Life & Death in Video Games Trivia

1. "Super Mario Bros." (1985) was the first video game to use the term "1-Up" when referring to an extra life. What object did you need to collect to get 1-Up?

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Green Mushroom

There are other ways to get an extra life in the game, including collecting 100 coins, using a Koopa shell to defeat multiple enemies in a row, or bouncing on enemies without touching the ground. The spotted mushrooms (especially the red and white version) are thought to be based on the Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric. Creator Shigeru Miyamoto has stated the idea for using mushrooms comes from the association of mushrooms with magical worlds.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Resident Evil 2

The Licker is an opponent first encountered in the police station in Raccoon City. When you finally race your way through the infected city streets (which can be a bit overwhelming) you'll end up going face-to-face with this beast in one of the hallways before the all-powerful typewriter save station (go figure). Lickers use their long tongues and claws to inflict damage, attempting to decapitate or mutilate the bodies of their victims. Their exposed brains are particularly creepy. Keep in mind-- one-way mirrors can cause some particularly horrible sequences in this game. Keep your eyes peeled. In "Resident Evil" games, a straight-forward, yet bloody 'YOU ARE DEAD.' posted on the screen, circling above your body, marks your fateful end. Licker or otherwise.

From Quiz Fuel for the Body

Answer: Beyond Good and Evil

"Beyond Good and Evil" was released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, the XBox, the Gamecube, and the PC. It follows the character of Jade, along with her uncle Pey'J, as they save the people of Hillys from the attack of the DomZ. A starkos refills a little bit of health, a box of k-bups restores all your health, and a PA-1 adds life to your maximum health meter.

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: Green Mushroom

Players of the "Mario" series can find this in almost any one of his classic platforming games. While the Red Mushroom allows Mario to grow, the Green Mushroom ups the total amount of lives (though Mario typically starts with three to five lives per game). In addition, collecting a total of one hundred coins in earlier "Mario" titles constitutes an extra life for the player. In some Mario games, a 3-Up Moon is also available to collect. Stars provide invincibility (though temporary) while Blue Coins amount to a total of five coins.

From Quiz Protect the Healers!

Answer: White

White Magic was famously known for its supportive capabilities in the early "Final Fantasy" games, and while it shifted from being explicitly used by White Mages (especially when the series took a turn into sci-fi/fantasy realms), it always remained a mainstay magic type that would recur in the RPG genre-- especially turn-based RPGs. Spells like Cure, Cura, and Curaja would restore varying amounts of player HP (Hit Points) while other white spells could cast status ailments or do extra damage to undead foes (the opposite of health would death, after all).

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Diablo II

"Diablo II", the oft-online PC game, pits the player character against the demons of Diablo himself as they descend into Hell over the course of several acts. As the game progresses through levels and difficulties, enemies stat to get more and more difficult to beat. Andariel, the end boss of Act 1, evolves over the difficulties and takes on more poisonous attacks, making her fight particularly difficult for those with shoddy resistance. And if you're playing Hardcore, a single death spells the end of the game for your character-- can't be played again. The game mode was resurrected for "Diablo III" more than a decade later. When you're dead, you're dead.

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: "You are dead."

Well, considering you've just been munched on by a zombie...or eaten by a crazy dog...or chomped on by a shark...or devoured by a giant snake...or worse, the quotation is a bit blunt. Bringing your health from Fine to Poor to Dead will result in your immediate fatality as your body appears on a black screen and the words 'You are dead.' appear in blood. After this, you'll resume from where you last saved (in the original games, from where you last used a typewriter). You won't even find out if you simply became food or a welcomed member of the undead. Then again, in some games (*cough*"Resident Evil 2"*cough*) I had the unfortunate view of myself being eaten inside out by a 'Licker'. Scared the bejeezus out of me.

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Focus Sash

"Pokémon" started as a video game in 1991, and has gone on to a collectible card game, television series, movies, and more. The television cartoon made the news in December 1997, when red and blue strobe effects used in the episode "Dennō Senshi Porygon" (Season 1, Episode 38) caused 685 children in Japan to be treated for epileptic seizures.

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: Balloons

Bananas, Balloons, Barrels, and a bunch of monkeys are involved in most of the "Donkey Kong Country" games on the SNES console. While a number of bananas equate to a single red balloon (equivalent to a life), collecting the various K, O, N, and G letters around each level will also result in a one-up. Green and blue balloons also appear in these games totaling two and three lives. "Donkey Kong 64" and other games in the "Donkey Kong" series have mixed this constant image up a bit. Balloons in "Donkey Kong 64" contain ten bananas (and each is coloured for each respective player) while balloons in games like "Diddy Kong Racing" contain power-ups.

