I'm hashing out a thing with another Invisioner who may step forward if he chooses. The goal is to play out a series of game show games, keep a running tally, and see who is 'best.' The shows are mainly falling into quiz shows and word games.

(I could go into the scoring and all that, but it really doesn't help the topic any. PM me if you care that much. And yes, it sounds very much like the OGSC, I know)

If you were putting togther a Battle of the Brains, what formats would you have, and how many? We're looking to do this in a couple nights, we don't want to be playing Now You See It to break a 13-13 tie.

Five nights, five games, representing each major genre:
COMMUNICATION: Pyramid
HARD KNOWLEDGE: Jeopardy
SOFT KNOWLEDGE: Sale Of The Century
WORD: Chain Reaction
RAW, STANK-ASS LUCK: Press Your Luck

I concur with all of Mr. Lemon's suggestions save two: replace PYL with Card Sharks.

EDIT: Two. There are two suggestions which I disagree with, Press Your LuckOne. One suggestion I would change...

--Sam

How about some shows that couples could play, TNG/Tattletales, It Takes Two, It's Your Bet, Sotc/ Gambit and Password/Pyramid.

These are the same genre: Q&A. Jeopardy! needn't have difficult material and SOTC needn't have easy material. If you want an alternate Q&A game, why not something without the merchandise element? TJW, TTD, Blockbusters.

No puzzle games? Concentration, The Rebus Game, WOF.

No deduction-through-questioning? WML?, IGAS.


Ick. Go with Card Sharks.

Yeah, I was hard-up to come up with five categories. I'm inclined to agree.

Ooh, there's my out. Replace "SOFT KNOWLEDGE" with "PUZZLE: Concentration."

I am inclined to seperate "panel shows" with "straight-up game shows". Just my personal thing.

Why? What game represents raw complete utter chance better than PYL does? Besides, it'll make the mass-market viewer happier.

I'm interested in hearing the argument as to why Card Sharks would be better in this format.

Oh, there's definitely a game of strategy in there. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the contestants didn't pick up on that fact, either. But it's there, and I'm so confident in it that I would wager large sums of money on my ability to win more than 34 out of 100 PYL games at any given time. (And yes, I'm serious about that, if anyone out there is the gambling type. ;) )

That said, there is more luck involved there than on most shows. A lottery show, perhaps? Then again, with sufficiently easy material and a sufficiently erratic system activator, Jeopardy! enters the raw, stank-ass luck category....

As long as it's not the Super Money Game, I'd be happy.

If you are going to go with this genre, I'd recommend Powerball or the ever-popular Big Spin

One category I would add is Catchy Game Show Elements.

Shows in this category would include Classic PYL and Whammy (both for their Big Board), Winning Lines (for its Wonderwall) and Diamond Head Game and Beat the Clock '02 (both for their "Grab the flying cash" bonus games).

I'd probably pull out Illinois' Instant Riches/Luckiest.

Ugh.

By 2002, the "cash booth" was an idea about 15 years past it's prime*. Besides that, the BTC revival was insipid, nicely put.

Now, if we're doing a marathon of crappy Fremantle revivals... ;-)

*Yes, Zach, I know Fantasy used the cash booth from time to time, and there was "Grab That Dough" from Golden Girls.

The same reason that a mild cold is preferable to cancer.

Yes, the tragedy of all those Press Your Luck deaths is heartbreaking. But why actually participate in a discussion when you can substitute a snarky zinger?

I always liked the "I cut, you choose" front game of Card Sharks, but the card game was a complete snooze. Give me the Press Your Luck board any day. Nothing before or since has been as exciting as the second round of spins on Press Your Luck.

As to missing genres, any multi-format extravaganza that overlooks The Magnificent Marble Machine is woefully incomplete. =) And if I were choosing a game from the puzzle genre, I'd go with Family Feud.

Wow Chris, tell us how you really feel. :)

Anyway, I don't really see how you could like Card Sharks any more than PYL (although you didn't exactly give Card Sharks a ringing endorsement). Both games involved questions of surveys (with Press involving a mix of polls and standard questions), followed by a game of chance.
I do think, however, PYL involved more strategy than CS' game, simply because with Card Sharks, half the game you're playing against the house and straight up odds, whereas PYL you have to deal with other competitors as well as factoring out different outcomes.

I get the sense, Chris, that you're not a fan of games of chance, however YMMV.

Tyshaun

Or you can do both, as Chris did.