Nick Arcade many ATVs use
Nick Arcade is a game show hosted by Phil Moore, with Andrea Lively announcing, that aired on the Nickelodeon television network in America from 1992 to 1993 (in the first season, the shows were taped in 1991 and aired in early 1992), airing originally during weekend afternoons. The show was the first in America to regularly intermix live action with animation using a bluescreen (Knightmare was the first show worldwide). Two teams of contestants played two initial rounds, with the winner advancing to play against the video game wizard of the day.
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Face-Off
Each round would start with one of the following 30 second video games:
- Meteoroids: Space Shooter where players moved targets trying to zap the most flying targets, which included asteroids and ships.
- Laser Surgeon: Same shooter-type game as Meteoroids, but with an inside-the-body theme.
- Post-Haste: A side-scroller race type game where players control a mailman trying to dodge obstacles; inspired by Paperboy. Winner is the player who gets the farthest.
- Jet Jocks: Same as Post-Haste, but with players controlling jet skiers avoiding obstacles in a river.
- Crater Rangers: Same as Post-Haste, but with players controlling vehicles called ATVs avoiding obstacles on the moon, also side-scrolling.
- Brainstorm: Players protect their neurons from an impulse that bounces from side to side, comparable to a sped-up Pong. The team whose side gets hit the fewest times wins. This game took on an inside-the-human brain theme.
- Battle Of The Bands: Same dodge-game as Brainstorm, but with an On-Stage Concert theme using speakers and a sound wave bouncing from side to side.
- Star Defenders: Same dodge-game as Brainstorm, but with players protecting their spaceships from a comet.
These custom Face-Off games were developed by Saddleback/Live Studios, as well as Psygnosis, creator of the Lemmings video game series. Psygnosis has since merged with Sony Computer Entertainment and is now a part of Sony’s European branch.
The winner of the face-off wins points for his/her respective team. If the face-off ends in a tie, a toss-up question was asked for the points. The team would also get control of “Mikey, the Video Adventurer”.
Main Rounds
After the face-off, a cartoon character called “Mikey” would be navigated over a thematic game-board by the teams. The game-board was divided into 18 squares, and Mikey was moved around the board (in every direction, but not diagonally) towards a “Goal” space on the board. When new squares were landed on, various things would be uncovered, including trivia quizzes, video based puzzles, bonus instant-win prizes, automatic point adding squares, evil enemies, and “Video Challenge” squares. The latter involved one player of the team playing one of five video games in an attempt to beat a certain score within 30 seconds.
The following home systems were used in the Video Challenge:
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
- Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
- NEC TurboGrafx-16
- SNK Neo-Geo
- See also: List of video games featured on Nick Arcade
The object was to get Mikey to the Goal, as discussed above. More often than not, the round would end prematurely due to time constraints. In such cases, Mikey was moved directly to the goal, and a question was asked and the first team to buzz in received the goal points. Round 2 was played the same way, but with point values doubled.
Mikey’s World
Mikey’s World had 11 different areas of exploration. These areas included:
- Pirate’s Cove: An old-fashioned port area including a skull-shaped island.
- Cape Cosmos: A space center that transports Mikey into outer space where his adventures begin for the players.
- Camelittle: A medieval-themed area where knights, princesses, and dragons roam and fantasy becomes alive.
- Specific Ocean: An underwater exploration area where the denizens of the deep abound.
- Forgotten Desert: An Egyptian-style area that harbors mystery and intrigue.
- Slurpy Gulch: A traditional lawless Wild West town with a southwestern feel.
- Volcano Jungle: A rainforest jungle with a live volcano and a village nearby.
- Creepyville: A haunted mansion near a spooky swamp.
- Mikey’s Neighborhood: A normal suburban neighborhood, home to Mikey as well as a bully nicknamed “Game Over”.
- WeGot’Em Mall: A shopping center near Mikey’s neighborhood.
