Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Ben Stein: It’s Trivial revolves around a deceptively simple premise — answer multiple-choice trivia questions across four categories to rack up points and outsmart Ben Stein himself. Each correct answer propels you through three escalating difficulty rounds, while wrong answers threaten to send your streak tumbling. The real twist comes in the form of “Bonus Lightning Questions,” which can boost your multiplier and lock in your hard-earned points if you manage to answer them correctly.

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As you progress, you’ll also keep an eye on Cheex the Monkey, precariously perched on a vine above the jungle floor. Each question you tackle influences whether Cheex inches closer to safety or peril. If gravity gets the better of him, you lose your current round’s accumulated points unless you’ve banked them beforehand. This risk-versus-reward loop injects a satisfying tension into what might otherwise be a straightforward trivia title.

Between rounds, you have the option to either secure your haul or take a gamble by sending Cheex on “steal missions” to purloin items from Ben Stein’s personal “stuff.” This cheeky mini-game is presented as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the App Store, complete with witty descriptions and collectible prizes. Collect all of Ben’s belongings across roughly 150 rounds, and you’ll claim ultimate bragging rights by officially “beating” Ben Stein.

Graphics

Visually, Ben Stein: It’s Trivial embraces a playful, cartoon-inspired aesthetic that works beautifully on the iPhone and iPod Touch screens. The star attraction is undoubtedly the bobble-head caricatures of Ben Stein and Cheex the Monkey, which sway and bob in response to your device’s tilt and movement. This tilt-sensitive animation adds a layer of interactivity that keeps the visuals feeling fresh and alive.

The user interface is clean and intuitive, with bold category icons, easily readable question text, and a vibrant color palette that helps maintain focus during rapid-fire rounds. Backgrounds are simple yet charming, evoking a lighthearted game-show atmosphere without overshadowing the trivia content. Subtle sound effects accompany each correct or incorrect response, reinforcing the game’s playful tone.

While this isn’t a high-end console title, the consistent art style and smooth animations deliver plenty of charm. The caricatures themselves are drawn with just enough detail to be instantly recognizable, and their exaggerated expressions—surprise, smugness, frustration—help inject personality into every question. Overall, the graphics serve the game’s quirky sense of humor and fast-paced nature admirably.

Story

Don’t expect a deep narrative arc in Ben Stein: It’s Trivial—this is trivia pure and simple—but there is a fun, overarching premise that ties the rounds together. Ben Stein plays the stoic host, delivering dry one-liners and comedic quips in his trademark monotone. Meanwhile, Cheex the Monkey acts as both your sidekick and your scoreboard, dangling from a vine that visually tracks your progress.

The game’s “story” is essentially a playful heist: as you advance, you’re granted opportunities to have Cheex swipe personal items from Ben Stein’s belongings via a spoof App Store interface. Each item comes with a humorous description—Ben’s lucky tie, his collection of economics textbooks, a novelty gavel—and collecting them all becomes a long-term goal that frames the trivia challenges in a lighthearted rivalry.

Even though the narrative is minimal, the interplay between host, contestant, and cheeky monkey builds enough personality to keep you invested over multiple sessions. The parody elements—award-style badges, fake app icons, and tongue-in-cheek reward descriptions—are cleverly woven into the trivia framework, giving an otherwise standard question-and-answer loop a memorable thematic twist.

Overall Experience

Ben Stein: It’s Trivial strikes a delightful balance between educational challenge and casual fun. The voice talent of Ben Stein lends an air of authenticity and humor, while Cheex’s precarious vine antics add genuine stakes to each question. Whether you’re a trivia aficionado or simply love a good pick-up-and-play app, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here.

The game’s structure—over 1,200 questions, four categories, three difficulty tiers, bonus lightning rounds, and collectible “steals”—ensures strong replay value. Even after dozens of rounds, you’ll continue encountering fresh questions and steadily unlocking new in-game items. The tilt-reactive bobble-heads and cheeky parody store are small touches that elevate the experience beyond a run-of-the-mill quiz game.

Ideal for quick solo sessions or friendly trivia showdowns, Ben Stein: It’s Trivial is a polished, engaging title that makes excellent use of the iPhone/iPod Touch hardware. Its accessible gameplay, charismatic voice work, and playful graphics combine to deliver a trivia package that’s both informative and entertaining—perfect for anyone looking to test their knowledge and have a few laughs along the way.

Retro Replay Score

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