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SpotScore 9.2 Gameplay: 10 Graphics: 6 Sound:
9 Value:
9 Reviewer's
Tilt: 10 Difficulty: Easy Learning Curve:
0
hrs
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From Berkeley Systems, the people that brought you flying toaster
screen-savers, comes one of the most approachable games ever. Although
this game was released in 1995, it's still my favorite and most-often
played disc. What is most immediately noticeable about 'Jack is its
frenetic pacing. Much faster and far wittier than television game shows,
this game's charm is its simplicity. Instead of concentrating on grinding
out the prettiest pixels or the smoothest scrolling, the creators of 'Jack
focused on the fundamental building block of good writing. And it paid
off, in a BIG way.
While it's akin to TV quiz shows like the
ever-popular Jeopardy, YDKJ's clever twist on that genre is its unholy
marriage between the likes of Shakespeare and the Sweathogs, Goethe and
Gidget, Newton's laws and Fig Newtons. Questions test both classical
book-smarts and pop-culture awareness, forcing you to combine these
opposing forces and choose a correct answer.
Most startling and
rewarding about YDKJ is the sense of realism it creates through its
sardonic host, who is never seen but always heard. Two parts Dennis Miller
and one part Dennis the Menace, this guy has a line for every situation,
and he almost never repeats himself. For instance, if you enter your
contestant name as "John," he'll sarcastically reply, "Your parents sure
were creative." Little surprises like this, and I won't spoil any more of
them, along with a huge stockpile of questions gives this game plenty of
longevity. Only after playing it over a hundred times did I notice any
repetition--but fear not, Jack-o-philes, an expansion pack of 400 add-on
questions is now available.
By Jeffrey Adam Young
Posted 05/01/96
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