There is a lot to be said for a game your family won’t let you play … hmm, let’s look at that another way … it’s amazing how much useless junk is stored in our brains, just waiting for that prime opportunity to pop out and dazzle friends and family alike.

*mimmicks a game-show announcer*

Yes, boys and girls, ladies and gents, cats and dogs – it’s time once again for that button-mashing, pulse-pounding, brain-spewing trivia game where fast fingers helps, having a life is discouraged and a willingness to potentially embarrass yourself is necessary.

*clears throat, talks semi-normal*

Buzz is back for round two and this time the game tackles showbiz trivia with The Hollywood Quiz.

Part fastest finger, part trivia test, the Buzz titles are family fun on the PlayStation 2 console system. The title plays out like a game show, with several rounds, a handheld buzzer with a big red button and four colored buttons to use to buzz in and key in answers to the questions asked. This is a multiplayer title, even though it says that between 1 and 8 players can participate. The buzzers, available with the first title in the series, are in a string of four, and are connected to the USB port on your PS2 console. Two sets of controllers allows the maximum number of eight to play.

The game begins with players choosing a Hollywood-themed avatar, picking a color combination for the costume and then picking the buzz-in sound, which can go from a giggle to a burp, to an old-fashioned horn sound.

Single-player mode has two options – time builder (you answer questions correctly to build up points to gain time) and hot seat (you use the time accrued to answer as many questions as possible). Multiplayer is much more robust and part of the action even allows a player to act as the quiz master.

The multiplayer categories for for this iteration of the franchise are:

• Hollywood Stars: From directors to actors, genres to decades, you pick your favorite subject and answer tailored questions.

• Faster Finger: Buzz in fastest with the correct answer to gain points.

• Fact or Fiction: Is Jackie Chan a recording star in China? If you know the answer to that one, then you are ready for this category.

• Top Rank: Put four answers in the correct order the fastest to score the big points.

• Pie Fight: Buzz in fastest, get the answer right and you get to throw a pie at your opponents. Nail one of them twice and then are eliminated from the round.

• Rollover: Choose a category, answer a question and if you answer incorrectly, the points roll over to the next player in line to possibly get if they can answer their own question correct. If one question is worth 250 points and player A misses it, then player B’s question would be worth 500 points.

• Point Stealer: Buzz in fastest and answer correctly and you get points … from another player’s stockpile.

• Final Countdown: All points are converted into time and time ticks down while answering questions. The last one left standing wins. Answer incorrectly and more time comes off; answer correctly and time is added.

While most of the categories require quick fingers, having the right answer is more important. The questions themselves range from easy to hard, depending on the difficulty setting. The gameplay is basic and easy to understand for kids of all ages, though younger players may have a problem with answering some of the questions.

The game sports fun animations and hundreds of movie clips and celebrity photos. The prizes and awards are silly but done with tongue in cheek. The sound is decent in this game. Be prepared, though, for insults and other slaps in the face. This game abounds with cheap vocal shots, especially if you take too long to answer a question or answer incorrectly.

The Hollywood Quiz improves on the format first established with The Mega Quiz and really should cater to entertainment fans, but be prepared to be challenged. The range of questions date way back and run up to present movies and such. Still, if you are a fan of movies, you should do well – and your family may not allow you to play.

Gameplay: 7.5
An easy learning curve, rewarded with groans, glares, smirks, snickers and laughter – while this game centers on movies and is more of a niche game, it is a lot of fun to play.  

Graphics: 7.0
Not much improvement over the previous iteration, but nice movie clips help.

Sound: 7.0
Decent this time around, but not a starring role.  

Difficulty: Medium  

Concept: 7.0
Not that original, but if fun was included in the notion of a game concept, then this game does well.

Multiplayer: 8.5
This is where the game really shines. Single player is prep work, multiplayer is the pay-off.

Overall: 7.4
A fun family experience that tests showbiz and movie trivia, supporting it with solid clips and graphics. This is a party game and/or a family game that while it would appear to be a niche title, actually should have broad appeal.