The PS2 just keeps on going, despite the fact that its replacement has been out for a year now. How many other consoles in the past in a similar position were the beneficiaries of a new first-party controller? The controller in this case is a game show buzzer that comes with the wacky trivia game Buzz! The Mega Quiz. Well, it’s more like four controllers in one as four game show buzzers share a single USB plug for connection to the PS2 (and yes, you can buy two and play eight-player games). The controller is one of those types that are so simple they’re brilliant. The controller sits in your hand like a pistol grip and features a giant red button on the top and four colored buttons down its back. The giant red button serves as the game show buzzer and the other buttons are used to select your answers. Even someone who’s never played a videogame before can pick one of these controllers up and instantly know how to use it.

The questions won't exactly challenge trivia buffs.

Once you’ve gathered the players together and given each a buzzer, you begin the game by selecting your contestant avatar. There are a good number to choose from here and all are readily recognizable cartoon stereotypes such as a superhero or a mime. Each has their own set of unique animations and they certainly add some character to the game.

The game itself is played as a series of rounds of different trivia-based games. These include your basics such as being the first to buzz in with the right answer to a trivia question, but there are also games that feature image-based puzzles and even some that are more about reflexes than they are about knowledge. The variety of game types is good, but each game runs pretty long – a little too long if people are waiting their turn to play at a party. The game is hosted by Buzz himself, an overly slick game show host stereotype who enjoys insulting the contestants. There are too many insults aimed at players who give wrong answers or are at the bottom of the standings and some players who are already feeling a little uneasy about their relative lack of trivia knowledge can easily be put off by it. A little more encouragement and a lot less insulting banter from the host would go a long way towards making this a more inclusive party game.

The questions themselves cover a wide variety of topics. While there are plenty of pop culture questions, thankfully the game also covers topics such as science and geography. The questions are fairly challenging for children, but are set at a level where the average adult will know the answer to at least half of the questions. Trivia buffs, Trivial Pursuit players, and Jeopardy fans will find most of the questions to be pretty simple though. If you get these types together for a game it will pretty much boil down to the fastest trigger finger.

Buzz! The Mega Quiz might not be the best thing for hosting a trivia tournament, but it can be a lot of fun with a group of friends at parties or family gatherings. The game show buzzer controllers do a great job of making the game seem like more fun, too. Add a SingStar game and a couple of mics to your collection and you can turn your venerable old PS2 into the life of your parties. And for those of you with just a PS3, it works just fine with your sleek new system.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 80%. It won’t help you to get on Jeopardy, but Buzz! The Mega Quiz can be a lot of fun with a group of friends.