Forty Year Fracas- Family Feud Decades Review

Let’s be upfront about this: most video game interpretations of game
shows aren’t very good. Mirroring the formula of the television programs
they are based on, these interactive recreations are typically low-cost
alternatives to big budget, narrative-based entertainment. Yet,
translations of a popular shows certainly have the potential to stir up a
rousing rivalry among a group of players. Gather a group of the most
unlikely gamers together and it’s a safe bet they’ll all know the rules
to Wheel of Fortune.

Beyond the aforementioned budgetary
limitations, game show translations repeatedly make puzzling design
choices. From versions of Jeopardy! which demand faultless spelling, to The Price is Right‘s
contestant row competitions which cycle through a dozen or so items,
developer inexperience seems like a widespread ailment. After creating
PC and console versions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Press Your Luck, and Hollywood Squares, developer Ludia has used their familiarity to craft Family Feud Decades.
Although better than most game show interpretations, the title still
succumbs to several perplexing slapdash decisions. Despite these gaffes,
forecasting audience responses to amusing queries proved to be
undeniably enjoyable- especially for non-gamers.


If this  family wins, you can bet they’ll spend the whole jackpot on hallucinogenics.


The game’s charming hook gives participants the ability to enjoy Family Feud
in four different eras.  Integrating clothing styles, set changes, and
question from the 1970’s through the 2000’s adds a dose of variety
missing from similar diversions. Just don’t expect avatars resembling
hosts Richard Dawson, Ray Combs, or Louie Anderson to mingle with the
virtual contestants- except for the game’s enthusiastic announcing
(which is a spot-on imitation of John O’Hurley’s) . While Family Feud‘s
superfluous socializing has been excised, it helps the game keep a solid
pace. Players do get a customize an avatar, with the game creating a
clan of similar-looking relatives.

In keeping with the source material, Decades
sporadically includes a madding, thick-witted, audience response. One
example: “Who would Superman most likely send a Christmas Card to?” The
third most popular response was “Clark Kent”; my playing party was
surprised to find out that the Man of Steel was so narcissistic. While
that problem is common to the television program, as few other blemishes
are initiated by the game’s developers. Family Feud‘s Versus
Mode allows two teams of up to four players to oppose one another by
passing the Wiimote along, but don’t expect the game to dutifully cue
participants when it’s their turn.  Worse, when a team enters the game’s
culminating Fast Money round, Decades fails to conceal the
answers for the second player. Teams which don’t win the round are given
a prize based on the final score; inexplicably the game requires
players to do the math, as a final dollar amount isn’t shown. Generally,
score are shown infrequently enough, that it can be hard to know which
team is in the lead. A simple picture-in-picture graphic could have
remedied that.


“My reactions might be a bit slow because I just wrestled a bear backstage.”


While these gaffes were disheartening, Decades does made some inspired
choices. Players aren’t required to type out their entire response.
After a few characters are input, the game will offer suggestions, which
players can then choose from. It’s a great time saver, even if the
mechanic might reveal additional answers or alert players that their
non-suggested responses will result in a demoralizing strike. In lieu of
button prompts preceding each player’s turn, Decade‘s tempo is
consistency fluid. Unlike many of its peers, there’s no spots where
players will be pounding their Wiimote buttons to skip a cinematic.

Ironically, Family Feud Decades toughest competition may be Ludia’s own
PS3 version of Family Feud. The PSN title runs at a higher resolution,
and sells for a third of Decade‘s price. While players may not have
access to grunge-themed attire and over-sized ‘fros, the savings can’t
be overlooked. Ironically, families (and groups of friends) without a
PS3, will probably have the most fun with the title. I wouldn’t expect a
feud, but rather a competently crafted sense of camaraderie. 

After 20  years of seeing family members falling down stairs,  the oversight was rectified.

Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

27 Comments

  1. Top Ten Answers on the Board.

    Name a failed or soon to be failed peripheral released this generation.

  2. This seems like a good DLC game but as a full-priced disk, I don’t know. Unless it’s $20…

  3. Did Ubisoft publisher the PSN one? Is not they’re getting a cut of the difference. Factor is disc, manual, the stores take and marketing and there you go. DLC FTW!

  4. I cant find another review on this game ANYWHERE on the net. I’m not even sure it exists….

  5. thanks for the review. I’m glad you didn’t tear it apart for not being another shooting game for hardcore players. Some of us like the more casual games.

  6. I agree. I’m glad you review these type of games as well. I don’t know if I have the reflexes to play Call of Duty.

  7. No way am I played $30.00 just to have a afro. BTW- Jeopardy is $4.99 on PSN right now.

  8. The greatest FF moment is where the girl is jumping around and her boob pops out.

    (link deleted: Please don’t post NSFW videos)

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