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1980's Video Game Trivia header

3 | 1980’s Video Game Trivia

Posted on March 13, 2019March 4, 2022 by Brian Rollins
Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia
Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia
3 | 1980's Video Game Trivia
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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.

When you’re done with 1980’s Video Game Trivia, zip down and fill out our super simple, two question survey. It helps us in two ways: 1. We get a good balance on the episode’s questions and 2. We get to know which episodes you all like the best.

After you’ve run out of quarters, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. It goes a long way to help promote the show to more listeners. Thanks, Program!

Get some game threads! You’ll find t-shirts and more for your 80’s video game fix. And, you’ll be supporting the show.



 Extra Credit Podcasts & Videos

  • The Awesome 80s Podcast
  • Stuck in the 80’s Podcast

 Previous Episodes

  • Captain Marvel Trivia
  • Star Trek: The Original Series Trivia

More Like This Episode

  • The Legend of Zelda Trivia
  • Star Wars: A New Hope Trivia
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation Trivia

Episode Transcript/Quiz

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'?

Mario. He first appeared in the arcade game “Donkey Kong”

2. In the sequel to Donkey Kong, players take on the role of what titular character?

Donkey Kong, Jr.

3. What Atari video game undersold so badly, that millions of cartridges were crushed and buried in New Mexico?

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Yes, the Urban Legend is true).

4. The Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, was originally known by what name?

The Famicom (short for Family Computer)

5. What is the highest grossing video game of all time?

Pac-Man. Since being released in 1980, it has earned an estimated $2.5 billion.

6. Created by animator Don Bluth, what laserdisc-based arcade game was released in 1983?

Dragon’s Lair. The animator’s company would also release Dragon’s Lair II and Space Ace using similar technology.

7. What racing game welcomed players with digitized speech, telling them to 'prepare to qualify'?

Pole Position

8. In what 1985 NES game would trek all over Hyrule questing for the Triforce?

The Legend of Zelda

9. What trackball-based arcade game had players shooting mushrooms, scorpions, spiders, and fleas?

Centipede

10. What 1987 RPG followed the adventures of The Light Warriors?

Final Fantasy


The Geeky Round

1. In what video game were you likely to be eaten by a Grue?

Zork

2. What Middle-Eastern inspired game used Rotoscoping for its character animation?

Prince of Persia

3. If you're a knight flying around on an ostrich, what game would you be playing?

Joust

4. What four-player game allowed you to become either a Warrior, a Wizard, a Valkyrie, or an Elf?

Gauntlet

5. What vehicular combat game used the theme music from the show, Peter Gunn?

Spy Hunter. The music was composed by Henry Mancini

6. What was the first game exported from the Soviet Union to the United States?

Tetris

7. Named after a famous coach and commentator, what sports franchise began in 1988?

John Madden Football. The original version ran on MS-DOS, Apple II, and Commodores.

8. In what year did Metal Gear debut?

It was released in 1987 for the MSX2 computer and then later for the NES.

9. What jungle adventure gave you 20 minutes to find 32 treasures?

Pitfall!

10. Not surprisingly, what Disney Sci-Fi film spawned not one, but two arcade games in 1982?

Tron. An eponymous arcade game and second game called Discs of Tron


The Nerdy Round

1. Founded in Oakhurst, CA, what game company created the King's Quest, Space Quest, and Police Quest series?

Sierra On-Line

2. What computer role playing game series began with Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum?

Might and Magic

3. Running what 1982 game and Lotus 1-2-3 meant that a computer was 100% IBM PC-Compatible.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0

4. What adult-oriented game series began with 'in the land of the lounge lizards'?

Leisure Suit Larry

5. What was Mega Man's name before becoming fighting robot?

Rock

6. What educational game taught kids (and adults) geography by scouring the world for a master criminal and her VILE henchmen?

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

7. Karateka was originally released for what system?

Apple II. It would later be ported to another sixteen systems.

8. The Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800 were part of which generation of gaming consoles?

Third Generation

9. Before becoming a First Person Shooter, this Nazi fighting game was a 1981 stealth-based action adventure.

Castle Wolfenstein. It was originally released for the Apple II.

10. Will Wright created what construction and management simulation game in 1989?

SimCity.

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.

Episode Feedback

    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.

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  • 1980s
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  • 3 thoughts on “3 | 1980’s Video Game Trivia”

    1. Falu says:
      November 29, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      I think I’m too young for this one, but I still got 10!

    2. Jeffry says:
      December 4, 2019 at 3:03 pm

      Nostalgia hit!

    3. Mur says:
      February 19, 2020 at 6:05 am

      I don’t usually comment but I gotta tell regards for the episode on this great one : D.

    Comments are closed.

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