Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Game show/board game is a blast -- but questions are tough!
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
National Geographic Challenge
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
National Geographic Challenge offers multiple game modes for world trivia buffs. One is a game-show-like quiz format, while another works like a board game that sort of plays like Risk, but with trivia battles instead of armies. Players move around a global map, winning territories by answering questions correctly. There's also a slew of visual photo puzzles that can be played individually, outside of the quiz and board game modes.
Is It Any Good?
The standard quiz show mode of National Geographic Challenge is pretty great unto itself. But the "Explorer Mode," which plays like a world-conquering board game, is a fresh and exciting addition that is especially fun with four players. All modes make good use of photo and video clues, and it's nice to have access to those picture puzzles even when you're not looking for a full-on trivia challenge. The questions are real doozies, though, so be prepared to hear plenty of "wrong!" buzzers. Unless you feel completely confident on your knowledge of, say, the reigns of Soviet premiers or the populations of South Pacific islands.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about some of the historical events brought up in the game's questions. Parents can use the game as a conversation starter, expanding upon some of the subjects that appear.
Does your family prefer playing family games on a console or around the kitchen table? Why or why not?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo Wii , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360
- Subjects : Social Studies : events , geography , history
- Skills : Collaboration : meeting challenges together , Thinking & Reasoning : deduction , logic , memorization
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Ignition Entertainment
- Release date : November 29, 2011
- Genre : Educational
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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