? Microsoft / World’s Edge, GameRevolution
Which original RTS lets players choose Greek, Egyptian or Norse mythologies and call on god powers? Microsoft, GamesFirst!
Which studio developed the original Stronghold? Firefly Studios, GamesFirst!
Which studio developed the original Homeworld? Gearbox Software (Steam product page), GameRevolution
The 1994 PC game UFO: Enemy Unknown was released in the United States under which title? Centre for Computing History, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Which studio developed Total Annihilation? Wargaming.net (Steam product page), GamesFirst!
Beyond the Dark Portal is an expansion for which Warcraft game? Blizzard Entertainment, GameRevolution
Who is the aspiring pirate you play in the original The Secret of Monkey Island? Lucasfilm Games / LucasArts (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Classic Gaming
How many playable friends share the adventure in the original Day of the Tentacle? Double Fine Productions (publisher text on Steam), PC Gamer — Andy Kelly
In the original Sam & Max Hit the Road, what kind of animal is Sam? Lucasfilm Games / LucasArts (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Classic Gaming
Which studio created the original Myst adventure? Cyan Worlds (publisher metadata on Steam), Centre for Computing History
Which PC puzzle game has you guide crowds of green-haired walkers by assigning them skills? DOS Games Archive, Centre for Computing History
In Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo, who needs help getting Cartown Zoo ready to open? Humongous Entertainment / Nightdive Studios (publisher text on Steam), Common Sense Media
Who accompanies Freddi Fish in The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds? Humongous Entertainment / Nightdive Studios (publisher text on Steam)
Which character is the travel agent at the centre of the original Grim Fandango? Double Fine Productions (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Gamers
In which year was the original PC version of Riven released? Cyan Worlds (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Classic Gaming
Which American protagonist appears alongside journalist Nico Collard in the original Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars? Revolution Software (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Gamers
Which studio developed the original 1993 Simon the Sorcerer? MojoTouch / Adventure Soft (legacy developer metadata on Steam), Adventure Gamers
What is the main way to solve puzzles in the original PC game The Incredible Machine? MobyGames description, syndicated by DOS Games Archive, COMPUTE! magazine (archived by AtariMagazines.com)
What material was modelled for the stop-motion visuals of the 1996 PC adventure The Neverhood? WIRED, Adventure Gamers
In the first Pajama Sam adventure, which fear is Sam trying to overcome? Humongous Entertainment / Nightdive Studios (publisher text on Steam), PC Gamer
What is Kate Walker’s profession at the start of the original Syberia? Microids (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Gamers
Which guild in Loom learned to weave life itself? Lucasfilm Games / LucasArts (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Gamers
What is the full name of the character you play in the original Beneath a Steel Sky? Revolution Software (publisher text on Steam), Adventure Gamers

Console classics, 1985–2005

49 questions. The answers aren’t listed here, so the pack stays fun to play.

