Aug. 25, 2026

Episode 5: Video and Arcade Games for the Ages

Show Notes
Transcript

EPISODE 5: Video and Arcade Games for the Ages

INTRODUCTION: Ted: Welcome back to Trivia for the Ages, a multigenerational trivia game designed to utilize the knowledge of everyone in your group, no matter their age. I’m Ted, your Gen Z co-host.

Mom: And I’m Jami, Ted’s Boomer Mom.

GAME INFORMATION: Ted: So here’s how it works: we choose a topic and ask questions that span the past seven or eight decades. My mom will ask 4 questions covering the 1950s through the 1980s. My 4 questions will cover the 1990s through present day.

Mom: There will also be 2 “Anytime, anywhere” questions and they can be asked by either of us. They can range from the distant past all the way into the near future.

Ted: After a short break, we will present the answers. After each answer we will offer a bonus question and give you 8 seconds to answer it, for a grand total of 20 questions.

WEBSITE/NEWS: For more fun facts and information about our podcast, please visit our website at triviafortheages.com. So let’s get started! Today’s topic is for my fellow gamers out there: Video and Arcade Games for the Ages.

QUESTION 1:Ted: Not counting the many variations of Tetris, what is the best selling video game of all time?

QUESTION 2: Mom: There were many ways to die in this classic video game, with dysentery being one of the most common. What is the name of this game?

QUESTION 3: Ted: In 2006, a pack-in game was sold alongside the original Wii Console in most countries. What is the title of this game?

QUESTION 4: Mom: Back in the 1980s when video game arcades were popular, how did you quietly let someone know that whenever they lost, you wanted to play next?

QUESTION 5:Ted: Indicating ‘general hardware failure’ what is the name of the infamous Xbox 360 hardware defect that rendered the console useless?

QUESTION 6: Mom: This classic arcade game was banned in a number of US cities from the 1940s to the 1970s because it was considered a form of gambling. What was this game?

QUESTION 7: Ted: Revered by the PC gaming community, who is the current president of Valve Corporation?

QUESTION 8: Mom: This is an Anytime, Anywhere question. Skee-Ball was invented in 1908. It was inspired by 2 sports, skiing being one of them. What was the other sport that inspired this game?

QUESTION 9: Ted: This is our second Anytime, Anywhere question. Releasing in 2026, GTA 6 is to be set in a fictionalized version of what southern U.S. State?

QUESTION 10: Mom: This 1983 arcade game used beautiful hand drawn animation rather than pixel graphics. In order to win, Dirk the Daring must slay a mythical beast in order to save princess Daphne. What's the name of this game?

Ted: We’ll be right back with the answers!

(Music)

Ted: We have a blog that goes along with our podcast. If you’d like to see questions that didn’t make it into the episode and other fun facts as well as some awesome family pictures, please visit our website at triviafortheages.com.

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Ted: And we’re back! Remember, after each answer you will have 8 seconds to answer a bonus question. Good luck!

QUESTION 1: Ted: Not counting the many variations of tetris, what is the best selling video game of all time?

ANSWER: The answer is Minecraft with 350 million copies sold.

BONUS QUESTION: For your bonus question: Portrayed by Jack Black in the Minecraft Movie, what is the name of the default player controlled character in Minecraft?

ANSWER: That character's name is Steve.

QUESTION 2: Mom: There were many ways to die in this classic video game, with dysentery being one of the most common. What is the name of this game?

ANSWER: This was The Oregon Trail.

BONUS QUESTION: For your bonus point: In the first version of the game, when you went out hunting, you had to type out one of two words to shoot at an animal. Name one of these words.

ANSWER: These two words were “bang” or “pow,” and in true educational form you had to spell them correctly or it wouldn’t work.

QUESTION 3: Ted: In 2006, a pack-in game was sold alongside the original Wii Console in most countries. What is the title of this game?

ANSWER: The answer is Wii Sports.

BONUS QUESTION: For your bonus question, though it was rejected, a 24k gold plated Wii was commissioned as a gift for what famous person?

ANSWER: That was Queen Elizabeth II.

QUESTION 4: Mom: Back in the 1980s when video game arcades were popular, how did you quietly let someone know that whenever they lost, you wanted to play next?

ANSWER: The answer is: you placed your coin somewhere on the machine. If it was a particularly popular game, you might see a whole line of quarters waiting for their turn.

BONUS QUESTION: Many years before then, in the early 1900s, how much did it cost to play an arcade game?

ANSWER: The answer is one penny, which is why they were known as “Penny Arcades.”

QUESTION 5: Ted: Indicating ‘general hardware failure’ what is the name of the infamous Xbox 360 hardware defect that rendered the console useless?

ANSWER: That answer is the Red Ring of Death or Red Circle of Death.

BONUS QUESTION: The Red Ring of Death was named in reference to a Windows PC crash that turned the display a certain color. What was the nickname given to this error?

ANSWER: That answer is the Blue Screen of Death. Blue Screen is also acceptable.

QUESTION 6: Mom: This classic arcade game was banned in a number of US cities from the 1940s to the 1970s because it was considered a form of gambling. What was this game?

ANSWER: This was pinball. The ban was lifted in New York City in 1976 when a player was able to demonstrate in a courtroom that it was a game of skill, not just luck.

BONUS QUESTION: Your bonus question is this: What movie in 1969 featured a character known as The Pinball Wizard?

ANSWER: The movie was Tommy and The pinball wizard was played by Elton John.

QUESTION 7: Ted: Revered by the PC gaming community, who is the current president of Valve Corporation?

ANSWER: That would be Gabe Newell, often referred to as Lord Gaben.

BONUS QUESTION: For your bonus point: What was the first game released by Valve back in 1998?

ANSWER: Still hopelessly waiting on the 3rd game in the series; the answer is: Half Life.

QUESTION 8: Mom: Skee-Ball was invented in 1908. It was inspired by 2 sports, skiing being one of them. What was the other sport that inspired this game?

ANSWER: Bowling is the other sport.

BONUS QUESTION: And speaking of inspiration for arcade games, in 1988 the movie “Big” used an arcade game that was inspired by a 1965 fortune-telling machine. For the bonus point, name either the original machine or the variation used in the movie.

ANSWER: The original 1965 game was called “Zoltan,” while the version created for the movie was “Zoltar.” Either answer is acceptable.

QUESTION 9: Ted: Releasing in 2026, GTA 6 is to be set in a fictionalized version of what southern U.S. State?

ANSWER: GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida, a satirical take on the state of Florida. Florida was the answer you were looking for.

BONUS QUESTION: And for a bonus question: Serving as the subtitle of a previous GTA game, what fictional city will you be able to explore in the upcoming game?

ANSWER: That would be Vice City.

ANSWER: Dragon’s Lair

BONUS QUESTION: Also in 1983, the video game industry experienced a crash that caused many retailers to refuse to stock games. The end of the crash is often attributed to this console which was released in 1985.

ANSWER: This console was the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES for short.

CONCLUSION: Thank you so much for playing today! Please join us again on Trivia for the Ages.