If You Answer 20/35 Correctly You Belong In The 90s
- by Kevin Stewart
- – on
- in Lifestyle
For those of us who experienced them, the 1990s really do seem just like yesterday. However, the truth is, nearly two decades have passed since they ended (seriously, can you believe that?!).
That being said, the 90s was a decade that will never be forgotten. The movies, television shows, music, video gaming, fashion, and pretty much everything else about the 90s were extremely memorable.
But how much do you remember about the last decade of the twentieth century?
Could you recognise a 1990s movie from a single screenshot? Could you instantly recognise the theme tune of a 1990s television show just by seeing a few lyrics? Do you know your Sega Saturn from your Sony PlayStation? Can you list all of Britney Spears' early music work?
Well, we're about to find out the answer to a number of questions just like those ones. If you can answer 20/35 of these correctly, you definitely belong in the 90s.
Which iconic 1990s movie is this?
This movie was released in 1999. It was a science fiction action movie that quickly became a classic. It was directed by The Wachowskis and starred Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano. The movie was set in a dystopian future in which the reality that most humans perceived was a simulated one. The simulated reality was created by sentient machines to control the human population, while the humans' dormant body heat was used as a power source. But which iconic 1990s movie is it?
Which video game character became a pop culture icon after her debut in Tomb Raider?
This video game character made her debut in 1996's action-adventure game Tomb Raider and quickly became an iconic figure in pop culture as a whole. She is a buxom gun-wielding bad-ass who is loved, in particular (but not only), by the male population. Her popularity is such that she has appeared in movies based on the Tomb Raider games, portrayed by the equally iconic Angelina Jolie. Swedish actress Alicia Vikander will portray her in the upcoming movie reboot, which is due for release in 2018.
"Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down" were the opening lyrics to the theme tune of which sitcom?
"Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside, and I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, I'll tell you how I became..." We'll stop there before we give the title away! But this 1990s sitcom starred Will Smith as a young man from Philadelphia who moved across the United States to live with his family, because his mother was worried about the trouble he was getting himself into while hanging out on the streets in his hometown. Which sitcom was it?
What was the name of this digital pet toy?
Children of the 1990s lost almost as many hours playing with these things as the children of today lose on the internet! The handheld, egg-shaped digital pet toys were all the rage in the mid to late 90s. Owners were presented with hatchlings of various descriptions that they then had to feed, water, play with and allow to sleep in order to keep them "alive". Nothing was more tragic than the moment a dedicated user was informed that their virtual pet had passed away!
Which of these was not a Spice Girls' nickname?
Formed in 1994, the Spice Girls were one of the most popular pop music acts on the planet in the 1990s. Victoria Adams, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell made up the British group who had massive success with singles like "Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Mama", "Who Do You Think You Are", "Spice Up Your Life", "Too Much", "Stop" and "Viva Forever". Each of the girls had a nickname, but do you know which one of these wasn't a Spice Girls' nickname?
Where did Buffy take place?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of the most popular television shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is, in fact, still very popular to this day, with comic books continuing the story of the show. It was created by Joss Whedon and starred Sarah Michelle Gellar in the titular role of Buffy Summers. Buffy fought vampires, demons, ghosts, monsters, robots, witches and everything that the world of evil threw at her. What town was the show set in?
The original five Power Rangers went by which names?
Power Rangers is a popular media franchise that has been around since 1993. Such is its popularity that a rebooted movie was released earlier this year. The original show - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - featured five Rangers to begin with; Red, yellow, black, pink and blue. But can you remember what the names of the original five Power Rangers were? All we're prepared to confirm is that the original team consisted of three males and two females (which doesn't really help at all!).
What popular children's game was this?
Back in the 1990s, children were still playing with toys that weren't electrical, digital or virtual - and these were a prime example of that. They were essentially milk caps with designs on them. Players would stack them up and throw the heavier "slammer" pieces at them. Any cap that turned over was won by the player doing the "slamming". Players would take turns until all the caps had turned over. At that point, the player who turned the most over was deemed to have won that game.
The Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II fight saw Tyson bite which part of Holyfield's body?
In 1996, Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield and "Iron" Mike Tyson fought for the first time, with Holyfield winning by TKO. A year later, a far more controversial rematch took place, with Holyfield winning by disqualification after Tyson did the most bizarre and unthinkable thing - he bit his opponent, removing a chunk of flesh and spitting it onto the canvas. But can you remember which part of Evander Holyfield's body Mike Tyson took a chunk out of with his teeth?
A popular hairstyle amongst females in the 1990s was named after a Friends character. What was the hairstyle called?
Another popular hairstyle in the 1990s was named after a character from a very popular television show - Friends. This particular hairstyle was, in hindsight, a lot less embarrassing than many others from the same era. It was for women and its name referred to a bouncy layered shag that was inspired by the way a certain character wore her hair on the American sitcom between 1994 and 1996. But can you remember which character it was named after and, therefore, what this particular hairstyle was called?
Which of these songs isn't by Oasis?
The 1990s saw the emergence of a music and culture movement in the UK that came to be known as Britpop. It had stylistic origins in music genres and movements such as alternative rock, the Madchester scene, baggy glam rock and punk rock, and it featured a very recognisable sound, as well as some instantly recognisable fashion and style traits, such as floppy, choppy and scruffy hair, with a sports casual dress sense. A cheeky attitude was also essential to be considered a part of the scene.
Diana, Princess of Wales died in 1997. What happened?
In 1997, the much beloved former member of the British royal family, Diana, Princess of Wales, tragically died. A worldwide period of mourning took place afterwards and Diana's close friend, Sir Elton John, released a reworded version of Candle in the Wind as a tribute to her (he sang it at her funeral and it's the second highest selling single of all time behind Bing Crosby's White Christmas, as well as the highest selling single since the charts began). But can you remember how Diana actually died?
Everyone remembers "...Baby One More Time" as Britney Spears' first single, but which of these was her second?
In 1998, former star of The Mickey Mouse Club, Britney Spears, made a huge impact in the world of pop music with her debut single "...Baby One More Time". The video is remembered for Spears being dressed like a schoolgirl and dancing around in a school. The song was at the top of the charts in countless countries around the world and everyone remembers it as Spears' first hit. But can you remember which single she released immediately after it?
Which Jim Carey movie featured him in a Hawaiian shirt?
In the 1990s, the hilarious comedian and actor Jim Carrey rose to prominence and became a bona fide global superstar with a series of mesmerising performances in some brilliant movies. Four of his biggest movies of the 1990s were undoubtedly the superhero movies The Mask and Batman Forever, and the iconic comedy movies Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Which one has him sporting a small pompadour and a Hawaiian shirt while running after animals and being generally weird?
What was this popular novelty bracelet called?
Oh lordy, do you remember these pointless monstrosities? They were colourful bracelets that were made of of flexible stainless steel spring bands. The bands were sealed within a fabric, silicone or plastic cover and, when hit against the wearer's wrist, they would coil around said wrist to make a very tacky accessory. They were actually initially popular in the 1980s, but arguably more so when they reappeared in the 1990s. But can you remember what these novelty bracelets were actually called?
What happens in the first episode of South Park?
South Park is an incredibly popular cartoon that is right up there with the likes of The Simpsons and Family Guy in terms of its popularity. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the show still airs today, having first been shown on screens around the world in the 1990s. It follows the exploits of four friends - Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny - and their fellow South Park inhabitants. But can you remember what actually happened in the very first episode?
Pixar Animation Studios released their first movie in the 1990s, what was it?
Pixar Animation Studios is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company that was actually established in 1978 as part of George Lucas' Lucasfilm company. However, its first feature film was only released in the mid-1990s. It has since been responsible for a plethora of incredibly popular movies like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Cars, Inside Out, Brave, WALL-E, Monsters, Inc., The Good Dinosaur and Up. But can you remember which brilliant feature film was their first? Here's a hint: It was released in 1995.
