Video games, TV and pop culture guide
Updated
Pop culture prompts (name a Wii game, a sitcom, a cartoon character, a fast-food item, a board game) are where your own life history matters most. Everybody has a different set of games they played and shows they watched.
Video games: go by platform and year
“Name a Nintendo Wii game” sends most people to Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Better routes:
- Third-party exclusives and cult classics on that console.
- Late releases from the end of the console’s life, which sold less.
- Genres you played: rhythm games, fitness games, licensed film tie-ins.
The same works for any platform: PlayStation 2, Game Boy, Xbox 360, arcade cabinets.
TV: go by channel, country and decade
TV prompts are crowded with current streaming hits. Think about what was on when you were a child, what your parents watched, and shows from other English-speaking countries. British, Australian and Canadian shows are rare picks for a global audience.
Characters
Main characters are crowded; supporting characters, villains and one-episode favourites are deep. Always check the boundary: a prompt about one film or season may exclude characters from the rest of the franchise.
Board and tabletop games
Monopoly, Scrabble and chess are crowded. Modern hobby games (Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Azul), traditional games from other countries (mahjong, carrom, mancala) and old family games are quieter.
Brands and products
Brand prompts reward specific memories: a snack you only find abroad, a car model your family drove, a discontinued product. Make sure it really existed under that name, and type the name as it appeared on the packaging.
Practise
Try Name a board game and Name a fictional spaceship, then play unlimited dives. Our daily hints often feature pop-culture prompts too.