Wonderhop: a rabbit in a hot-air balloon in the sky, another in a diving suit under the sea, in pixel art.Play today's game

Wonderhop

What came first? 30 questions with answers

The rule fits in one sentence: two famous things, one question, which came first? Coca-Cola or Pepsi? The Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building? Everyone guesses, then you read out the answer and the year. Here are 30 of these duels in 5 themes, with dates checked on Wikipedia, for a family game night, a classroom or an afternoon with the grandparents.

Wonderhop turns the same idea into a free daily game, in 9 languages and with no account. In Past, you name the oldest thing you can think of in a category; in Future, the newest. You type your answer, the game knows its date, and the further back (or the closer to today) you go, the more you score. Every day there are 4 games of 7 questions, including Past and Future.

Play Wonderhop for free

Free, no account, plays in your browser.

How to play with these questions

  1. Read a duel out loud, without the answer: “Coca-Cola or Pepsi?”
  2. Everyone picks a side, with a raised hand, by pointing or on paper. In class, you can split the room into two teams.
  3. Read the answer and both years. One point for each right guess; after 6 duels, move on to the next theme.

Brands and food

  • Coca-Cola or Pepsi? Coca-Cola, 1886 (Pepsi: 1893)
  • Haribo or Toblerone? Toblerone, 1908 (Haribo: 1920)
  • KitKat or IKEA? KitKat, 1935 (IKEA: 1943)
  • Zara or Nescafé? Nescafé, 1938 (Zara: 1975)
  • Red Bull or M&M's? M&M's, 1941 (Red Bull: 1987)
  • Kinder Surprise or Nutella? Nutella, 1964 (Kinder Surprise: 1974)

Inventions and technology

  • The can opener or the tin can? The tin can, 1810 (the can opener: 1855)
  • The telephone or the fax machine? The fax machine, 1843 (the telephone: 1876)
  • The car or the airplane? The car, 1886 (the airplane: 1903)
  • The iPhone or Google? Google, 1998 (the iPhone: 2007)
  • The iPod or Instagram? The iPod, 2001 (Instagram: 2010)
  • YouTube or the Walkman? The Walkman, 1979 (YouTube: 2005)

Movies, TV and video games

  • Bugs Bunny or Mickey Mouse? Mickey Mouse, 1928 (Bugs Bunny: 1940)
  • Star Wars or Tetris? Star Wars, 1977 (Tetris: 1984)
  • Jurassic Park or Super Mario Bros.? Super Mario Bros., 1985 (Jurassic Park: 1993)
  • The Simpsons or Pokémon? The Simpsons, 1989 (Pokémon: 1996)
  • Avatar or Toy Story? Toy Story, 1995 (Avatar: 2009)
  • SpongeBob SquarePants or Minecraft? SpongeBob SquarePants, 1999 (Minecraft: 2009)

Landmarks and places

  • The Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Colosseum? The Colosseum, AD 80 (the Leaning Tower of Pisa: 1173)
  • Big Ben or the Statue of Liberty? Big Ben, 1859 (the Statue of Liberty: 1886)
  • The Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower? The Eiffel Tower, 1889 (the Empire State Building: 1931)
  • Tower Bridge or the Golden Gate Bridge? Tower Bridge, 1894 (the Golden Gate Bridge: 1937)
  • The Burj Khalifa or the Sydney Opera House? The Sydney Opera House, 1973 (the Burj Khalifa: 2010)
  • Disneyland in California or Disneyland Paris? Disneyland in California, 1955 (Disneyland Paris: 1992)

Sport and everyday life

  • The Tour de France or Wimbledon? Wimbledon, 1877 (the Tour de France: 1903)
  • The modern Olympic Games or the Winter Olympics? The modern Olympic Games, 1896 (the Winter Olympics: 1924)
  • The UEFA Euro or the FIFA World Cup? The FIFA World Cup, 1930 (the UEFA Euro: 1960)
  • Barbie or the teddy bear? The teddy bear, 1902 (Barbie: 1959)
  • The Rubik's Cube or the Game Boy? The Rubik's Cube, 1974 (the Game Boy: 1989)
  • Velcro or the zipper? The zipper, 1913 (Velcro: 1955)

Tips for guessing a date

Think about what each thing needed in order to exist. An app needs a smartphone, a video game needs a screen, a cartoon needs cinema. When one of the two depends on an invention the other did without, it is probably the newer one.

Do not trust how modern something looks. Some objects feel recent and are much older than their rival, and some landmarks look ancient and are younger than people think. When the whole table agrees too fast, that is often where the trap is.

Frequently asked questions

Are the dates reliable?
Every year was checked on Wikipedia. When something has more than one possible date, such as a first version or a later name change, we only kept duels where the answer stays the same, at least 5 years apart.
Who are these questions for?
Everyone. They use names that are famous in many countries, so they work for kids, adults and seniors alike, at home, in a senior center or in class.
Is Wonderhop free?
Yes. Wonderhop is free, with no account: every day you get 4 games of 7 questions, including Past and Future, in your browser and in 9 languages.
Play Wonderhop for free

Free, no account, plays in your browser.

More from Wonderhop

Wonderhop is not affiliated with any of the TV shows mentioned on this page.