QwizShow review

QwizShow is a Facebook game from E-Axis Inc. It's been available since mid-2011, but is still being promoted via an ad in the "New Games" section of the social network's App Center, and claims to still be in beta. Just prior to Facebook's recent changes in data reporting, the game's MAU and DAU figures had been showing a large spike in growth, too. QwizShow, as the name suggests, is a trivia game, designed to be played live against other players. Like many other Facebook-based multiplayer quiz games, QwizShow allows players a particular number of free games per day, with more on offer to those who check back in regularly on the game via a "weekly bonus" mechanic. Additional games may also be purchased with Facebook Credits, and this is the only means through which the game monetizes. Users may optionally pay for a month of unlimited play to bypass the ticket system altogether for 300 Facebook Credits ($30). The QwizShow app is actually split into two distinct, separately-loading components. Initially, a lobby appears, allowing players to review their stats, purchase tickets and compare their performance against their friends. Once they have chosen a question category from the rather limited selection, however, the game proper loads. This takes a few seconds the first time it is played, but information is cached locally on the user's computer to make subsequent games much quicker to get up and running. Splitting the app in two seems like a somewhat cumbersome means of managing initial load times, but it doesn't significantly harm the experience. A game of QwizShow unfolds over three rounds of three multiple-choice questions each. Each question presents the players with three possible answers and gives them a limited time in which to respond. Correct answers win virtual money (which simply acts as a score) and gain a bonus according to how quickly they answered. Incorrect answers still earn $250 to help them remain competitive. All players can see who got the question correct and who got it wrong via a bar displaying players and their scores at the bottom of the screen. The second round sees players earning double points, and ends with a "Wager Question" in which players may bet up to their entire winnings up to this point. After this question, the top five players move on to the final round, in which each question earns triple the normal amount of points. After the third round is over, the game concludes and a winner is declared. A detailed results breakdown for all players may be viewed if desired, and if the player has beaten their own best high score or leveled up they are able to share this news with friends. The game also automatically shares the last question category played to the player's Activity feed on their Timeline. QwizShow is a good game that can get highly competitive, since the gradually-increasing bonuses over the course of a single game mean that everyone can remain in the running relatively easily. It's rare to see a game unfold with a foregone conclusion, which helps to keep things very exciting -- and will also help keep players coming back for more, too, as they attempt to beat their best scores. It would have been good to see some more direct interaction between players during a game -- perhaps with animated avatars or a chat facility -- but as it stands, the game still has a good feeling of competing against live opponents. The game looks likely to monetize well without being overly-obtrusive about asking for payments. Players who enjoy the game but don't wish to pay can have a satisfying experience with their free games per day; those who find themselves wanting to compete more have a variety of options to feed their habit, up to and including the ability to play as much as they like for a month. On the whole, then, QwizShow is a good example of a simple but quality Facebook game that seems to resonate well with its audience, and appears to be performing relatively well. It needs some expansion with additional content and it would also be good to see some additional social options during play, but overall it provides a very good experience for its players. QwizShow currently occupies the 50,000+ MAU tier at an MAU rank of 3,265, and the 5,000+ DAU tier at a DAU rank of 2,525. Follow its progress with AppData, our tracking service for social games and developers. Play A high-quality, highly playable and long-running quiz experience that still has what it takes to entertain its audience.

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QwizShow review

Pete Davison

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Pete Davison