United States president Bill Clinton famously had an affair with this lady. What was her name?
When he was the President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton admitted to having had what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a much younger woman while she was working as an intern at the White House in 1995 and 1996 (you may remember the cigar story involving her). The woman in question, who is now 44-years-old, has gone on to become an activist, television personality and fashion designer. But can you remember what the name of Bill Clinton's "dirty little secret" was?
The 1994 FIFA World Cup took place in which country?
The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world - and the 1990s played host to three of them (1990, 1994 and 1998). 1990's World Cup was held in Italy, 1998's World Cup was held in France, but do you know which country 1994's World Cup was held in? Brazil won the final on penalties, defeating Italy, with the likes of Romario, Bebeto and Dunga starring for Brazil. Roberto Baggio missed the decisive penalty for Italy.
Who famously appeared in this Wonderbra advert during the product's resurgence?
The Wonderbra is a type of push-up underwire brassiere that was registered as a trademark in 1955, but only truly gained worldwide distinction in the 1990s. The reason for that prominence was a very memorable advert that appeared on billboards and in magazines around the world in 1994. The advert in question featured a gorgeous Czech model wearing a Wonderbra - perfectly showing off its bust-boosting effects - and featured the caption "Hello boys". Can you remember which Czech model appeared in the advert though?
What was the name of the first mammal - a sheep - cloned from an adult somatic cell, using the process of nuclear transfer?
In 1996, on the 5th of July, the first mammal ever to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, via the extremely complex process of nuclear transfer, came into this world. The animal in question was a sheep and was cloned by Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell (amongst others) at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. The biotechnology company PPL Therapeutics, which is based near Edinburgh, were also heavily involved. Funding for the project was provided by PPL Therapeutics and the UK's Ministry of Agriculture. Can you remember the sheep's name?
Which failed video game console is this?
The 1990s saw the launch of loads of truly great video game consoles that will long be remembered - the SNES, the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64, for example - but not all of the consoles released in the 90s were quite so successful. Just by looking at this one picture, can you name this failed console, which was released in 1994 in Japan - a mere matter of weeks after Sony's PlayStation and a month after the Sega Saturn - and discontinued in 1998?
Who is said to have popularised the curtained haircut for men?
The 1990s played host to some very questionable haircuts (don't all decades?), one of which was the curtained haircut for men. It had a parting down the middle, which resulted in the fringe resembling curtains, but was it said to have originally been popularised by Edward Furlong in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, by Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, by Leonardo DiCaprio in Critters 3, or by soccer superstar David Beckham during his time playing for Manchester United in the English Premier League?
How much did Titanic initially gross worldwide?
Titanic was an epic romance-disaster movie from 1997 that was directed, written, produced and co-edited by James Cameron. It starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and told the true story of the tragic maiden voyage of the titular ship. For many years (pre-Avatar which grossed $2.788 billion), it was the highest-grossing movie of all time. Its 3D re-release in 2012 increased its worldwide gross to $2.18 billion. But do you know exactly how much it had originally grossed worldwide prior to said re-release?
This man took over from Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. What was his name?
One of the most famous politicians of recent times, Margaret Thatcher - the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - resigned from her role in 1990. Whether you loved her or hated her (and plenty of people did both), her impact on world politics was undeniable throughout the 1980s. Someone had to take her place as both leader of the Conservative Party and of the United Kingdom. But can you remember which man prevailed over Michael Heseltine in the ballot to determine who did so?
Construction of the International Space Station started in the 1990s, but in which year was its first component launched into space?
We all know of the International Space Station (or the ISS for short). It's a space station (obviously) - also known as a habitable artificial satellite - that can be found in low Earth orbit. It is now the largest thing made by man that can be found in low Earth orbit and it can often be seen with the naked eye by looking up to the sky at night. Its first component was launched into space in the 1990s, but do you know which year that happened?
