Software:Buzz!: The Music Quiz

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Short description: 2005 video game
Buzz!: The Music Quiz
Developer(s)Relentless Software
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer(s)Paul Woodbridge
Programmer(s)Paul Brooke
Artist(s)Greg Sue
SeriesBuzz!
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
Genre(s)Party, quiz, music
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Buzz!: The Music Quiz is a party music video game developed by Relentless Software and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is the first instalment of the Buzz! series and was released exclusively in Europe. In The Music Quiz, players answer questions asked by the host, Buzz, by using the four Buzz! buzzers.

Gameplay

Buzz!: The Music Quiz is a music quiz trivia game for up to four players. The game is set in a fictional TV studio, and hosted by the characters Buzz and his assistant Rose.[3] Each copy of the game comes with a total of four buzzer controllers, which are plugged into the USB slots on the Sony PlayStation 2 console. They feature a sizable red button on top and four colored buttons below, sorted in descending order.[4][5] Buzz can pick around 5000 questions from a 50-year period of pop music,[6] supported by 1000 music clips which represent parts of the original songs processed by a synthesizer,[3] and appear without any lyrics or vocal support.[6] The questions range from the name of the performer, title, or year of the release, to details about the artist.[7]

The players may choose the overall length of the game (15, 30, or 45 minutes)[8] and the type of questions being asked (older music, newer music, or both).[5] If there is a score tie by the end of the quiz, a tie-breaker round will start.[4] Besides the main game, there are other two modes: Quickfire Quiz and Quizmaster Quiz. Quickfire Quiz bypasses the rounds system, and instead, it will present questions where only the fastest responding player can answer by pressing the buzzer. Whoever manages to reach the target score first wins the game. In Quizmaster Quiz, one of the players becomes a quizmaster, who gets to choose the questions the others will have to answer. The buzzers will show the quizmaster who was the fastest, so he could distribute the points accordingly with a DualShock 2 controller.[6] Players are represented by their choice of 16 on-screen avatars who portray contestants on the game show, resembling musicians such as Elvis Presley, Geri Halliwell, Kylie Minogue, Billie Joe Armstrong, Liam Gallagher, and Barry White.[4][5] Once selected, the game starts with an intro sequence that is generated depending on the contestants, showing how they all arrive on the set in a black limousine while being cheered on by the crowd.[6]

Rounds

Once the game starts, Buzz leads the players through several rounds, each of which contains different objectives and rules. There are eight types of rounds:[4][5][9]

  • Point Builder – The goal is to select an answer before the time runs out, and everyone who answers correctly receives the points.
  • Snap – The players need to pick the right answer from options that randomly appear on the screen.
  • Fastest Finger – This requires the contestants to answer as quickly as possible, with the first correct answer receiving the most points.
  • Pass The Bomb – The player must answer a question correctly to pass the bomb away to another player. The one holding the bomb when it explodes loses a certain number of points.
  • Offloader – Each player can receive bonus points for guessing which of the other participants answered correctly on the current question.
  • Buzz Stop – Conceptually the same as Snap, but players have to press the buzz button when theirs are lit. Whoever presses the buzz button correctly gets the chance to answer the given question or pass it to another player.
  • Point Stealer – Players who make a correct answer will take points from a selected opponent.
  • Look Before You Leap – The questions and their answers are progressively revealed.

Development

After the success of EyeToy and SingStar, Sony intended to expand further into the social gaming market. A pop quiz game was a good fit with their plans, so they started collaborating with Sleepydog, who gathered the clips and designed the questions. Sony contacted Relentless Software and asked whether they'd be interested in making a title of that kind. About 30 developers worked on The Music Quiz, trying to create something that would be appealing without intimidating casual gamers. In order to reach their intended audience, Relentless sought the simplest possible interface for four players. They developed a design for a set of buzzers as a game controller, though they were concerned that it would be too expensive for the publisher. Sony provided the team with a prototype a few months later. The host, Buzz, wasn't inspired by anything in particular, but the intention was to make him more facetious and cheesy. Somethin' Else directed the game's audio.[10] Jason Donovan was chosen to portray Buzz through voice acting.[5]

Initially, the game was to feature a group of unconventional characters as contestants and hosts, such as a tooth, a clam, and a hot dog. Sony wanted Relentless to change these to make the game more accessible, prompting a design shift to music-celebrity stereotypes. Relentless envisioned around 30 different quiz games, which was pared to 8 by the end of development. The co-founder of Relentless believed that the buzzers included in the package influenced The Music Quiz's success, as they were simple and made the game stand out from competing titles.[11]

The game was announced on 18 May 2005 with a scheduled release date of October 2005 in Europe.[12] After that, it was showcased around the same time at E3 2005.[9][13]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
4Players85%[8]
Eurogamer8/10[4]
Jeuxvideo.com12/20[14]
Gry Online7.5/10[15]
Multiplayer.it7.9/10[7]
Meristation8/10[6]

