We’re heading back in time to get some 1980’s Video Game Trivia
As a kid, I spent a lot of time and quarters in the arcade during the 1980’s. It was a noisy, chaotic, awesome place. Then everything changed when every kid I knew (and myself) got an Atari.
We still chomped down pizza and chugged soda, but we could do it in the privacy of our own homes. The 80’s was a transformative time for gaming and chock full of wonderful facts to mine.
What was your favorite arcade game back then? I’m partial to the classics. Ms. Pac-Man, Joust, and Tron all ate my quarters like they were going out of style. I could never manage to get very far on Dragon’s Lair. Even as a kid, my reaction time sucked.
Let’s get going to the 1980’s for some Video Game trivia.
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Episode Introduction
As a kid, I spent a lot of time and quarters in the arcade during the 1980’s. It was a noisy, chaotic, awesome place. Then everything changed when every kid I knew (and myself) got an Atari.
We still chomped down pizza and chugged soda, but we could do it in the privacy of our own homes. The 80’s was a transformative time for gaming and chock full of wonderful facts to mine.
Hi, I’m your host, Brian Rollins and welcome to the Dorky, Geeky, Nerdy podcast. This week, for our third episode, we’re jumping into the time machine (a DeLorean, of course) and heading back to the Reagan era to drop some quarters into the nostalgia machine.
If you’re new to the podcast, you can listen to the shows in any order, it doesn’t matter. Each show is broken up into three rounds of ten questions. You’ll get a five second timer and then I’ll hit you with the answer. Each round gets successively harder.
If you want some rules to play by (either for yourself or with some friends), head on over to dorkygeekynerdy.com/rules. There are a variety of rules to choose from.
OK, Player One. Are you ready?
The Dorky Round
1. When he first debuted, what character was known as 'Jumpman'?
2. In the sequel to Donkey Kong, players take on the role of what titular character?
3. What Atari video game undersold so badly, that millions of cartridges were crushed and buried in New Mexico?
4. The Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, was originally known by what name?
5. What is the highest grossing video game of all time?
6. Created by animator Don Bluth, what laserdisc-based arcade game was released in 1983?
7. What racing game welcomed players with digitized speech, telling them to 'prepare to qualify'?
8. In what 1985 NES game would trek all over Hyrule questing for the Triforce?
9. What trackball-based arcade game had players shooting mushrooms, scorpions, spiders, and fleas?
10. What 1987 RPG followed the adventures of The Light Warriors?
The Geeky Round
1. In what video game were you likely to be eaten by a Grue?
2. What Middle-Eastern inspired game used Rotoscoping for its character animation?
3. If you're a knight flying around on an ostrich, what game would you be playing?
4. What four-player game allowed you to become either a Warrior, a Wizard, a Valkyrie, or an Elf?
5. What vehicular combat game used the theme music from the show, Peter Gunn?
6. What was the first game exported from the Soviet Union to the United States?
7. Named after a famous coach and commentator, what sports franchise began in 1988?
8. In what year did Metal Gear debut?
9. What jungle adventure gave you 20 minutes to find 32 treasures?
10. Not surprisingly, what Disney Sci-Fi film spawned not one, but two arcade games in 1982?
The Nerdy Round
1. Founded in Oakhurst, CA, what game company created the King's Quest, Space Quest, and Police Quest series?
2. What computer role playing game series began with Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum?
3. Running what 1982 game and Lotus 1-2-3 meant that a computer was 100% IBM PC-Compatible.
4. What adult-oriented game series began with 'in the land of the lounge lizards'?
5. What was Mega Man's name before becoming fighting robot?
6. What educational game taught kids (and adults) geography by scouring the world for a master criminal and her VILE henchmen?
7. Karateka was originally released for what system?
8. The Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800 were part of which generation of gaming consoles?
9. Before becoming a First Person Shooter, this Nazi fighting game was a 1981 stealth-based action adventure.
10. Will Wright created what construction and management simulation game in 1989?
Episode Conclusion
That’s it. Game over.
I hoped you enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me. If any of you are asking about games of other decades, you can be assured they’ll make an appearance in some future episode. Speaking of future episodes, here’s the clue for next week:
What book series were the best selling fiction novels of the 20th century, until Harry Potter took that title?
As always, you can find us, follow us, and subscribe to us at dorkygeekynerdy.com. You’ll find links to our places on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more.
I’m your host, Brian Rollins. This has been Dorky Geeky Nerdy. Thanks for listening.
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Credits
Hosted & Written by Brian Rollins
Music by Kevin MacLeod
Copyright 2019-2025 by Brian Rollins
This podcast is copyright 2025 Brian Rollins. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to redistribute but not to be altered or used for AI training.
I think I’m too young for this one, but I still got 10!
Nostalgia hit!
I don’t usually comment but I gotta tell regards for the episode on this great one : D.