Nostalgic quiz questions

A nostalgia round is the one part of a quiz where the whole room shouts at once, which is exactly what you want at a party.

Six rounds of ten below, with answers. Print them, read them out, and let people argue about the sweets round for the rest of the evening.

Round 1: 80s and 90s TV

• Which Saturday morning show featured a gunge tank called the Gunge Dunk? - Get Your Own Back.
• What was the name of the dog on Blue Peter in the 1990s? - Bonnie (or Mabel).
• Which children's show was presented from a broom cupboard? - Broom Cupboard (BBC children's continuity).
• In Byker Grove, which character was blinded by a paintball? - PJ.
• Which show gave contestants a Crystal? - The Crystal Maze.
• What was the name of the robot in Robot Wars that housed the house robots' pit? - The Pit (house robots included Sir Killalot).
• Which soap is set in Weatherfield? - Coronation Street.
• Who presented Noel's House Party? - Noel Edmonds.
• What colour was Zippy from Rainbow? - Orange.
• Which show featured Mr Blobby? - Noel's House Party.

Round 2: Music

• Which band released 'Wannabe' in 1996? - Spice Girls.
• Blur vs Oasis: which two singles went head to head in August 1995? - Country House and Roll With It.
• Who had the 1984 Christmas number one with 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - Band Aid.
• Which boy band sang 'Back for Good'? - Take That.
• What was the best-selling UK single of the 1990s? - Candle in the Wind 1997, Elton John.
• Which band's members included Damon Albarn? - Blur.
• Who sang 'Never Gonna Give You Up' in 1987? - Rick Astley.
• Which 90s dance act released 'Rhythm Is a Dancer'? - Snap!
• Which girl group released 'Never Ever' in 1997? - All Saints.
• Who released the album 'Definitely Maybe'? - Oasis.

Round 3: Sweets and snacks

• Which chocolate bar was renamed from Marathon in 1990? - Snickers.
• Which bar was renamed from Opal Fruits in 1998? - Starburst.
• What were Space Raiders famous for costing? - 10p.
• Which crisps came with a sachet of salt in a blue bag? - Salt 'n' Shake.
• Which fizzy sweet came in a tube with a plastic cap? - Refreshers (or Love Hearts).
• What flavour is a Wham bar traditionally? - Raspberry, with sherbet crystals.
• Which chocolate bar had the slogan 'a finger of...'? - Fudge.
• What were Panda Pops sold in? - Plastic bottles, usually at a school disco.
• Which ice lolly had a bubblegum nose? - Fab (or Screwball for the gum at the bottom).
• Where did you get pick and mix weighed into a paper bag? - Woolworths.

Round 4: Toys and games

• What was the virtual pet released by Bandai in 1996? - Tamagotchi.
• What did you collect and slam in a 1995 playground craze? - Pogs.
• Which console featured Sonic the Hedgehog? - Sega Mega Drive.
• What did you blow into to fix a cartridge? - The cartridge connector (Nintendo/Mega Drive).
• Which mobile game involved a growing line on a Nokia? - Snake.
• Which toy was a furry robot released in 1998? - Furby.
• What was the name of the Argos catalogue's nickname? - The laminated book of dreams.
• Which yo-yo brand dominated the late 90s craze? - Yomega (also Duncan).
• What did you use a pencil for, in relation to a cassette? - Rewinding the tape.
• Which building toy came with a Technic range? - Lego.

Round 5: School days

• What machine used acetate sheets in classrooms? - Overhead projector.
• Which computer was in most 80s British schools? - BBC Micro.
• What was the standard PE kit punishment for forgotten kit? - Lost property kit.
• What was written on the front of an exercise book, always? - Name, class and subject.
• What was Tuck Shop currency in most schools? - Coins, usually 10p and 20p.
• What did the milk crate outside classrooms hold? - Third-of-a-pint milk bottles.
• What did you sign on the last day of school? - Shirts and autograph books.
• What was the mandatory school disco closing song? - Slow dance, usually a ballad.
• Which sport involved a beanbag and a hoop in primary PE? - Beanbag relay.
• What was written in a rough book? - Everything you weren't supposed to keep.

Round 6: Picture-round prompts (read aloud)

• Describe: a modem connecting. What decade? - 1990s dial-up internet.
• Describe: a chunky grey games console with a cartridge slot. - Sega Mega Drive or SNES.
• Describe: a small egg-shaped pet with three buttons. - Tamagotchi.
• Describe: a portable tape player with orange headphones. - Sony Walkman.
• Describe: a red and yellow plastic car for toddlers. - Little Tikes Cozy Coupe.
• Describe: a teletext page of football scores. - Ceefax page 302.
• Describe: a paper bag of sweets weighed at a till. - Woolworths pick and mix.
• Describe: a boot-shaped throwing contest. - Welly wanging.
• Describe: a large catalogue with folded corners in December. - Argos catalogue.
• Describe: a brick-sized phone with a green screen. - Nokia 3210 or 3310.

Shop party supplies

How to write it so it lands

• Write the answer sheet before you read a single question. It halves the disputes.
• Include a joker round that doubles a team's score - it keeps last place interested.
• Tailor one round to the birthday person's tenth year. It becomes the round people talk about.

Where to shop next

• Old fashioned party games
• Playground games we all played
• Classic British pub games
• Family card games
• Rainy day activities
• Garden games for a party
• Growing up in the 80s and 90s
• Nostalgic quiz questions
• Party supplies
• Work party ideas
• Celebration ideas
• Milestone birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

How many questions should a quiz round have?

Ten. Six rounds of ten runs about ninety minutes with a break, which is the right length for a party quiz.

What makes a good nostalgia quiz round?

Questions everyone can half-answer. The fun is the shouting and the arguing, so aim for recognisable rather than obscure.

What are good prizes for a party quiz?

Small and daft - a pin badge, a bag of retro sweets, a bar of chocolate. Big prizes make people competitive in the wrong way.