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Buzz! is always good for a laugh, which is what’s made the quiz series such a hit amongst everyone. The latest title, Buzz! The Ultimate Music Quiz for PS3 is essentially what it sounds like: a quiz video game centred on music. We’ve had numerous variations on Buzz! in the past, including one built just for us Brits, but what sets this apart is the new look and the inclusion of support for PlayStation Move. Does this make for the best Buzz! game yet or take away from the core quiz show format? Well, it’s a bit of both really.
Anyone who has played a Buzz! game on PS2, PSP or PS3 will instantly notice that Music Quiz has been given a makeover. Quizmaster Buzz has seen the most radical change, looking slimmer and taller compared to his fairly comedic stumpy little man appearance of games gone by. The studio has also been given a nice lick of paint, while features from last year’s Quiz World such as player profiles and spoken names make a welcome return.
Up to four players can take part, choosing from a pre-set game lengths or selecting the rounds they want to play. Most of the rounds on offer return from previous games, including the likes of point stealer, Fastest Finger and Final Countdown (the aptly named final round), but there is a new addition in the shape of Twisted Tunes. This new round distorts songs and asks players to guess the track as quickly as possible.
Overall it’s a good mixture, although the classic Pie Fight round suffered from a target select that flicked far too quickly between players. There’s also an observation round that throws questions at you based on a snippet of a music video. It’s a neat enough idea, but doesn’t really test your music knowledge and as such might be removed from the playlist by quiz aficionados.
More interesting for returning Buzz! players are the question types, which run the gamut from “The Noughties” and “No.1 Hits”, through to “Alt. Rock” and “Lady Gaga”. The question topic is chosen from a board at the start of each round and there’s enough variety to keep all kinds of music fans happy – although at times it seems as though the game follows a theme, such as a string of questions about a particular band.
Move support is the headline new feature, but in reality it’s not much more than a token gesture. Four rounds are on offer and don’t run in conjunction with the player profile system from the main game. You use the Move controller to hammer correct answers, pop incorrect answers, move answers to a bin or shoot the correct answer. It’s decent fun for a few games, but soon you’ll be back on proper Buzz!
There’s also the option to map your own face onto your Buzz! character and record a custom buzzer sound. Both of these are neat features that make Music Quiz even more fun, but most players will ignore them completely. Custom questions and downloadable quizzes from other users also make a return, but most on offer simply aren’t as good as those included on the game disc.
Despite a new look and the inclusion of Move, Buzz! The Ultimate Music Quiz is very similar to previous games in the series. That’s not a bad thing, though, as Buzz! is easily the best quiz show video game series around. Move support is a bit too basic to care about, but the core quizzing is excellent, making this a must buy for anyone who enjoys quiz battles on their sofa.
