The Game Show Forum > The Big Board
Comparing Password Plus to Super Password
TLEberle:
--- Quote from: Jeremy Nelson on January 13, 2025, 12:22:29 AM ---I will say- going back to watch PP in 2025 is a little weird. You can tell that Allen and his regulars are still trying to treat this like a scholarly parlor game being played for low stakes. Maybe that was by design, but considering that the rest of the show's production design is indicative of flashier game shows of that time, it feels a little like watching Mr. Rogers at a disco; you're happy to see the guy, just not in these particular surroundings.
--- End quote ---
Allen does come off as the Frasier Crane of the game show set.
Neumms:
--- Quote from: Jeremy Nelson on January 13, 2025, 12:22:29 AM ---…that the rest of the show's production design is indicative of flashier game shows of that time, it feels a little like watching Mr. Rogers at a disco; you're happy to see the guy, just not in these particular surroundings.
--- End quote ---
Al wasn’t afraid of a leisure suit, though. Before Plus, Stumpers had a much flashier (and cooler) set.
I like Super Password better in all respects except Ludden’s being gone. The end game was more challenging, and I absolutely love the Cashword. It broke up the show and gave a nod to the harder passwords of yore. Celebrity level was a wash—both had good weeks and bad.
PYLdude:
I think Super Password got the scoring format down a little better. Plus started out simple enough, but once your stakes went from $300 to $500 it slowed things up; whereas before you could decide a match in three puzzles, now you’re playing at least four to even get to a point where someone can win. Granted, Super Password’s system basically made the first puzzle a practice round, but the incremental increase in stakes offset that to me.
While Super Password kept the progressive jackpot, I still have to give a slight nod to Alphabetics because I felt the penalty for illegal clues was, to me, the fairer one (reducing the value of the pot instead of an outright forfeit of the jackpot).
Jeremy Nelson:
--- Quote from: PYLdude on January 13, 2025, 03:27:47 PM ---While Super Password kept the progressive jackpot, I still have to give a slight nod to Alphabetics because I felt the penalty for illegal clues was, to me, the fairer one (reducing the value of the pot instead of an outright forfeit of the jackpot).
--- End quote ---
To me, both are fair solutions in their own way. I don't want contestants to be at the mercy of whatever celebrity they're playing with that week, but 9 right isn't a win either. Obviously technology has helped, but Password 2024 got it right in throwing the word out and replacing it with a new one.
In retrospect, I'm surprised that considering contestants gave clues for half the game, they weren't afforded that option in either the SP or PP bonus round.
TimK2003:
--- Quote from: Jeremy Nelson on January 14, 2025, 08:59:19 AM ---
--- Quote from: PYLdude on January 13, 2025, 03:27:47 PM ---While Super Password kept the progressive jackpot, I still have to give a slight nod to Alphabetics because I felt the penalty for illegal clues was, to me, the fairer one (reducing the value of the pot instead of an outright forfeit of the jackpot).
--- End quote ---
To me, both are fair solutions in their own way. I don't want contestants to be at the mercy of whatever celebrity they're playing with that week, but 9 right isn't a win either. Obviously technology has helped, but Password 2024 got it right in throwing the word out and replacing it with a new one.
In retrospect, I'm surprised that considering contestants gave clues for half the game, they weren't afforded that option in either the SP or PP bonus round.
--- End quote ---
Here is another comparison between P+ & SP:
P+ was able to control the show budget a bit (in Alphabetics) by adjusting the difficulty factor, whereas SP's budget was relatively static due to rollover jackpots in Ca$hword and in the end game.
In P+, the "house" would benefit from either a loss or an illegal clue in the original Alphabetics era as that budgeted money would never be given out. SP could still adjust the difficulty level if they wanted to, but all that did was increase the chances to build up larger bonuses in later games.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version