- Time Portal: A vortex that Mikey travels through visiting his neighborhood both in the past and the future.
Moving Mikey
There were eight different types of spaces Mikey could land on:
- The Four Ps (”Points, Puzzles, Pop Quizzes, and Prizes”): Note that all point values listed below were doubled in the second round.
- Points - The team that moved Mikey was automatically awarded 25 points (50 in round 2) and kept control.
- Pop Quiz - A question based on the area Mikey is traveling in was asked. The teams could buzz in in the middle of reading of a question. If a team guessed correctly, they earned 25 points (50 in round 2) and control of Mikey. (Note: In early episodes, the team in control of Mikey would choose one of four categories.)
- Prize - The team that moved Mikey won a prize and kept control. Any prize the team lands on was theirs to keep, regardless of the outcome.
- Video Puzzle - Different puzzles were played. The team that solved the puzzle received 25 points (50 in round 2) and control of Mikey. Examples of video puzzles:
- “Video Repairman”: Identify the artist in a music video with a scrambled picture.
- “What Was That?”: A video of an object being destroyed is rewound, and the object was to identify it.
- “Credit Crawl”: Credits appeared identifying a person, place, or thing and the object was to identify it.
- “Fast Forward”: A sped-up video clip was shown, and the object was to predict the outcome beforehand. In the first season the teams were given three possible answers. Each team would use a Magna Doodle to write the answer that they thought was correct. In season two, this video puzzle was played in a manner similar to The Price is Right. Each team used their Magna Doodle to predict how much of a certain activity that the person in the video could do. The team that comes the closest without going over received the points and control of Mikey. If the teams were tied in prediction, they both scored the points, but the team that moved Mikey last would get control.
- “Robot Vision”: A thermographic video clip identifying an activity.
- “Hyper Channels”: A montage of original TV-style clips identifying an actor or musician.
- “Video Text”: A basic rebus puzzle, usually forming a phrase.
- “Flash Frame”: A montage of images is flashed rapidly, and the object is to guess 3 of the 5 themed objects.
- “Hidden Camera”: A miniature video camera is placed somewhere, like in a trash can or a grocery bag, and the object is to guess where the camera is.
- “Split Screen”: Images of an activity being performed, initially arranged in a “matrix” of very small tiled images on the monitor, were shown to the players. The pictures would gradually become larger, and the first team to correctly identify the activity would get the points and control.
- Video Challenge - One of the contestants from a team chose one of five video games on stage to play (each of which could be played only once during an episode). The goal was to beat the “Wizard’s Challenge” (renamed “Expert’s Challenge” in season 2) which is to achieve a certain score in 30 seconds or less for the game chosen. The other team member used a Magna Doodle to wager an amount from their score on whether or not his/her partner would meet or beat the score. If the player met the challenge, the wager was added to their score and the team kept control of Mikey. If not, they lost the amount of their wager and the other team gained control. Teams could wager any amount from zero to their current score (or the value of one question in that round if the team had less) (in the event the other team member wagered more points than their current score, the wager was rounded down to their current score).
For obvious reasons, only games with constantly visible on-screen score displays would be used. In a manner similar to Starcade, a telestrator box was placed around the score display, to make it “stand out” to the home audience.
Each mockup arcade cabinet actually had two systems inside, each powered on and playing the same game: one had the game running in its “attract” mode, and the other was cued up to the point where the producers wanted the game to begin, and paused. When a contestant chose a game, the input was simply switched on the monitor (and of course, this action would be edited out.)
- Enemy - An animated enemy, which changed with the setting of the game board, “attacked” Mikey, and the team that moved Mikey lost control. The Enemies included:
- Game Over, the town bully in “Mikey’s Neighborhood” who would hit Mikey in the face with cream pies. Game Over also appeared in the “WeGot’Em Mall”, the “Time Portal”, and on the beach in the “Specific Ocean”.
- Silly the Kid, a baby armed with baby-bottle pistols in “Slurpy Gulch”; a spoof of Billy the Kid.