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Aerith Gainsborough

"Aerith" was called "Aeris" in the English translation of "Final Fantasy VII," however in other games/media such as "Kingdom Hearts" (2002) or "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children" (2005), "Aerith" is used. While Phoenix Downs revive party members in battle, Aerith's death happens in a cut scene and drives the story forward.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Dead Space 2

As if the horrible events on the Sprawl couldn't be any more psychologically-scarring or visceral, a later sequence in the game forces the player character, Isaac Clarke, to strap himself into a diagnostic machine, line a laser up to his eye, and jab himself in the face with a needle. Failure to properly align the needle will only result in a graphic death. No pressure. Then again, maybe it's more humane than some of the graphic deaths that could befall Isaac elsewhere in the sprawl. What with the Necromorphs all around the space station, things can get pretty bad. Videos accumulated after release of the game showed countless different possible death animations...each worse than the last.

From Quiz Fuel for the Body

Answer: Banjo-Kazooie

"Banjo-Kazooie" was first released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. The honeycomb is also known as the honey, the life, or the honey energy. It is collected throughout the game as a form a life. The main thing to collect is jiggies, and you can save Jinjos and collect musical notes along the way as well.

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: Phoenix Down

Like in many turn-based RPGs, your character can die. To combat this horrible fate, many games will implement an item, much like a potion or herb you can buy at your local trader or merchant, and use it in battle when an ally kicks the bucket. This, in "Final Fantasy's" worlds, is the Phoenix Down, and item known by this name since "Final Fantasy II" (NES). While later games revised the name, the concept was the same. This expensive item would sit in your inventory, unusable until someone was downed. Like the mythical phoenix, players would rise from the ashes.

From Quiz Protect the Healers!

Answer: Chansey

There are a number of different Pokemon types that have healing techniques though Chansey epitomized the ability. Not only was this helpful normal-type Pokemon chock full of self-supporting techniques, ensuring its heartiness in battle, but it started appearing as a fixture in Pokemon Centers, healing locations found in major towns of every reason. The characterization continued in the "Pokemon" TV show wherein Chanseys would typically be amongst the nursing staff of any given medical centre-- Pokemon or otherwise.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Sonic the Hedgehog 2

In this scenario, you're Sonic the Hedgehog and it's the second zone of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" on the Sega Genesis. In the second level of this area, there's actually a chance of drowning in extremely deep water. After a certain amount of time with no air, things will get tense and without an air bubble Sonic will die. Some platforms can prove tricky, especially when Sonic is just above the water, so it's best to be dextrous to avoid drowning. This level is followed up by the Aquatic Ruin Zone, so things obviously get more difficult.

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: Your character 'blacks out'

'Blacking out' typically means that you get to return to the nearest Pokemon Center to heal your fainted Pokemon though in the loss, you will have lost a certain amount of your money. Pokemon can faint in or out of battle (though out of battle, this means your Pokemon will need to have been poisoned) and as a result, you can also blackout while walking around. In some games, 'blacking out' is referred to as 'whiting out'. In battle, you can revive downed Pokemon with an item cleverly referred to as 'Revive'. These are expensive but can be bought at many Pokemarts.

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Red Cross

In Article 27 of the Geneva Convention (1906), it is illegal for anyone other than the Red Cross to use the Red Cross emblem. After the 2006 notifications, video game companies were aware that the Red Cross emblem was not in the public domain and most started to use other symbols (i.e. green crosses) to indicate health items.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Halo

Been there. Done that. Plasma Grenades are a helpful tool throughout the "Halo" series. Unlike the human-made Fragmentation Grenades, they have the possibility of sticking to surfaces or enemies, causing less damage but being great tactical devices. The grenade also works effectively on enemy vehicles. Banshees, which fly through the air, are a Covenant ship and when you throw Plasma Grenades at them there is the chance of bringing them down. Unfortunately, a poor plan can result in one landing on your head...almost as disappointing a death as being hit by a Ghost you never saw.

From Quiz Protect the Healers!

Answer: Final Fantasy

Let's face it-- sometimes in games, it's easy to die. Difficult games often require clutch items, and the Phoenix Down is one of the most famous of such items to be at the RPG gamer's disposal. The name explains its use-- due to the Phoenix's powers to come back from the ashes, the Phoenix Down, when used on a fallen party member, can return them from the dead (often with a set amount of health) so that they may resume their battle. The Phoenix Down would be used on a recurring basis in the "Final Fantasy" series (often by any character if purchased) and would appear in other forms in similar games (like the Pick Me Up in "Super Mario RPG" or the Revive in "Chrono Trigger").

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: By performing CPR

In one of the more unique attempts at revival in a cartoony video game, "Castle Crashers" requires that when a player character falls in battle, another player step in and push appropriate buttons to perform CPR. If successful, the character will awaken with a portion of their original health (though never full). To refill health in the game, you need to purchase potions or find health elsewhere. If only one player is in the game, dying requires that you restart from a checkpoint; the same goes if all players fall during a multiplayer game.

