Popular trivia game a decade in the making

By Denise I. O’Neal
Chicago Sun-Times Staff Writer



Total recall isn't required when playing The 80's Game, but the more you know about that decade, the better your chances of winning.

The game, based on pop culture from the 1980s, is getting high-fives across the board from trivia buffs.

Questions such as "Can you name two of the four actors who starred as undercover cops on the debut episode of '21 Jump Street'?" and "What movie contained the line, 'I'll have a Bloody Mary, a steak sandwich and a steak sandwich'? " will test players' memories. (The answers are: Holly Robinson, Johnny Depp, Peter DeLuise and Dustin Nguyen starred in the 1987 debut of "Jump Street," while the quoted line came from Chevy Chase in "Fletch" in 1985.)

Created by siblings Clay, Anne and Evan Siegert, who formed the New York-based company Intellinitiative, Inc. in 2001, the game was followed in 2002 by a version covering the 1970s and a recent release about the '90s. The 80's Game has proven to be the biggest seller of the three.

"The 1980s saw an explosion of pop culture, with cable TV, music videos and an expansion in the movie industry," said Clay Siegert.

The object of the game is to wind your way through the decade by providing the correct answers to some of the 3,000 questions related to pop culture and sports. The Siegerts recommend playing as teams, but the game can be contested by individual opponents.

Trivia buffs themselves, the siblings researched in depth the decades they have covered, putting six months to a year into each project.

"It was hard work, but it was a labor of love," Anne Siegert said.

"I really enjoy creating something that I can share with my family and friends and that others can enjoy," she added. "It makes my job awesome. I love it."

Originally distributed through specialty stores, The 80's Game received mass-market exposure when the company teamed with Target stores in late summer. More visibility for the product is coming on network television as it is featured on the first three episodes of the new CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men," starring Charlie Sheen.

The suggested retail price of the game is $29.95. In addition to Target and specialty stores, it can be found at Chicago-based retailer Gamers Paradise, 2828 N. Clark, (773) 549-1833.

Call (866) 752-9807; www.the80sgame.com.

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