How to play
MovieQuest is a movie quiz about release years. A trailer plays, and you place the film on a timeline — before or after the films already on it. Whoever reaches the target score first wins.
What you need
- One device as the host — laptop, tablet or TV, as long as it has a screen and speakers. The trailers play through it.
- One phone per player. Nothing else: no app, no account, no sign-in.
For the host
- Open the page. Load MovieQuest on the device that will play the trailers.
- Start the game. Clicking “Start game” creates the room. You need no account – not with YouTube or anywhere else.
- Pick a playlist. The choice comes from the curated lists. The wider the spread of years, the better the game.
- Configure the game. Points, target score, stress mode, teaser mode and the bonus questions — all optional, the defaults are fine for a first round.
- Show the QR code. Players scan it and they are in. The code is also printed as a link below it.
- Play. Start the trailer, wait until everyone has submitted, show the result, next trailer. You set the pace.
- Finish. When someone reaches the target score, the final ranking appears by itself. "End game" stops the round at any time.
For players
- Join. Scan the QR code or open the link the host is showing.
- Enter a name. It appears on the ranking — pick one everyone can place.
- Watch. Film title and release year stay hidden. Just the trailer.
- Place it. Your phone shows your timeline. Drag the marker to where you think the film belongs — between two years, before them, or after them.
- Bonus questions, if you like. The film title and the second bonus question are worth one extra point each — but a wrong guess costs one. Leaving them blank is always allowed and costs nothing.
- Confirm. Your answer is locked in. If stress mode is on, the clock now runs for everyone else.
- Watch the result. Year, film title and film details are revealed, points are awarded, and a correctly placed film stays on your timeline.
Points
The defaults. The host can change every number before the start.
| For what | Points |
|---|---|
| Film placed correctly | 1 |
| Exact release year (instead of 1 point) | 3 |
| Second bonus question (director, lead actor, film score or studio) right / wrong | +1 / −1 |
| Bonus question film title right / wrong | +1 / −1 |
| Submitted first | 0 |
| Points to win | 10 |
A wrong placement costs nothing — the film simply does not join your timeline. Penalty points only come from guessed bonus questions.
Two extra modes
- Stress mode. As soon as the first answer arrives, a clock runs for everyone else — ten seconds by default. Whoever submits first can earn a bonus point for it.
- Teaser mode. Every trailer plays for a fixed time only, 30 seconds by default. Makes the round faster and harder.
Tips
- Watch the picture, not just the plot: image quality, effects, fashion, hairstyles and studio logos often give away the decade more clearly than the story.
- You do not need to know the year. It is enough to know whether the film is older or younger than the ones already on your timeline.
- Look at familiar faces: how old do the leads look? Careful with remakes and sequels — what counts is the release year of the film whose trailer is playing.
- On the bonus questions, restraint pays: a wrong guess costs exactly what a right one earns.
Sound on a speaker or receiver
The sound comes from the host's device. Over Wi-Fi you can send it to a receiver, a sound system or a TV – you set this up on the phone, not in MovieQuest. Bluetooth works as usual through the phone's Bluetooth settings.
iPhone and iPad: AirPlay
- Open Control Center: swipe down from the top-right corner.
- In the playback tile, tap the AirPlay icon (circles with a triangle).
- Choose your receiver – for example Apple TV, HomePod, Sonos or an AirPlay-enabled AV receiver.
Android: Google Cast
- TV or receiver with Chromecast: Open Quick Settings, tap “Screen Cast” or “Cast” – “Smart View” on Samsung – and choose the device. Sound and picture then play on the TV, and everyone can see the QR code in large.
- Speaker only, e.g. Nest: Open the Google Home app, tap the speaker and choose “Cast audio”.
- Android has no AirPlay. For a receiver that only supports AirPlay, Bluetooth is the way.
Menu names vary a little between manufacturers and versions.
Frequently asked
Do I need an account?
No – neither as a player nor as the host. No trailer plays on your phone, only the timeline. Picture and sound come solely from the host’s device.
Why does the trailer stop before the end?
An excerpt can be set for every trailer in the admin area – it usually ends before the title card so the film is not given away. In teaser mode each trailer also plays only for a fixed time.
How long does a game take?
With the defaults — ten points to win — usually twenty to thirty minutes. The target score turns that dial in both directions.
Can I lock my phone in between?
Better not. The page holds the connection to the game; if it closes, you have to open the link again. Your score survives that.