Q 01/05

What did University of Illinois researchers build by networking 70 PS2 consoles together?

A) A flight simulator

B) A weather radar

C) A supercomputer

D) A video wall

Answer · why

C) A supercomputer

A supercomputer took shape when the university's computing center ran the consoles as a single cluster for scientific work. Its director called the ma...

Q 02/05

Japan put export controls on the PS2 in 2000 over fears its chips could power what?

A) Missile guidance

B) Nuclear reactors

C) Spy satellites

D) Code-breaking machines

Answer · why

A) Missile guidance

Missile guidance relies on processing high-quality images quickly, the very job the console was built for. Shipping more than one machine out of Japan...

Q 03/05

In the PS2's Japanese launch period, the best-selling disc was not a game but a DVD of which film?

A) Titanic

B) The Matrix

C) Toy Story 2

D) Armageddon

Answer · why

B) The Matrix

The Matrix outsold every launch game because many early buyers wanted the console mainly as an affordable DVD player. Launch software was thin on the ...

Q 04/05

Which demon-hunting PS2 series starring Dante began life as an early concept for Resident Evil 4?

A) Devil May Cry

B) Dino Crisis

C) Castlevania

D) Ghosts 'n Goblins

Answer · why

A) Devil May Cry

Devil May Cry became its own game once Capcom's staff felt the project no longer fit their horror franchise. Its director based it loosely on the Ital...

Q 05/05

Kingdom Hearts began as a chance elevator pitch from a Square producer to which company's executive?

A) Pixar

B) Nintendo

C) Disney

D) DreamWorks

Answer · why

C) Disney

Disney and Square once had offices in the same Tokyo building, which let producer Shinji Hashimoto make his pitch between floors. The game reached the...