What is Mario’s profession in Super Mario Bros.? The Strong National Museum of Play
Who is the playable hero of the original The Legend of Zelda? The Strong National Museum of Play
What kind of animal is Sonic in the original 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog? SEGA, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which first-partner Pokémon in the original Red and Blue versions is Fire-type? Nintendo, Pokémon Database
In the NES game Kirby’s Adventure, what can Kirby gain by swallowing an enemy? Nintendo
Which studio developed the original Donkey Kong Country for Super NES? Nintendo
In which year did Nintendo launch the original Game Boy in Japan? Nintendo, Centre for Computing History
In the classic 1989 Game Boy version of Tetris, how many squares make up each standard falling piece? The Tetris Company, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which company published the original NES Mega Man? Nintendo / Capcom
What is the main activity in the original Super NES Harvest Moon? Nintendo / Marvelous
What kind of animal is Banjo in the original Banjo-Kazooie? Nintendo UK, GamesRadar+ / Future — Chris Sutherland interview
Which studio developed the original PlayStation Crash Bandicoot? Naughty Dog / Sony — Evan Wells
What job does the player perform in the Dreamcast version of Crazy Taxi? SEGA-Club / Dreamcast Powerbase — authored review, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — original-port review
How does the Prince collect objects in the original Katamari Damacy? Bandai Namco Entertainment, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — Ben Silverman
Who is the young Keyblade-wielding hero of the first Kingdom Hearts? Square Enix, Guinness World Records
What kind of game is the original PaRappa the Rapper? Sony Interactive Entertainment — Nick Accordino
Which Ubisoft platform hero debuted in 1995 with floating hands and feet but no arms or legs? Fnac L’Éclaireur — Nicolas L, GamesRadar+ / Future — developer interview
What colour is the dragon Spyro in his original PlayStation adventures? Game Informer — Andrew Reiner, City A.M.
Which winter sport features in the original 2000 SSX? GameRevolution / Evolve Media — original review, GamesFirst! — Jason Frank
Which sport is at the centre of the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater? PSX Extreme — archive review, PCGamesN — Will Freeman
Who is the bounty hunter controlled by the player in the original Metroid? Nintendo
Which companion can Mario ride in the original Super Mario World? Nintendo
What nickname does Sonic’s fox companion use in the original 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog 2? SEGA
Which time-based feature affects when Pokémon appear in the original Gold and Silver? Nintendo
Which named Super NES graphics effect helps F-Zero rotate and scale its race track? Nintendo
What kind of travel carries the heroes between different eras in the original Chrono Trigger? Square Enix / Steam, RPGFan
What other name was used for Sega’s Genesis console? Centre for Computing History, Ars Technica
On which console did the original Super Smash Bros. debut? Nintendo
Which console was the original home of Super Mario Kart? Nintendo
Which studio developed the NES/Famicom version of Bomberman? Nintendo / Hudson Soft
Which console first received Animal Crossing in Japan, as Dōbutsu no Mori in 2001? Nintendo — Iwata Asks, originaldevelopers
Which Sony controller did the original PlayStation release of Ape Escape require? Sony Interactive Entertainment — PlayStation history, GamesRadar+ / Future — Lewis Packwood, developer interview
Which mercenary is the central hero of the original Final Fantasy VII? Square Enix — original-game story and characters, WIRED / Condé Nast — November1997 review
In which year did the original Gran Turismo first go on sale in Japan? Polyphony Digital / Sony — Japanese product history
Which console first received the original Paper Mario? Nintendo UK
What is the psychic summer camp called in the original Psychonauts? Common Sense Media
What fictional species is Ratchet in the original Ratchet & Clank? Insomniac Games / Sony — anniversary retrospective
Which princess helps the Prince in the 2003 console adventure The Sands of Time? Ubisoft — Mikel Reparaz, developer retrospective, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — Nebojsa Radakovic
What kind of animal is Sly in Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus? Sony Computer Entertainment — May2002 announcement, PlayStation LifeStyle / Evolve Media — Tyler Treese
Which Tekken 3 mode turns the fighting into a side-scrolling beat-’em-up? Gameindustry.com — Todd Hargosh,1998review
What is Ness’s hometown in the original English-language SNES EarthBound? RPGFan
What are the collectible elemental spirits in the original Golden Sun called? Nintendo, RPGFan
Which studio developed the original Mega Drive/Genesis Gunstar Heroes? Shmuplations / BEEP! Mega Drive
Which hand game is used during boss encounters in the original Alex Kidd in Miracle World? SEGA
Who is Ico’s companion in the original Ico? Sony Computer Entertainment — PlayStation Store update, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — October2001review
In which year did the original PSP first go on sale in Japan? Sony Computer Entertainment — October2004pressrelease, The Register — Tony Smith
What is the name of the horse in the original Shadow of the Colossus? Sony Interactive Entertainment — ParisGamesWeekhands-on, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — Ben Silverman,2005review
Which Japanese city is the setting of the original Dreamcast Shenmue? Yokosuka Action Promotion Committee — officialtourismpage, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — November2000review
Who is the agent at the centre of the original Vagrant Story? Square Enix — original-gamecharactermerchandise history, GameRevolution / Evolve Media — May2000review

Gaming firsts and milestones, 1889–2020

49 questions. The answers aren’t listed here, so the pack stays fun to play.