From Quiz Protect the Healers!

Answer: The Medic

Another game with critically-defined roles, "Team Fortress 2" is unlike most of the others to feature dedicated healers because it's a shooter game. "Team Fortress 2" features a handful of classes including The Engineer, The Pyro, The Spy, and The Scout. Where The Medic differs is that his weapons and items revolve around explicit support for fellow players. This includes using Medi Guns, buffs for players with the Kritzkrieg, empowered resistances with the Vaccinator, and speed boosts with the Overdose. It's not to say The Medic doesn't have offensive weapons (you should see the Bone Saw), but they're less powerful than those used by other players.

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Gauntlet

The original four characters of "Gauntlet" (1985) include the Warrior, Wizard, Valkyrie, and Elf. Each character has a different strength: the Warrior is best at melee combat, the Wizard is best at magic, the Valkyrie has the best defense, and the elf has the best speed. While food is a health item in the game, it can also be destroyed by an attack - and the announcer will often tell everyone which player shot the food.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Dance Dance Revolution

"Dance Dance Revolution", known for its, bright, loud, bulky arcade machines and its propensity for awkward dancing and J-pop originals, often allowed three dances per admission cost, but failing any of the three would result in a game over-- your tokens/cash would be lost to the game. In earlier cabinets (think "Dance Dance Revolution Extreme"), playing songs and beginning to fail out on them would trigger a flashing shark on the screen which, to some, would likely only make things worse. The key was always to focus on the arrows, and never on the eclectic background images...but when that shark, appearing with red flashes, graced the screen, you knew you would be toast.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble

All three of the "Donkey Kong Country" games for the SNES featured different playable teams-- the first included Donkey Kong and Diddy, the second included Diddy and Dixie, and the third and final of the trilogy included Dixie and Kiddy Kong, the latter of whom was a baby. While the previous game was more grim in that Diddy and Dixie would be sent to jail if they ended up losing to K. Rool or his Kremlings, Dixie and Kiddy were actually sent to a cell-like crib. That wouldn't stop them though.

From Quiz You Only Live Twice

Answer: Lakitu

Lakitu, who wears stylish aviator goggles as he rides a smiling cloud through the sky, can be awfully slow with his fishing rod: a fall off the track can easily take you from first to last place. Lakitu's skills, however, are phenomenal. He can rescue you not only from water, but also from hot lava and the endless void of outer space; he does both in the first game of the series, 1992's "Super Mario Kart" for the Super Nintendo. He wasn't always so friendly, though: in the original "Super Mario Bros." game, he spent his time trying to drop spiked enemies on Mario's head. Ouch!

From Quiz That's Life

Answer: Red

Certainly the unique game, the player character (a blob, HOORAY!) needs to paint the town in whatever colours he can in order to stop some evil-doers from turning the Raydians into mindless, monochrome drones. There are some impediments though. While your blob needs to collect paint in order to grow and colour the city, it runs out easily (everything you paint takes paint points away as you use them). If you happen to fall in water, you'll water down your colour and run down to zero, and if an enemy hits you in this state, you're toast. In addition, ink will decrease your health unless you can reach water to clean yourself off. This is a major hazard and must be avoided at all times. Luckily, if you do run out of paint points and lose your life, more can be found all over the city in the form of little, red shapes.

From Quiz Protect the Healers!

Answer: Rebecca Chambers

One of the most important medics in horror gaming, Rebecca Chambers is the protagonist of "Resident Evil Zero" and she makes a critical appearance in Chris Redfield's story in the original "Resident Evil", having been trapped in the Spencer Mansion during the outbreak there. Rebecca is immensely resourceful with antibiotics. Though many games in the series use a healing system that involves crushing up found herbs or using an aerosol First Aid Spray, Rebecca comes in clutch in creating a needed antidote in the first "Resident Evil", saving Chris' life after a particularly poisonous encounter.

From Quiz 1-Ups and Phoenix Downs

Answer: Dark Souls

"Dark Souls" (2011) is notoriously hard and challenging to play. It is the second game in the "Souls" series, which started in 2009 with "Demon's Souls." When a player dies, they leave behind a bloodstain. Paying attention to the bloodstains left behind by other players is a good way to avoid traps and monsters. Returning to the scene of your own death and reaching your own bloodstain allows players to regain their lost souls and humanity.

From Quiz Time to Die!

Answer: Spaceteam

A game for two to four players (eight in massive mode), the entire premise involves piloting a spacecraft by yelling at each other. Trust me. Every device involved in the game had a control panel labeled with technical gobbledygook and receives different instructions, most of which will be for other players and all of which will be timed. As long as all the directions are followed, your team will succeed. Too many issues will prompt a failure, and everyone will receive posthumous awards. It's not hard though-- it's just piloting through space. ;)

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