If you're reading this, then allow me to welcome you to Guess that Game, a monthly feature loosely based off of the game of 20 Questions. The first thing you might want to do is make sure you are viewing this with the website lights turned on (the switch is located at the top of the website near the search box). If you don't...the clues and answer might be inadvertently revealed as you read this.
I started the series last year and posted three or four episodes
before I had to leave the website for awhile. But its a new year and I
always kind of fancied this feature, so I thought I'd bring it back.
Last episode seemed to go very well - there were some who thought it was
easy, some who thought it was hard, and some who thought it was just
right. Even if they are too easy, I hope they still provide an
opportunity to learn something maybe you didn't know before. I'm not
sure how this one will do. I thought the clues were easy, but since it
is an older game there may be some who have never heard of it.
(ta da - the light switch)
Twenty Questions is a spoken parlor game which encourages deductive reasoning and creativity. It originated in the United States and escalated in popularity during the late 1940s when it became the format for a successful weekly radio quiz program. In the traditional game, one player is chosen to be the answerer. That person chooses a subject but does not reveal this to the others. All other players are questioners. They each take turns asking a question which can be answered with a simple "Yes" or "No." In variants of the game multiple state answers may be included such as the answer "Maybe." The answerer answers each question in turn. If a questioner guesses the correct answer, that questioner wins and becomes the answerer for the next round. If 20 questions are asked without a correct guess, then the answerer has stumped the questioners and gets to be the answerer for another round.
However, instead of each of you asking me 20 questions, I have come up with 20 clues about a game whose identity you are trying to guess. The clues start out rather generic and progressively get more revealing, so if you have to read all of the clues, the answer should be fairly obvious by the end (or if you read only the 20th clue, you have a fairly good chance of guessing it, but that kind of defeats the purpose). Your goal is to guess the game after reading as few of the clues as possible starting in numerical order with Clue #01.
NOTICE: Of course I have no way of verifying the integrity of your answer, so should you choose to leave a comment with your score, it is based off of the honor system. I'll take you at your word.
Long time readers may remember last year I did a similar feature called Guess that Gamer that posted 20 questions and answers from a member of the community, and those who chose to participate tried to guess who the mystery member was based on their answers to the questions. It was generally received with positive results, but one of the biggest issues with the way the series operated was when and how guesses were made, and the influence it had on other members' guesses. The other problem was you were either right or wrong - and if you piggybacked off of someone else's answer, you were just as right (or wrong) as the person making the initial answer.
Using this new and improved process, not only will you find out the answer at the end of the questions, your performance will also be determined by how many clues you needed to guess the correct answer. Now, you might notice that except for Clue #1, the rest of them are blank. How are you supposed to read the rest of them? Ah, using the magic of technology...the clues are there, however the font is white so the text appears invisible. In order to view them, all you have to do is highlight the text by clicking and holding the cursor on the text and dragging the cursor over each clue. This is an extremely easy process that most of you are undoubtedly familiar with. Oh, as a reminder - if you're viewing the GI website with the lights off, obviously this isn't going to work since the font color is reversed. I recommend turning the lights on when viewing this blog.
The same concept applies to the answer which is found at the very end of the blog.
Well, I think that's it. I've stated the goal and provided the instructions, all that's left is for you to read the following clues, in order, and guess the mystery game in as few clues as possible.
Good luck, you'll need it!
GOAL: Guess the game by reading as few of the clues as possible, starting at #1.
CLUES:
1. This game is a Role Playing Game (RPG).
2. It is the second game in the series.
3. There was a planned sequel planned for the N64 that was later cancelled.
4. The game first released in Japan back in August of 1994 and then in North America in June of 1995.
5. It was available on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
6. The game uses oblique projection - the process of producing pictorial, two-dimensional images of three-dimensional objects.
7. This game did not do well in terms of overall sales.
8. In 2013, cartridges of this game were selling for twice their 1995 retail cost.
9. The game occurs in villages, cities, caves, and dungeons.
10. This game is included in the 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die book.
11. The original game in the series was named after a female figure that all of us come from.
12. The June 2008 issue of Nintendo Power, listed this game as the #1 "Readers' Most Wanted" Virtual Console title.
13. Characters in this game have psychic points (PP).
14. This game is a cult classic known for its humorous depictions of American culture and parody of the RPG genre.
15. This game may be referred to as Mother 2: Gyiyg Strikes Back.
16. The game takes place in Eagleland, a country similar to the United States.
17. Your adversaries include New Age Retro Hippies, Pogo Punks, Extra Cranky Ladies, and Big Piles of Puke.
18. The game has four major cities: Onett, Twoson, Threed, and Fourside.
19. One of the lead characters in this game can also be found in Nintendo's very popular fighting game where he utilizes psychic attacks.
20. You start the game as a 13-year-old boy who lives in Onett, and who shares a name with a popular loch in Scotland.
CONCLUSION:
So, how did you do?
Lucky Dog (1-5 clues)
Veteran (6 - 10 clues)
Commoner (11 - 15 clues)
Rookie (16 - 20 clues)
You might've noticed the first five clues were very generic and could fit any number of games, so if you managed to get it in five or fewer guesses, then you just got lucky. The next five clues include some obscure facts and more specific information about the game, so if you got it in 6 - 10 clues, you really know your video games. All of the clues after number 10 are fairly specific to the game, so if it took you 11 - 15 clues you're a commoner. The final five clues are very specific to the game with some hints that people naturally associate with this particular game. If it takes you 16 - 20 clues, better luck next time...NOOB! (I'm only kidding.)
I hope you've enjoyed this installment in my Guess That Game series. I tried striking a perfect balance with game choice and difficulty and think it's a fair contest. Perhaps a bit on the easy side, but I'll let you all be the judge of that. Good luck and enjoy.
ANSWER BELOW:
EarthBound
Cheers.