Critical response

The Music Quiz was well received by critics. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer called it a "great new addition" to Sony's family-friendly genre and the "best quiz game ever released by a mile".[4] Randolph Ramsay of CNET noted that although it has certain flaws, it is a "fun game that will win fans of all ages and musical tastes".[5] Nacho Ortiz of MeriStation [es; es] called it "a different, innovative and fresh title".[6] Fabio Palmisano of Multiplayer.it [it; it] considered it "the best you could wish for from a trivia game".[7] Jeuxvideo.com thought that it managed to stand out in the genre of quiz games.[14] Paul Kautz of 4Players declared it a valid successor to You Don't Know Jack.[8]

The presentation, particularly the character designs and the display of the game show itself, received mostly positive reactions. Reed wrote that The Music Quiz replicated all game show clichés with an over the top and self-mocking tone. He added that the cheesiness bundled with an "irritating host" turned out well.[4] Ramsay called the characters "well defined and colorful", comparing Buzz with Guy Smiley.[5] Ortiz noted that the game contains retro influences with a lot of atmosphere and immersion.[6] Krzysztof Gonciarz of Gry Online found the characters relatively appealing, but nothing special in terms of design.[15] Kautz thought that while the characters were animated in a funny way, the game needed more enthusiasm in terms of acoustics and the host.[8]

The reviewers were disappointed with the quality of the music clips. John Hoogerwaard of Trouw called them "simple imitation",[3] and Reed felt that because none were sourced from their artists, they weren't initially recognizable.[4] Ramsey stated that the clips reminded him of low-quality muzak versions of songs.[5]

Reed found the buzzers comfortable and easy to use with just one hand, albeit insubstantial,[4] and Ramsay felt that their inclusion a "welcome novelty".[5]

Sales

The game debuted in the top 20 on the United Kingdom's video game chart and climbed into the top 10, before a steep decline caused it to leave the charts. Relentless was at that point working on Buzz! The Big Quiz and received a call from Sony saying that The Big Quiz could likely be the last in the series. However, The Music Quiz returned to the top 20 during the Christmas and New Year holiday period. According to Relentless creative director David Amor, the game's peak sales occurred in the week after Christmas.[11]

The game received platinum certification from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[16] indicating at least 300,000 copies sold in the United Kingdom.[17]

References

  1. ↑ van Leuveren, Luke (October 25, 2005). "Updated Australian Release List - 24/10/05". http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=3284&sid=babbf2b446e6d4e6955e8f985076fa07. 
  2. ↑ PlayStation Games & Media - Buzz: The Music Quiz
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hoogerwaard, John (10 November 2005). "Niet voor solitaire zombies". Trouw. https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/niet-voor-solitaire-zombies~b6e51454/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Reed, Kristan (17 October 2005). "Buzz: The Music Quiz: Your living room may never be the same again". Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_buzzquizz_ps2. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Ramsay, Radolph (21 October 2010). "Buzz: The Music Quiz review". CNET. https://www.cnet.com/reviews/buzz-the-music-quiz-review/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Ortiz, Nacho (14 April 2012). "Se acabó el 'pasapalabra'". https://as.com/meristation/2005/11/16/analisis/1132124460_016839.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Palmisano, Fabio (21 December 2005). "Cuffie in testa e mani sul pulsante: è ora di giocare a Buzz! The Music Quiz". https://multiplayer.it/recensioni/buzz-the-music-quiz.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Kautz, Paul (26 October 2005). "Test: Buzz! Das Musik-Quiz (Musik & Party)". 4Players. https://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PlayStation2/Test/7160/4017/0/Buzz_Das_Musik-Quiz.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Nix (19 May 2005). "E3 2005: Buzz: The Music Quiz First Look". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/05/19/e3-2005-buzz-the-music-quiz-first-look. 
  10. ↑ "Buzz Relentless Q and A". Thumb Bandits. 25 October 2008. http://www.thumbbandits.com/Buzz_Relentless_Q_and_A.asp. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Boyes, Emma (26 July 2007). "Buzz! dev: We need to make games for Miyamoto's wife". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/buzz-dev-we-need-to-make-games-for-miyamotos-wife/1100-6175680/. 
  12. ↑ "Fingers on your buzzers... 'Please welcome your host, the music maestro, the man with the questions, the one, the only Buzz!'". GamesIndustry.biz. 18 May 2005. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/fingers-on-your-buzzers-lsquoplease-welcome-your-host-the-music-maestro-the-man-with-the-questions-the-one-the-only-buzz. 
  13. ↑ Calvert, Justin (18 May 2005). "Buzz! The Music Quiz E3 2005 Preshow Impressions". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/buzz-the-music-quiz-e3-2005-preshow-impressions/1100-6125402/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Dinovan (25 October 2005). "Test: Buzz!". Jeuxvideo.com. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00005847_test.htm. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Gonciarz, Krzysztof (22 December 2005). "Buzz! Muzyczny Quiz - recenzja gry". https://www.gry-online.pl/S020.asp?ID=3180. 
  16. ↑ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3944. 
  17. ↑ Caoili, Eric (26 November 2008). "ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK". Gamasutra. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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