LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: While people can apply to appear on TV gameshows, the chances are one in thousands and it might take you years to actually land a spot. A contestant from 'The Chase' recognized the opportunity in the mayhem and decided to bring the games to your screens.
Taotao Zhang, who was a contestant on the trivia show this year, created an online trivia game called 'PAR' which has already gone live and is available for trivia fans to try out. He has also shared that many 'Jeoaprdy!' contestants and champs have played the game and this gives fans an opportunity to interact with them as competitors.
What is 'PAR' about?
The official website for 'PAR', which is currently in its Beta stage, describes the game as "a free-to-play, trivia game that tests your trivia knowledge, deductive ability, and competitive fire." While the foundational format takes after basic games like chess or other simple online board games with the co-op feature, this is new for the world of trivia where you face off against a player and figure out a clue's answer within a given time limit. It can be called a mix of several game shows like 'Jeopardy!', 'Wheel of Fortune', etc.
In a Reddit post, the creator Zhang shared his vision for where he wants to take the trivia game. "A one-stop shop where you can play games against players of all levels from all around the world, in real-time, on-demand at any time of day," he listed on the thread. "A super dynamic viewing experience that can become a legit sports league (think fast-paced e-sport curated solely based on meritocracy)," he continued, hoping to make trivia a mjor e-sport one day.
Fans excited for 'PAR'
The Reddit post also announced one of its first tournaments that are open to public, though with a limited number of people. Many fans of trivia seem to be extremely excited to play the game from the comfort of their own homes. Even contestants of 'Jeopardy!' came forward to show their support for the online game.
Former contestant David Maybury wrote, "I’ve taken no small amount of beatings on this site, but it doesn’t change the fact it’s a really fun, accessible way to get into playing against really top-flight players. Fully endorse!" Another winner from the current season, Jesse Chin, wrote, "Par is super fun you guys! I need to start playing again!" Even Ben Chan, who was one of the biggest 'Jeopardy!' champs this season, wrote a "Count me in" to which the creator revealed that he had also taken part in the first tournaments held on the site.
A fan who has already tried the game wrote, "Not a J! alum, but I've tested this out recently, and it is *insanely* addictive (and I say that having lost like 70% of my games.) This is the most exciting development in online trivia that I've seen in years." Another shared, "I'll vouch for how fun the site is as well. It's fast paced and helps enormously with recall speed, something very important for anyone hoping to get on the show. I've found myself in games against five competitors from last year's TOC, but you can play against people from all different skill levels." Someone else said, "I’ve gotten my butt kicked by some of the best of the best, been on the app since alpha, and I 100% endorse the fun that is PAR. It’s got an amazingly wide range of topics and the whole community is super friendly. 10/10, will highly recommend!"
