What Don't You Know?
A Review of You Don't Know Jack Sports
by Brad Jeske
It seems like every local computer store that I visited over the last few months had a large group of people huddled around a computer, laughing and carrying on about a new game by Berkeley software called You Don't know Jack.
So when I received a copy of the sports version of this CD in the mail to review, I was really excited to see what all of the hoopla was about.
You Don't Know Jack Sports is a high intensity, ingenious, thought-provoking trivia game for the most ardent sports fanatic. Add to this a quick-witted MC that who is a cross between Dennis Miller and a party lovin' college boy, and you have the ingredients for a fast paced program designed to humiliate you like a fast break slam dunk.
One to three people can play in a 7 or 21 question round. You compete against each other, and the clock, trying to correctly answer for cash prizes ranging from $1,000 to 6,000 dollars. The game revolves around basic multiple choice questions from categories like "What's my Motivation Coach," "Sweat Dreams Ain't Made of These," "Gym Class Heroes," and "Going Ape for the Olympics." To give you an idea, here's an example: The category "Psychic Golfers Hotline," and the question: "If the famous astrologer Jean Dixon had read golf legend Lee Trevino's charts before he played in the 1975 Western Open, what might she have predicted would happen to him?"
If you said, "got hit by lightening," then you were right! Get it wrong and be prepared for a barrage of stinging comments from the MC, making a reference to your intellect.
The Gibberish Question is a phrase that rhymes with a famous or popular phrase. One example: what rhymes with "Chew Skin Scum, Sue Ooze Run?" To answer it without any help from a clue you win the maximum amount of money. But the more clues you need, the less money you win.
What does the above phrase mean?
The clock is ticking.
It's a famous Yogi Berra saying.
Give up?
Here it is: "You win some, you lose some."
The last question of every games ends with The Jack Attack. This section can make or break you. This is an association between two phrases or words. There are seven matches in Jack Attack. For example, "O Coach, My Coach" is an association between different professional coaches and what teams they coached, and while you're trying to zero in on the right answer, different other words, teams, and phases are floating across the screen, so you must be watch carefully. You get $2,000 for every one right, and the money can add up quick.
Another feature is "Screw Your Neighbor." You don't know the answer to a multiple choice question, press the "S" (for screw) on the keyboard, and if there is more than two players, just pick the person you want to answer the question. But be careful, you can only do this once a round.
You Don't Know Jack contains over 800 sport questions in its database, and that adds up to over 20 hours of non-repetitive play. Jack also requires at least a 486/66 PC, or a 68040 Macintosh or Power Mac to run this game. Try to install it on anything less and you'll get nothing but a message telling you don't even try it.
I had a great time playing this game. It is funny, the questions are tough, and the minute you finish one round, I guarantee you'll be loading the game back up again. Keep in mind that Jack is for adults, as the language contained within the program has adult based humor and suggestive content.
This program is one of the most entertaining games I've played in a while. This CD would make the perfect party game.
So if you really think you're the quintessential sports expert, then I would challenge you to try your hand at this game. I bet you'll being playing it again and again, and you'll soon find out, like I did: You Don't Know Jack.
Gamer's Zone Scorecard
| Product: | You Don't Know Jack Sports |
| Company: | Berkeley Systems |
| Cost: | $29.99 |
System Requirements:
IBM:
486/66 Mhz or better, 8 MB RAM,
12MB of hard drive space,
640x480 monitor with 256 colors,
Double Speed CD-ROM Drive,
Sound Blaster 16 or compatible.
Macintosh:
68040 or Power PC, System 7.1 or later,
5MB of RAM, 16MB hard dive space,
Double Speed CD-ROM Drive,
Color monitor 640x480 resloution with 256 colors.
Breakdown:
Fun Factor 5
Graphics 5
Sound 5
Interface 5
Replayability 4
Overall Score:
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