Reviewed by: Mike Flaminio
Review Date: 6.1.99
Publisher: Sierra Attractions
Developer: Berkeley Systems
MSRP: $24.95
When Austin Powers - Operation: Trivia
landed on my desk, I couldn't help but to laugh. The
movie is a couple weeks away, and here in New York, Austin Powers is everywhere.
I suppose then that it's only appropriate to see him on my computer. Berkeley Systems
is the culprit behind this title, the same company who brought us You Don't Know
Jack . With that in mind, the idea behind this Austin Powers title should be
pretty clear.
The Plan
While being a trivia game, it still has a bit of a story line. The player's mission
is to join the team of Austin Powers or Dr. Evil. Your job 
is to either
help Dr. Evil destroy the world or to help Austin Powers save it in a game called
"Win, Lose or Die." The idea is that both Dr. Evil and Austin Powers have
been cryogenically frozen for 30 years. The trivia contest contains pop-cultural
questions from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Because both of these characters have
been partially frozen for this period of time, it's your job to help get them up
to speed. The overall goal is to beat the opposing team's score, hence saving or
destroying the world.
So with those minor details aside, the game, for all practical purposes, is another
flavor of You Don't Know Jack . The exception is that either Austin Powers
or Dr. Evil cheer the player on. The game is also littered with references from both
the original and upcoming movies. The game is stuffed with direct lines from the
movies and plenty of "Austin-like" lines to make fans of the movie more
than happy.
For the most part, Colin Mahan provided Austin Powers and Dr. Evil’s voices. Mahan
also provided the voice for the host of the show. Mike Myers is listed as providing
supplemental voices, however Mahan handled almost all of the voice work. While Mahan
provides a quality impression of the two main characters, it's not the same as the
real thing. This is the only stigma of the game, which once in a while distracted
from game play.
The Game
Game play itself is very similar to You Don't Know Jack. The player can share
the keyboard for a two-player game, or play against the computer. In the solo game,
the player must beat the score of an imaginary game played "just moments ago."
For the player's team to win, their score has to beat either the predetermined computer
score or the second player's score. As with almost all You Don't Know Jack games,
the ending credits prove to be one of the most entertaining parts of the game. Each
ending sequence is different, depending on whether the player wins or loses.
The questions are the typical vague questions with provocative topics. Each game
runs seven questions, with questions valued in the millions of dollars -- you are
playing for the fate of the world after all. The questions are made of various styles.
There are the standard multiple choice questions and various types of unique questions.
"Stop 'n' Go Go" questions ask the player to seek out the four correct
answers from a list of fakes. Here the player has the Monty Hall-like ability to
pick an answer and take the money and run, or pick again, risking it all. Probably
one of the most fun question is the "Crazy Chain." This is the last question
of a game which branches off to another question based on the previous answer. For
example, if a question asked, "what is my favorite color?" the answer would
be green. The next question could then be, "Dr. Green is a character on what
popular TV drama?" The chain goes on for seven questions, letting players boost
scores quickly before ending the game.
Bottom Line
If you enjoyed the other You Don't Know Jack titles, and liked the movie,
you'll most certainly enjoy this game. Austin Powers - Operation: Trivia is
just as fun as any of the other "Jack" titles. Movie buffs will enjoy the
quips and commentary from the two title characters as they work through questions
that are fun to answer. Whether you're sorting out who played which James Bond or
picking out Beatles songs, players will likely enjoy this themed game. A few questions
deal with the movies themselves, but for the most part, anyone can answer the questions.
Pros: Fun for everyone, whether they are playing or just watching.
The Austin Powers theme is enough to carry the game itself, but the questions will
work for anyone who has never seen the movies. With $25 and a PowerBooks, traveling
could never be more fun.
Cons: Those who don't care for the You Don't Know Jack games may find it to
be more fo the same. Also at times the voice impressions stick out. Everyone seems
to be willing to perform their version of these characters, but a Meyer's performace
would make the game nearly perfect.
Online Demo available
| Requirements PowerPC processor Mac OS 7.5.5 or later 2x CD-ROM drive or better 16 MB RAM 30 MB hard disk space Video capable of 640x480x256 colors |
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