Why do people love playing trivia games so much? When you think about it this is a form of entertainment that can make you feel like a know-it-all, or a complete idiot if you get the answer to a simple question wrong. It can be one of the most frustrating games to play if you are a sore loser, yet it seems that losing is what fuels the obsession. That and our competitive nature.

How Did Trivia Games Become so Popular?
The history of games that are based on questions about everything from general knowledge to scientific facts has been around for decades. Most people that never played a trivia board game may have mistaken these highly addictive games as quizzes that only college students or nerds would enjoy, but that has changed.

With all of the television shows that have used the question and answer concept came a new appreciation of trivia games. Have you ever sat in front of your tv set and yelled out answers? Well, you are not alone and with technology everyone is getting in on the fun. The Internet changed the way we think about these mentally challenging games, and with the introduction of social sites and smart-phones came a surge of new players.

Today you can download trivia apps for the iPhone and enjoy playing alone, or you can challenge others in multi-player games to test your knowledge. Most of these apps have leader boards and everyone is trying to beat the top scores.

So, what are some of the trivia games that people are downloading and playing on their iPhone?

Trivia Burst:
With this iPhone app you can add your own photo, choose a difficulty level, set the number of questions you want for each game, and you can turn challenge privacy off or leave it on. With it on you can get notifications when someone wants to compete against you. Challenge friends on Facebook or start a group, you will never run out of people to play with. There are several categories to choose from, but think fast because you only have 30 seconds to answer. Trivia Burst is addictive, and the app keeps track of your game-play data and scores.

Ben Stein: It’s Trivial:
This is a fast paced trivia game with an interesting twist; the co-host is Cheex a monkey. Answer questions and rack up points while Cheex climbs up the vine to win you some bonus points, but this monkey is on a mission to steal Ben’s possessions. The graphics are excellent, plus touch screen and shake controls. There are bonus and lightening rounds, and some cool prizes to unlock.

Trivia Pursuit:
This trivia game is unique in style, roll the die and move around the wheel shaped board answering questions. Set up your profile; select your difficulty level and time limits. This iPhone app has touch screen and shake control which is cool for rolling the die. Play alone or in Wi-Fi multi-player mode. Download additional game packs and increase your knowledge.

Cash Cab:
This game is hot, like the tv show you ride in the back seat of a cab in NY answering general knowledge questions that the driver asks. Select a friend and a destination, and when the meter starts its trivia time. The questions get harder and the stakes get higher with each correct answer. Three strikes and you’re out. The application even has the Red Light round.

Scene It? Movies 2:
You don’t have to be a movie buff to enjoy this interactive trivia game, but you do need to be quick. The app can be customized and expanded with additional trivia packs. Play alone or share the screen and challenge friends in party play. Wage your winnings or ace quizzes with a power up.

So, what do you get when you add trivia apps to your iPhone? The most addictive and mind challenging games available.

Author John Fisher is an avid fan of trivia questions, and enjoys games and activities including movie trivia.