One of SPOnG’s favourite Xmas pastimes was getting our elderly relatives in front of the telly and showing them Buzz! The Music Quiz. So we were happy to hear that Sony is planning the next in the Buzz! Series, scheduled for release this Easter, the cunningly titled, Buzz! The BIG Quiz.
Buzz! The Music Quiz is a game that is unashamedly mainstream, in that pretty much anybody can pick it up and play it. Apart from that is, the under-10’s in SPOnG’s Christmas household, who, after the Christmas turkey had been demolished, just sat there and looked a bit bemused at granny getting all over-excited because she’s had one too many Snowballs.
To denominate the fact that the quiz is big, it is BIG in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS. SPOnG first misread this as Buzz! The BIC Quiz, which lead us onto all sorts of strange ponderings on the fairly limited possibilities for a quiz about shaving bits and pieces [Ed: or cheap pens that have been chewed to much, they're next to useless].
But no, this is more than a quiz about disposable razors [or pens], and, as you could probably guess, it’s also more than a quiz just about music. Questions in Buzz! The BIG Quiz could be on anything, with picture, audio and video clips covering subjects from film and sport through to music and the slightly annoying, zany presenter Buzz's own brand of crazy general knowledge.
Buzz! The BIG Quiz extends the format of the last version and adds in a little bit more cut-throat competitiveness, giving contestants more chances to steal points from each another in new rounds like 'Hitman'. Lots of the popular rounds also return, such as the pretty hectic 'Pass the Bomb' round. Why change a winning format?
Buzz's new studio also has room for up to eight players, so contestants from Buzz! The Music Quiz can enjoy the ultimate quiz show experience!
The major selling point of what is now the Buzz! Quiz series, in SPOnG’s opinion, are the innovative controllers. A monkey, even a stupid monkey, could quite easily be trained to use the big red buzzers.
Buzz, the game’s presenter, according to the Sony press release issued yesterday, has the following to say about the game: "After the success of my groundbreaking new format show Buzz! The Music Quiz, I knew that SCEE would soon be back knocking at my door. I have of course had other offers but am delighted to stay with my friends at SCEE... of course this is about more than money, it's about giving full flow to my creative genius!"
He, of course, didn’t say any of this, as he is a made up character in a game designer's head. The above quote was written by a kooky PR person at Sony who is, somewhat misdirectedly attempting to build up the character into something of an icon. They also went on to tell us a load of stuff about Buzz’s assistant, Rose, ‘"the ultimate gameshow babe!" It’s not important, so we’ll not repeat it.
Here at SPOnG we think this is possibly not the best marketing strategy. Just push the fact that the game has got massive red buzzers that any idiot can use, even your batty old gran when she’s high on advocaat and lemonade. Then it will fly off the shelves even faster this Easter.
Guesses on what Sony will call the inevitable third iteration of the Buzz! Quiz series this coming Xmas in the forums below please.