After launching the game (press the spacebar to skip the logo sequence if desired), you are arrive at the main menu where you can either start the game or first set game options.
Press or click "O" to access the options menu. Here you can set the audio volume and/or select to play the game in full screen or windowed mode. The resolution of the game is by default 640x480.
Getting started
When the game begins, listen to the host's instructions and follow the on-screen prompts. You will first need to tell the host how many players are playing the game. Type or click 1, 2, 3 or 4. Each player will then need to type his or her name and press Enter.
Next, each player needs to select one of four possible tokens to represent them during the game. The current token is shown on the middle of the screen inside a giant skull. When it's your turn to select a token, press the left and right arrows on your keyboard (or click the B and F keys on the screen) to view additional tokens. When you see a token you like, type or click A (Accept) or press Enter to play with that token.
Next, players are shown their "buzz-in" keys.
You're asked to decide what type of game you want to play. Type or click L (Lucky 7) to play a 7-question game, or type or click U (Unlucky 13) to play a longer 13-question game.
Playing the game
A game consists of either 7 or 13 questions.There are four different types of questions in the game (see below).
Each player has been assigned a "buzz-in" key on the keyboard; either Z, M, up arrow, or +; these keys are pre-selected to give all players enough space on the same keyboard. You answer questions by either buzzing in or by buzzing in and then selecting the correct answer (depending on the question type). Even if you're playing by yourself, you still need to buzz in. Don't worry if you forget which key to use; your token will show a picture indicating your buzz-in key.
Each question is worth a certain amount of money, which is shown before the question appears; later questions are worth more money. After all the questions are finished, the player with the most money wins the game!
You can quit the game at any time; press the Esc key on your keyboard, type or click Q (Quit), then type or click E (Exit). You can also press the Esc key to pause the game or change game options; type or click R (Resume) to return to the game.
Question types
Ripley's Believe It or Not has four types of questions: - Things You Shouldn't Know
- Believe It or Not
- Odditorium
- Things You Shouldn't See
Your first question in the game will always be a Things You Shouldn't Know question, and your last question will always be a Things You Shouldn't See question.
Things You Shouldn't Know questions
This is a trivia question about Ripley's lore. The host reads an introduction to the question, and a question then appears on the screen.
Example: Which of the following can NOT be seen from orbit?
1. The Great Wall of China
2. The Luxor hotel in Las Vegas
3. The Island of Maui
4. The pyramids of the Giza Plateau
If you think you know the correct answer, buzz in, then select your answer by typing 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the keyboard. If you're correct, you'll win money; if you're wrong, you'll lose money, and the remaining players will get a chance to buzz in and try to guess one of the remaining answers.
Believe It Or Not! questions
Think you know every little obscure fact in the Ripley's catalog? This is the question for you. The host may read a short introduction, and then a number of short statements will appear on the screen. for these questions, all players play at the same time. when a statement appears on the screen, each player can vote on whether he or she believes it (believes that the statement is true) or not.
If you believe the statement, press your buzz-in key once to select "Believe it". If you don't believe the statement, press your buzz-in key twice to select "Don't believe it". If you don't want to vote, do nothing. To change your answer or to remove your vote, press your buzz-in key until your choice appears above your token.
If you're correct, you win money; if you're wrong, you lose money. If you don't vote, you won't win or lose any money. This question ends when all the statements have appeared once.
Odditorium questions
In this game you are shown a picture and asked to guess what it represents. The host narrates five possible descriptions of the picture, one at a time. As he describes them, a short headline appears summarizing each description.
When you hear a description you think is correct, try to be the first to buzz in, then select your answer by typing 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 on your keyboard. You might want to wait for all the answers to be listed before buzzing in, because you can only select answers that have been displayed.
When a player answers, the other players will get a chance at some bonus cash by voting on whether or not they believe the answer (winning or losing less money than the player who answered). If you believe the player's answer, press your buzz-in key once to select "Believe it". If you don't believe the statement, press your buzz-in key twice to select "Don't believe it". If you don't want to vote, do nothing. To change your answer or to remove your vote, press your buzz-in key until your choice appears above your token.
If the answer is correct, the player that buzzed in wins money, as does any player who voted to believe the answer. Any player who voted to disbelieve the answer loses money. If the answer is incorrect, the player who buzzed in loses money, as does any player who believed the answer. Any player who disbelieved the answer wins money.
In the case of an incorrect answer, the question stays on the screen, and any players who did not previously participate (either by buzzing in or voting) will be given a chance to try and answer the question.
Things You Shouldn't See questions
In this quick-response question, a phrase appears on the screen, and a number of pictures (straight from Robert I. Ripley's archives) appear rapid-fire on the screen. Only one picture matches the phrase on the screen.
At the exact moment you see a picture you think matches the given phrase, buzz in. If you're the first person to buzz in, you win money if your answer is correct, and you lose money if your answer is wrong; then a new phrase appears on the screen.
There are five phrases total; these will continue to appear until all the correct pictures have been guessed or time runs out.
