PixlBit

Hollywood Squares is your typical video game based off of a quiz TV show. It's the show itself stripped down to the bare concept without any added flair.

The game's premise is identical to its TV counterpart: there are nine squares in total, each containing a celebrity, and players must compete with one another to create a line in classic Tic-Tac-Toe fashion. When players select a square, a question is given to the celebrity, and after they have answered, players have the opportunity to agree or disagree. Correctly identifying if the celebrity is right or wrong will put the player’s mark on the board, whereas failure will give their opponent the square.

There are two modes featured in the game, Single Player and Challenge Mode, which allows two players to compete head-to-head. Single Player mode is very straight-forward; players compete against an AI opponent through two rounds, and if successful, makes their way to the final round where they will answer nine questions in a row for the grand prize. There are a number of individual single player levels, all featuring one of several celebrities. As players successfully complete each level, they will unlock new clothing and accessory items to dress up their character. The two player multiplayer mode is nearly identical to the Single Player, with the exception of the bonus round, which is removed.

Unlike real Hollywood Squares, there is only one celebrity featured in each round. Selecting the center square triggers an on-screen movie snipped from an episode of Hollywood Squares featuring one of several celebrities commonly featured on the show, such as Brad Garrett and Kathy Griffin. The lack of celebrity interaction removes any personality from the game, as the humor is really what makes the real Hollywood Squares appealing. Not only does this remove the heart and soul from the game, but it also drastically shortens it, leaving players with five to seven minutes of gameplay per game. Tom Bergeron seems to have lent his voice to the game, which is nice given the limited appearance of celebrities otherwise.

Stripped of all the personality that makes its TV counterpart enjoyable, Hollywood Squares is a letdown, even for the market it was made for. Ultimately, without the humor, Hollywood Squares is nothing more than a trivia based tic-tac-toe game stuffed with questions that an eleven year-old could answer. With its incredibly short levels, restriction to only two players, and painfully bland presentation, even moms and grandmas won't be entertained.