Marvel better watch out — we’ve got a nerdy new universe to hold our attention. The comparison might seem a stretch, but Triviaverse, Netflix’s latest title, has done an unexpectedly good job of glamming up quizzing: a hobby that is often seen as studious or exam-like. Launched last week, Triviaverse is a 'quick-hit' quiz game where players must answer as many questions as possible within a time limit. Topics range from sports to history to cinema (with some Netflix plugs thrown in), and you play solo or against a friend. Solo games have three levels of increasing difficulty, while shared games have two competitive rounds. The questions tilt slightly American, but you should do well if you’ve got a good grip on pop culture. A full match wraps up in under five minutes, so it’s a fun way to kill time and learn something new while on a break or commute. Based on your final score, the game’s triviamaster — who looks suspiciously like Haunter from Pokémon — will reward you with badges like Bird Brain, Preschool Graduate, Lucky Guesser, Shockingly Average, Mere Mortal, PhD Dropout, Super Nerd, Potential Genius, Certified Genius, or the ultimate title of Triviaverse God. For reference, a score of 4550 by solving 30/40 questions unlocked the ‘Potential Genius’ badge. The game also informs you of your best and worst categories — mine were Art and Sports, respectively. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is often called Netflix’s most memorable interactive experience. For this author, Triviaverse, with its edgy visuals and music, is a close second. The game can be played on all devices that support Netflix's interactive experiences, including smart TVs, streaming media players, game consoles, PC browsers and mobile devices. This story is part of our new Puzzles & Games section. Sign up to enjoy daily crosswords, sudoku puzzles and special quizzes. For more brainy fun, follow @iepuzzles on Instagram.
