I’m a big fan of trivia, so I’m always on the look out for a good trivia game for iOS. I have tried many different versions, and none of them really lived up to my expectations. Trivia games were either too easy or too difficult, buggy or just plain ugly.
So when I first saw a friend of mine playing MAG Interactive’s Quizcross, I immediately asked him what he was playing. I downloaded the app shortly after, and since then I have not looked back. Find out what makes Quizcross such an amazing trivia game after the break.
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The Best of Two Worlds
Quizcross is a trivia game like no other on the market right now. Put simply, Quizcross is a mix between a trivia game and Tic-Tac-Toe, meaning that this is not only a game of smarts, but of strategy. You win the game by claiming three consecutive tiles on the 3×3 game board. To claim tiles, you must answer at least one of three trivia multiple-choice questions correctly.
A hybrid of trivia and Tic-Tac-Toe, Quizcross is a game of both logic and brains.
However, claiming tiles isn’t that simple. Quizcross is played on a turn-by-turn basis against friends from social networks such as Facebook or random opponents. Opponents are able to block your moves by claiming that one last tile you need; traps are your best bet for an assured win. Also, the questions are timed, so if you can’t answer before the buzzer, it may cost you your chance of winning.
Tiles may also be stolen if you or your opponent do not answer all three questions correctly. By answering one more question correctly than your opponent, you are able to claim the tile as your own. Come the last of the three questions and you answered the same amount as your opponent, you will be offered a tiebreaker question. If you get it right, you win the tile; if you get it wrong, they go back to your opponent.
Be careful when you try to steal! Tiles may only be played on a maximum of two times — once by each player. If both players play a tile and get none of the questions correct, the tile is cancelled and is left blank, which may impede on your ability to win.
Quiz Whiz
A wide variety of questions are asked in Quizcross. Each game, a new board is generated with each of the following categories of questions: Science, Entertainment, Trivia, History, Geography and Music. A “Quizcross” tile always appears in the middle, and the subject matter is random.
You’re able to see what your opponent’s answer after buzzing in (left); a bonus question is thrown in for tiebreakers (right).
Questions vary in difficulty, and you never know what you’re going to get. For example, you may be able to answer all three science questions with flying colors one round, but the next round of science questions you may completely strike out. Sometimes you’ll even be lucky enough to have a repeat question, or one with a comical answer as an option.
Use your knowledge to your advantage — pick tiles with categories that are familiar to you. That way, there is a better chance of you getting questions right and winning the game.
The gaming experience that Quizcross provides as a whole is one of the best I have had in a really long time. I like the competitiveness that it brings to the table. In most trivia games, it isn’t that big of a deal if you get a question wrong here or there, but in Quizcross, it could mean the difference between winning or losing a game. The stealing tiles aspect of the game adds an extra layer of passive-aggressiveness to Tic-Tac-Toe, which is fantastic for all you silently aggressive, competitive souls out there.
The play-at-your-pace aspect of the game is also great. Each round of Quizcross takes less than a minute to play, making it less of a time commitment than a lot of trivia games on the market. This also makes it easy to put the game down and come back to it later — something you’ll definitely be doing because this game is super addicting. There is a time limit on matches that lasts a few days, which is good because you won’t have to be waiting on your opponent for weeks on end.
Stats and More
Achievements aren’t at all elusive in Quizcross. The game comes packed with many achievements, most of which come from extended play of the game. Most achievements come in tiers, meaning that you keep building up from one achievement after unlocking it; you can advance by answering more questions correctly or playing for longer periods of time, among other things.
Don’t speak English? Quizcross comes packed with several different language packs, which span from Spanish to French to Norwegian.
Also, if you purchase the full game for $2.99 via in-app purchase, you get some extra features. The biggest new one is Stats, which keeps a close monitor on your progress, as well as your friends’ progress. You’ll be able to see what percentage of questions you get right from each category, total playing time, amount of tiles stolen and more.
It’s easy to meter your progress fulfilling the many achievements (left). Stats are hidden unless you buy the full game (right).
In addition to the Stats feature, you will get rid of ads and the active game limit and be given some more avatars to choose from by purchasing the full app. Unless you’re a really active player of Quizcross, I wouldn’t particularly advise buying it, as overall gameplay isn’t really altered in the free app.
The Buzzers
Quizcross’s aesthetic is enough to set it apart from the rest of the trivia apps on the market. Sporting a clean, colorful interface, Quizcross is undoubtedly one of the prettiest games of its kind.
Beautiful art and an interface geared for iOS makes Quizcross one of the best designed games on the market.
The style of the interface is perfect for iOS. Big buttons make it hard to click the wrong thing, which is crucial when how well you do is based on whether or not you clicked the right button. The toon-ish stylings of the game also leaves a sort of lighthearted air, which eases the mood quite well. Most importantly, the interface is clean and functional; you are able to figure out how it works from the first play.
The Verdict
Overall, Quizcross has been one of the best games I have ever played. It is very well-rounded; it has challenging, enjoyable gameplay that is played at your own pace, a social element, a pretty interface and staccato bursts of humor. While there are many peer vs. peer games on the App Store now, none of them have kept me as engaged as Quizcross has, because it offers a gaming experience that is currently unmatched.
Quizcross, in its full effect, is available for $2.99 via in-app purchase, but you don’t lose any of the experience by downloading the free version. That being said, I highly recommend this game for anyone looking for a fast-paced challenge and competition between friends.