This Is Not a Game by Sam Bee
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPad, Android
- free
- Trivia Games
Parents say
Kids say
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The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that This Is Not a Game by Sam Bee is a political trivia game for iOS and Android devices. Hosted by comedian Samantha Bee as a spin-off of her TV show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, this has some of the same ribald, edgy humor as the show, though it doesn't have any curse words, nudity, or grotesque imagery. Players who answer all 10 questions correctly split a monetary prize, while everyone playing will (hopefully) learn something, become politically engaged, and hopefully vote in the upcoming midterm elections. In fact, this is why Sam and her crew made this game. The game also has an ad for Full Frontal on the bottom after a game, while the whole app's basically an ad for the show. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
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What's it about?
As an online trivia contest, THIS IS NOT A GAME BY SAM BEE doesn't have a story. Instead, you compete against other online players, and yourself, as you answer humorous political trivia questions. All of which are hosted, and commented on, by comedian Samantha Bee, host of the TV show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Those who answer all 10 correctly split a prize, though you can keep playing if you get one wrong -- you just can't win the money.
Is it any good?
Though it's basically the same as other online trivia contest apps, the humor and clever questions make it more fun than most. In This Is Not a Game by Sam Bee, the comedian and host of the TV show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee makes snarky comments as you do your best to answer 10 clever and humorous political questions. Competing against other people, players have to do their best to answer 10 questions correctly, in hopes of winning their small part of a cash prize. But don't worry if you miss one (which you will sometimes, because they can get a bit tricky); you can always use your free life, or you can keep going in "Dead mode," where answering correctly can earn you a free life for the next time you play. It's just a bummer you can only play once a day (6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT), and only against other people; a single-player practice mode could've been fun. And while this works the same as every other online trivia contest where there's a small cash prize, what sets it apart is the game's ribald humor and snarky attitude. Which, fittingly, makes This Is Not a Game by Sam Bee the interactive version of the show that inspired it: as darkly comedic as it is insightful and informative.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about marketing promotions. Along with trying to get people to pay attention to politics, this is also clearly designed to get you to watch Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Does this bother you, or do you accept it as the way a TV show has to promote itself these days?
The point of This Is Not a Game by Sam Bee is to get people to pay attention to politics and thus vote in the upcoming election, but why is it important to pay attention to politics? Do you understand how politics can impact your life?
This trivia game has some ribald jokes and edgy humor. Do you think that's necessary, or do you think the game would've worked with a safer, all-ages approach?
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPad, Android
- Price: free
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: September 20, 2018
- Category: Trivia Games
- Topics: History
- Size: 130.70 MB
- Publisher: Turner Entertainment Networks
- Version: 1.1
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
- Last updated: July 11, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love politics
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.