1980s Trivia Quiz: 50 Questions to Test Your Knowledge

Which 1980 movie featured the famous line, “I am your father”?

Darth Vader reveals the truth about Luke Skywalker’s parentage during their confrontation in Cloud City.

What was the first music video shown on MTV?

The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first video broadcast by MTV when the network launched in 1981.

Which 1982 movie featured the line “E.T. phone home”?

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became one of the defining blockbuster movies of the decade.

Who released the album Thriller in 1982?

Michael Jackson’s Thriller became one of the most successful albums in recording history.

Which arcade character spends the game eating dots while avoiding ghosts?

Pac-Man became an enormous arcade phenomenon after arriving in the United States in 1980.

What type of car was the time machine in Back to the Future?

Doc Brown transformed a stainless-steel DeLorean DMC-12 into his time machine.

Which singer was known as the “Material Girl” during the 1980s?

Madonna’s 1984 hit “Material Girl” became one of the songs most closely associated with her early career.

Which puzzle toy became a massive craze during the early 1980s?

The colorful twisting puzzle became an international phenomenon during the early 1980s.

In The Karate Kid, what unusual training chore does Mr. Miyagi have Daniel perform?

The famous “wax on, wax off” lesson secretly taught Daniel defensive movements.

Which Nintendo console launched nationally in the United States in 1986 after a limited 1985 test launch?

The NES helped revive the U.S. home video game market following the industry’s early-1980s crash.

Which band recorded the 1981 hit “Don’t Stop Believin’”?

Journey included the song on its hugely successful 1981 album Escape.

Which 1984 comedy featured the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man?

The giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man appears during the movie’s climactic confrontation.

What was ALF’s home planet on the sitcom ALF?

ALF, whose real name was Gordon Shumway, came from the planet Melmac.

Which 1980s toy line featured characters including He-Man and Skeletor?

Mattel’s Masters of the Universe became one of the decade’s biggest toy and cartoon franchises.

Which artist sang “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”?

Lauper’s version became a huge hit following its 1983 release.

In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, what city does Ferris explore instead of going to school?

Ferris and his friends spend their day visiting several famous Chicago locations.

Which 1980s toy line featured robots that transformed into vehicles and other objects?

Transformers launched in the United States in 1984 and quickly became one of the decade’s biggest toy and cartoon franchises.

Which 1980s sitcom featured a teenager named Mike Seaver?

Kirk Cameron played Mike Seaver on Growing Pains, which premiered in 1985.

Which band released the 1983 hit “Every Breath You Take”?

“Every Breath You Take” appeared on The Police’s 1983 album Synchronicity.

Which 1985 charity concert was held simultaneously in London and the Philadelphia area?

Live Aid was staged at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13, 1985.

What handheld Nintendo system debuted in 1989?

Nintendo released the Game Boy in 1989, and it became one of history’s most successful handheld gaming systems.

Which 1984 movie starred Eddie Murphy as Detroit police detective Axel Foley?

Eddie Murphy played Axel Foley in the blockbuster action-comedy Beverly Hills Cop.

Which rock band released “Livin’ on a Prayer” in 1986?

The song appeared on Bon Jovi’s hugely successful album Slippery When Wet.

Which 1980s toy featured small colorful bears with symbols on their stomachs?

Care Bears expanded from greeting-card characters into toys, television specials and movies.

What was the name of the bar in the sitcom Cheers?

Most of the sitcom took place inside the fictional Boston bar named Cheers.

Which actress played Princess Leia in the Star Wars films released during the 1980s?

Carrie Fisher played Leia in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Which 1980 film featured the characters Jake and Elwood?

John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd starred as Jake and Elwood Blues.

Which TV series followed the adventures of Michael Knight and his talking car KITT?

David Hasselhoff starred as Michael Knight alongside KITT, an artificially intelligent Pontiac Trans Am.

Which singer had a major 1984 hit with “What’s Love Got to Do with It”?

The song became one of Tina Turner’s biggest hits and helped power her major 1980s comeback.

What was the name of the princess Mario repeatedly rescued in Nintendo games?

The character now known as Princess Peach was often called Princess Toadstool in early English-language Nintendo games.

Which 1986 movie featured fighter pilots Maverick and Iceman?

Tom Cruise played Maverick while Val Kilmer portrayed his rival Iceman.

Which television network launched in 1980 and became known for round-the-clock news?

CNN began broadcasting in June 1980 and pioneered 24-hour television news in the United States.

Which 1980s cartoon featured Lion-O and the Sword of Omens?

Lion-O led the ThunderCats and wielded the powerful Sword of Omens.

Which performer sang “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” as part of Wham!?

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley made up the pop duo Wham!

Which movie franchise featured a fedora-wearing archaeologist played by Harrison Ford?

Indiana Jones became one of the defining adventure heroes of 1980s cinema.

Which board game asked players questions in categories such as Geography, Entertainment and History?

Trivial Pursuit became a major board-game craze during the early 1980s.

What product did Sony’s Walkman primarily allow people to play while on the move during most of the 1980s?

The original Sony Walkman helped make portable cassette listening enormously popular.

Which 1988 movie featured Bruce Willis as New York police officer John McClane?

Bruce Willis starred as John McClane, who battles terrorists inside Los Angeles’ Nakatomi Plaza.

Which family sitcom starred Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton?

Michael J. Fox’s role as Alex P. Keaton helped make him one of the decade’s biggest young stars.

Which singer released the album Born in the U.S.A. in 1984?

The album produced numerous hit singles and became one of Springsteen’s best-known records.

Which 1984 film featured a creature named Gizmo?

Gizmo is the friendly Mogwai whose species comes with several very important rules.

What was the name of the NASA Space Shuttle that suffered a fatal accident shortly after launch in January 1986?

Challenger was lost shortly after liftoff on January 28, 1986.

Which 1980s TV drama was famous for pastel suits, sports cars, and its stylish depiction of undercover police work in Florida?

Miami Vice premiered in 1984 and became famous for its fashion, contemporary music and distinctive visual style.

Which arcade game featured an ape throwing barrels at a character who would later become known as Mario?

Nintendo’s 1981 arcade hit featured Donkey Kong and a hero initially known as Jumpman, who later became Mario.

Which actress starred as Ellen Ripley in Aliens in 1986?

Weaver reprised her role as Ellen Ripley in James Cameron’s sequel to Alien.

Which 1985 song brought together dozens of recording artists under the name USA for Africa?

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote the charity single performed by USA for Africa.

Which sitcom featured four older women sharing a home in Miami?

Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia became one of television’s most recognizable ensembles.

Which toy let children create pictures by arranging small colored plastic pegs on an illuminated board?

Lite-Brite used translucent colored pegs placed into a lighted board to create glowing pictures.

Which 1989 movie featured the line “If you build it, he will come”?

Kevin Costner starred as an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball diamond in his cornfield.

Which event on November 9, 1989 became one of the defining symbols of the end of the Cold War?

East German authorities opened border crossings on November 9, 1989, and crowds soon began dismantling portions of the wall.