Mind the Buzz is fun trivia game with emphasis on education
Mind the Buzz is a fun and educational trivia game for iOS boasting over 12,000 questions in a number of categories. Two modes allow for either playing solo to beat your own scores and gain knowledge or in a group with other friends to challenge each other. The higher your score, the more likely you are to earn badges and rank up on leaderboards. The game requires iOS 7.0 or above and sells for US$0.99, though there is a "lite" version limited to just three categories.
The game has an online mode and offline mode. If you're connected to the Internet, sign in to Facebook to import your name and compare scores with friends. Otherwise, just enter your name to begin playing. Choose solo mode and it's just you and the game.
The trivia topics include science, movies and television, geography, sports, technology, history, music, arts, nature and lifestyle. At the top are two extras: Total Buzz, essentially a mix of various random questions, and Mission: Impossible for those wishing to take on more difficult questions.
The game design and gameplay is undeniably similar to the very popular QuizUp, a free game to answer trivia questions on a variety of topics. The major difference is that in Mind the Buzz, you aren't playing against someone live over the Internet competing for points. Here, you have four lives. Answer as many questions correct as you possibly can, but once you get any four wrong the game ends. The quicker you answer a question, the more points you get.
One feature I love is the Wikipedia integration. If you're looking to get a more fulfilled education out of Mind the Buzz, a Wikipedia link appears at the top after each question corresponding to the correct answer. Tapping it opens a window with details about that answer according to its Wikipedia page. Play, then learn, then play, then learn. Excellent idea and well implemented.
Over in group mode we have a bit of a different story. Friends either play individually against other friends or together in teams. This isn't online, mind you, it's meant for people enjoying each other's physical presence. Mind the Buzz allows for up to nine players or nine teams, a pretty big number that should please users looking for a new party game. Additionally, players choose between passing the device after each question or playing a game in its entirety and then moving on to the next player to do the same.
Earn enough points in the game by answering questions correctly to unlock badges. There's a total of 39 available, most of which are specific to a category. Each badge has three different star levels, too.
Compared to QuizUp, Mind the Buzz lacks content. QuizUp has hundreds of topics and over 400,000 questions. Mind the Buzz's 12,000 just pales in comparison. Plus, QuizUp is free while Mind the Buzz costs $0.99. It's not any less enjoyable, but QuizUp simply offers more for less. The one area where Mind the Buzz comes out triumphant is in education thanks to its Wikipedia integration. If that's the type of game you're more interested in, consider Mind the Buzz over its competition.
