Author Topic: Loud Sets, Quiet Gameplay (Read 3415 times)

TheInquisitiveOne · « **on:** July 07, 2003, 01:08:06 PM »

I was just wondering this...

What game shows, in your opinion, were known more for their sets than the gameplay involved?

Opinions, as always, are welcome.

The Inquisitive One

(For me, one show that comes to mind is Monopoly.)

inturnaround · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:13:41 PM »

The Magnificent Marble Machine is probably the best example of this. Although I've never seen it, most people didn't care for any of the game outside of the Marble Machine.

Another one I remember vaguely was \"$1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime\". I don't remember if the gameplay was overshadowed, but they had that dumb big computer they had to jump on to enter letters.

DrBear · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:20:38 PM »

Oh, definitely add Video Village/Shenanigans to the list.

clemon79 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:32:30 PM »

[quote name=\'inturnaround\' date=\'Jul 7 2003, 10:13 AM\'] Another one I remember vaguely was "$1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime". I don't remember if the gameplay was overshadowed, but they had that dumb big computer they had to jump on to enter letters. [/quote]
They didn't have to jump on it, but they did have to two-hand the buttons. And actually it did serve a purpose in the game, since only the lit letters which represented those in the puzzle (and one extra letter that was not, the Stinger) were available to be pressed. So it was as good a method of displaying the Available-Letter Board (for lack of a better term) as any.

The first Great Big Set that comes to mind that hasn't already been mentioned: Go. Don't get me wrong, Go is a fave of mine. Great set, great host, great game, great music. Kevin O'Connell had one of the best outcues in the genre. Love it from top to bottom. But considering what they did on it, the set didn't need to have three levels of stairs, and those Flying-V (for you Mighty Ducks fans, and I'm referring to the movie, not the overacheiving hockey team who lost what little talent they actually had over the weekend) podium areas, and the Biggest Damn Hanging Scoreboard Outside Of A Pro Sports Arena, Period.

I think the set of MGHSH is remembered more fondly for that huge pseudo-matrix board than for either incarnation of MG or HS played on it, as well.

And, of course, how many of you can actually tell us how Diamond Head Game is played? That's right, but if you know the least little bit about the show you know it was played outside and that the bonus round money shower thing was built into what looked like a volcano.

inturnaround · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:40:08 PM »

Oh, I didn't mean actually jumping up and down, but I remember them kneeling on a pad where the spacebar goes and having to sometimes leap to be able to reach the top row . Kind of like watching salmon going upstream.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:42:04 PM »

I'll add a couple of Tom Kennedy shows, 50 Grand Slam and Break the Bank. Of course, the ultimate is the Money Maze.

clemon79 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2003, 02:45:11 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jul 7 2003, 10:42 AM\'] I'll add a couple of Tom Kennedy shows, 50 Grand Slam and Break the Bank. Of course, the ultimate is the Money Maze. [/quote]
50 Grand Slam is a good case, but wouldn't you say the sets were pretty integral to Money Maze and Break The Bank?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2003, 03:00:20 PM »

Yeah, BTB and MM are not good examples because the sets were vitally important. However on MM, they had to play a game to get the right to run the maze. I'll take back those two. BTW, I greatly enjoyed most of the \"big set\" shows.