Which Zelda game first brought the series into 3D on Nintendo 64 in 1998? The Strong National Museum of Play
In what year did the original Sonic the Hedgehog debut on Sega’s Genesis/Mega Drive? Sega — Sonic Channel historical timeline, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which pair launched the Pokémon video-game series in Japan for Game Boy in 1996? The Pokémon Company International, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which sport completes the original 2006 Wii Sports set: tennis, baseball, golf, boxing and…? Nintendo — Wii Sports product page, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which new sales milestone did Microsoft announce for Minecraft in May 2020? Microsoft Xbox Wire — Helen Chiang, PC Gamer — Fraser Brown
Which game belonged to the inaugural 2015 World Video Game Hall of Fame class? The Strong National Museum of Play, Guinness World Records
Who created the original computer version of Tetris in 1984? The Tetris Company, The Strong National Museum of Play
On which console did the original Crash Bandicoot debut in 1996? PlayStation Blog — Evan Wells, Naughty Dog
In which year was the original Pac-Man arcade game released in Japan? Bandai Namco — PAC-MAN history, The Strong National Museum of Play
What kind of playing cards did Nintendo’s founder begin making in Kyoto in 1889? Nintendo, Raspberry Pi / Wireframe
Which game company did Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney found in 1972? Computer History Museum, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which game company did Gabe Newell co-found in 1996? Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Tom’s Hardware
What was Blizzard Entertainment’s original company name when it began in 1991? Blizzard Entertainment, Centre for Computing History
Which Sega console was announced in 1998 with an onboard modem for internet access? Microsoft, Guinness World Records
Which Sony console launched in 2000 and could play DVD movies as well as games? Sony Interactive Entertainment / PlayStation, Computer History Museum
Which Nintendo handheld first released in 2004 had two screens, with touch controls on the lower screen? Nintendo, TechRadar
Which Nintendo home console launched in 2006 with the motion-sensing Wii Remote? Nintendo, Computer History Museum
What was Microsoft’s Xbox 360 motion-sensing device unveiled in 2010 called? Microsoft, ABC News
Which Microsoft controller introduced in 2018 acts as a hub for external accessibility switches and joysticks? Microsoft / Xbox Wire, SpecialEffect / GameAccess
In what year did Halo: Combat Evolved launch alongside the original Xbox in North America? Microsoft Xbox Wire — Major Nelson, The Strong National Museum of Play
Which 1998 PlayStation game was the first fully 3D entry in the Metal Gear series? Konami — Metal Gear Solid archive, PC Gamer — David Hayter interview report
Which space game by David Braben and Ian Bell first appeared on the BBC Micro in 1984? Mark Moxon — Elite on the 6502, Edge Retro — preserved by Acorn Electron World
What was the first expansion pack for the original The Sims, using its North American title? SimsNetwork — Simpedia
Which Warcraft title first launched in North America in 2004 as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game? The Strong National Museum of Play, WorthPlaying — Reldan
Which 2011 Valve sequel introduced a separate two-player cooperative campaign to the Portal series? Valve — Steam product description, Shacknews — Jeff Mattas
In which year did the first Pikmin game launch in Japan for Nintendo GameCube? Nintendo — original Japanese GameCube product page
In which year did the original Sid Meier’s Civilization go on sale? Game Developer — history of Civilization
How many fighters could players select in the original 1991 arcade Street Fighter II: The World Warrior? Capcom News — Andy Wong, The Strong National Museum of Play
Counting unlockable fighters, how many playable characters are in the original 1999 Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 64? The Video Game Critic
Which studio did brothers Tim and Chris Stamper form in 1985 after creating Ultimate Play the Game? Rare / Xbox Wire, MCV/DEVELOP
What name did Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin use before their studio became Naughty Dog? Naughty Dog, Game Informer
Which studio was officially formed in 1995 by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip? Greg Zeschuk official website, PC Gamer / Retro Gamer
Which studio behind Halo traces its beginnings to Chicago in 1991? Bungie, WIRED
John Romero was one of the 1991 founders of which game studio? Bethesda / id Software, Commander Keen 3-14 — original John Romero interview
Which studio behind Spyro the Dragon was founded by Ted Price? Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Ted Price / PlayStation Blog
What did VCS stand for in the original name of the Atari 2600, released in 1977? Computer History Museum, IEEE Spectrum
Which Nintendo handheld series began in 1980 and combined an LCD game with a digital clock? Centre for Computing History
Which gaming-accessibility charity did Mark Barlet found in 2004? AbleGamers, GamesBeat
Which mouth-operated game controller had its first production run funded through a 2014 Kickstarter campaign? QuadStick / Fred Davison, New Atlas, QuadStick
Which GameCube game was the first fully 3D entry in the Metroid series? Nintendo — original GameCube product page, Game Informer — ranking of Metroid games
Which game, released in 2001, began as an early development concept for Resident Evil 4? PlatinumGames — official Kamiya interview guide, PCGamesN — Ed Smith
Which game was the first numbered mainline Resident Evil entry built around a first-person viewpoint? Capcom — February 2017 release statement, International Business Times UK
Which Assassin’s Creed game received the Ancient Egypt Discovery Tour mode in February 2018? Ubisoft News — Mikel Reparaz, PC Gamer — Joe Donnelly
In which year did Derek Yu release the original Spelunky as freeware, before the Xbox Live Arcade version? Mossmouth — official Spelunky development team page, Game Informer — Jeff Marchiafava
Which 1972 home game console used plastic TV-screen overlays to give its simple graphics colorful backgrounds? Computer History Museum, Centre for Computing History
Which 1976 console, developed by Jerry Lawson’s team, let players swap games using removable cartridges? The Strong National Museum of Play, Smithsonian Magazine
Which Commodore computer was presented with Andy Warhol and Debbie Harry at a 1985 Lincoln Center event? The Andy Warhol Museum, Computer History Museum
Which 2019 accessory kit supplied 12 buttons and triggers for use with the Xbox Adaptive Controller? SpecialEffect / GameAccess, Tecla
What was SpecialEffect’s free 2018 interface for playing Minecraft with eye-tracking controls called? SpecialEffect / GameAccess, Microsoft UK

Font and artwork

Bricolage Grotesque, © The Bricolage Grotesque Project Authors, under the SIL Open Font License 1.1, served from this site. The mark, the monitor, the floppy disk, the cartridge, the joystick, the gamepad, the trophy and every other picture are original, drawn in code for Game Club. There is no box art, no logo, no screenshot and no character from any game.