The other finale is The Final Countdown, which, indeed, features the European '80s hit during its introduction. In this mode you'll get a timer based on your performance, so that the higher your score, the more time you'll have to answer questions as a clock ticks down. If you answer correctly, you'll get more time, and if you answer first, you'll get the most time added. If you're wrong, your time granted will diminish. It's certainly longer than Pie Fight, but more rewarding for trivia buffs.

The biggest obstacle that Buzz faces is its age. Although this title is the first to hit North America, it's the fourth in the series in its home country of the UK, where it released last Spring. Mechanically, it feels like an older game; that's in part because the series seems to have the same copy/paste approach that the SingStar games also have, in which specialized content is added to a fairly unchanged game engine. The action and pacing can be a bit slow at times; a big part of that seems to be loading, which is masked by Buzz and Rose's respective dialogue, although anyone playing near a PS2 can hear the system drive working furiously. As a result, it's a fun game, but it doesn't feel like a particularly fresh one, in spite of the obvious work spent localizing it for North American audiences.


In the end, Buzz! The Mega Quiz is a fun time that serves the PS2's newest identity transformation, that of the "system for party games," quite well. There are enough quiz questions to give it legs, and the buzzer system makes it easy for various players to jump in and try it out. The biggest problem that it faces, however, is its presentation. It's not bad, per se, but it feels fairly aged. This is an Americanized version of a two-year-old game, and it shows. The action is a bit slow, and what would have passed for "streaming load times" in 2005 is simply "characters talking while the next game loads loudly" in 2007. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a fun party game for PS2 and you haven't made the leap to HD, Buzz! The Mega Quiz is a great time-waster for you and your friends.