Who won the last Men's Singles Championship of the 1990s at Wimbledon?
The 1990s played host to some fantastic matches at the Wimbledon tennis championships - including some memorable finals in the Men's Singles competition. The legend that is Roger Federer made his debut and the equally legendary Pete Sampras dominated for the most part. But do you know who won the last Men's Singles final of the 1990s at Wimbledon in 1999? Was it one-time champion Goran Ivanisevic, one-time champion Richard Krajicek, seven-time champion Pete Sampras or one-time champion Andre Agassi?
Which of these superheroes did NOT have a movie in the 1990s?
Superhero movies are, of course, absolutely huge at the moment. Iron Man, Superman, Batman, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Thor, the Hulk, Wonder Woman and countless others are doing their thing on the big screen - and they're raking in billions of dollars in doing so. But superhero movies were fairly popular in the 1990s too. They were a mixed bag in terms of their quality, but characters from Marvel, DC and indeed various other comic book companies had movies of their own. Which of these superheroes did NOT have a movie in the 1990s?
Which WWF faction turned up outside a filming of WCW Monday Nitro?
In the late 1990s, a war began between WWF (now WWE) and WCW. WWF's Raw show aired on the same night as WCW's Nitro show and this became known as the Monday Night War. On one particular occasion, WWF sent one of its most iconic wrestling factions to the location that Nitro was filming and aired a segment there. The faction turned up in an army vehicle dressed in army clothes. But which WWF faction was it that turned up there?
Who is this one-hit wonder?
A "one-hit wonder" is someone who achieves fame through a single piece of work. It is most heavily associated with musicians who get famous because of one song, then never achieve anywhere near that level of success again. That is the case with this man. In 1991, he reached the top 10 of the U.S. singles charts and the very top of the U.K. singles charts. His song "The One and Only" is incredibly catchy. But what is this one-hit wonder's name?
What was Hanson's second single called?
Hanson are an American rock band who are still making music to this day. They are brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac. They first gained popularity in 1997 with their incredibly catchy (and somewhat irritating) single "MMMBop". No single of theirs has been anywhere near as successful since then - but that's not through a lack of trying! In the 1990s alone, they released another five singles after MMMBop. But do you know which of these followed it directly and became their second single?
What year was the first Harry Potter novel released?
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter is one of the most successful media franchises of all time. The movies - of which there were eight between 2001 and 2011 - brought in billions of dollars. But the movies were, of course, based on a series of books that were written a few years prior to each of the movies. The first book - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - was released in the 1990s. Can you remember which year it was released?
Which of these sequels was released in the 1990s?
Like any other decade, the 1990s saw the release of a number of movies that spawned sequels. Four of those movies were Toy Story, Mission: Impossible, Urban Legend and Scream - the quantity and quality of the sequels in question that followed being mixed to say the least. Of the four sequels listed here, do you know which one of them was released in the last year of the 1990s (1999) and NOT in the first year of the new millennium (2000)?
How many times do you have to say "Candyman" to make him appear?
The 1990s wasn't exactly renowned for horror movies - not like the 1980s when slasher horror was absolutely in its prime - but there were a few gems. 1992's Candyman was a terrifyingly good example, with the brilliant Tony Todd in the titular role. It spawned two sequels - 1995's Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and 1999's Candyman: Day of the Dead respectively - but can you remember how many times Candyman's name had to be spoken whilst facing a mirror to summon him?
The Gulf War was started when Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded which country?
The Gulf War - which was code-named Operation Desert Shield - was a conflict undertaken by coalition forces (from no less than 35 nations) that were led by the United States) against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. The war was a retaliation to Iraq's invasion of a neighbouring Middle-Eastern nation, which supposedly occurred due to the country in question stealing Iraqi petroleum via slant drilling (something that is questionable to say the least). But can you remember which county it was that Iraq invaded?