Disney's The D Show [Round 26] (PC) Playthrough

Playthrough of The D Show, Disney Interactive's 1998 trivia game for PCs running Windows.

🎯 Round 26

The D Show, released by Disney Interactive in 1998 for Windows 95/98, is a Disney-themed trivia game presented in the style of a tongue-in-cheek television program. Clearly influenced by the irreverent humor and fast-paced delivery of games like You Don’t Know Jack!, it distinguishes itself with the depth of its Disney knowledge, high production values, and an energetic presentation anchored by the recognizable voice of Disney announcer Mark Elliot.

The game is divided into 30 self-contained episodes, each structured as a three-round competition with questions spanning the breadth of Disney’s entertainment empire. Films, television shows, theme parks, and historical company trivia are all fair game, with topics ranging from the obvious to the highly obscure. Each question is fully voiced, and many are accompanied by lengthy video or audio clips pulled directly from Disney’s archives. These are not filler segments; they serve as integral parts of the clues, helping to create a sense of spectacle and polish unusual for trivia software of the era.

The presentation is fast-moving and playful, with a host who delivers questions and commentary with humor and the occasional gentle jab at the player. The sound design is rich, from the upbeat background music to the over-the-top correct and incorrect answer cues, all reinforcing the game-show atmosphere. The show’s theme song, deliberately over-the-animated and impossibly catchy, is the sort of jingle that can linger in memory long after play.

As a piece of software, The D Show is accessible and straightforward. Players can jump into any episode in any order, making it easy to sample or revisit favorite segments. While it is clearly targeted toward Disney fans, its blend of nostalgic clips and challenging questions offers appeal to trivia enthusiasts as well. However, the dated references and reliance on knowledge of late-20th-century Disney properties may limit its appeal for those unfamiliar with the era’s media.

In its time, The D Show stood out for marrying a TV-quality production to an interactive trivia format. It remains a curious and charming example of late-1990s multimedia PC gaming, encapsulating Disney’s brand of family-friendly entertainment with just enough wit and polish to engage players beyond its core audience.