- A Witch Doctor in the “Volcano Jungle”, who would blow up a voodoo doll of Mikey and then let it fly off and deflate.
- Two Giant Smooch Aliens, creatures with pigtail wigs and big lips, found in “Cape Cosmos”, that would surround Mikey, kissing him until he becomes dizzy and powerless.
- A Fire-Breathing Dragon in the medieval realm “Camelittle”, who would burn Mikey by breathing fire on his shorts.
- A Ghost who would scare Mikey away in “Creepyville”.
- A Djinni (Genie) in the “Forgotten Desert” who would cast a spell on Mikey, turning him into a chicken. (Note: He reappeared in the “Enchanted Flight” stage of the Video Zone in Season 2, casting lightning bolts on the player.)
- A Hammerhead Shark, found in the “Specific Ocean”, who would flatten Mikey with his hammerhead, turning Mikey into a coin with his face on it. The Hammerhead Shark also appeared in the underwater areas of “Pirate’s Cove”.
- Blackboard the Pirate, a pirate shaped like a chalkboard, found in “Pirate’s Cove”, who would attack Mikey with his ruler sword (he actually faces the screen and comes closer to it as he attacks).
- Time Bomb - In the rare occurrence that Mikey moved to a space that was already landed on, a Time Bomb would occur. The team controlling Mikey had to spell a word, alternating back and forth between team members (within a 10-second time limit). If a team correctly “pong-spelled” a word, they would keep control. If a team failed, the other team would gain control. Regardless of the outcome, no points were awarded. As previously stated, this was very rare. It was only used on a couple occasions (one episode had at least 2 uses of the time bomb). In order to prevent this from occurring more often, host Phil Moore would dissuade teams from choosing to move to a square that had already been occupied, or simply tell the team that they could not make that move.
- Goal - The Goal worked in two ways. If the team that moved Mikey moved him to the Goal, they alone were asked a question based on a category chosen from a list by their opponents. If they were right, they earned 50 points (100 in the 2nd round) and the Goal for that round. If they answered wrong, the opponents got 1/2 the points (25 points in round 1 or 50 points in round 2), and the Goal by default. If time was running out before Mikey reached the goal, a sudden death Pop Quiz question was asked for 50 points (100 points in the 2nd round). Usually, because of time constraints, the goal would not be reached, and the sudden death situation was usually seen at the end of a round.
The team with the most points at the end of two rounds won the game. If there was a tie at the end of both rounds, a tie-breaker question was asked worth 100 points. The winning team advanced to the Video Zone.
“The Video Zone”
The Video Zone was a live-action video game with three levels. Using a video monitor to see themselves, the contestants would be on a sound stage, climbing ladders in front of a blue screen attempting to achieve previously explained goals (which was always to get three of an object) for each level of the game.
As in a real video game, players could be “damaged” by hazards and enemy characters. If they lost all of their power (five units, as shown by an on-screen gauge) they would have to start the stage over, and repeat its objectives until successful. In addition, each level contained a ‘power up’ that appeared periodically, that, when touched, gave the player an added advantage to clearing the level — destroying all enemies onscreen, freezing the enemies for 5 seconds and that the players could not be damaged, or refilling their power meter to maximum, etc.
The team had a time limit of 60 seconds to clear all 3 levels. Each item they touched won the team $50 to split, and each level cleared won a prize of increasing value. Successfully beating the wizard in the third and final level won the grand prize, which was usually a vacation. If time ran out before they could get through the entire game, a sort of “laugh” sound played, the screen faded to red, and “GAME OVER” appeared on the screen.
Level 1
- Jungle Fever: A jungle setting where the player must climb palm trees to obtain three bunches of bananas sitting at the top while avoiding coconut-throwing monkeys, as well as toucans, piranhas (seen once the player was above the waterfall), and snakes. The player could go under the waterfall or touch a golden idol and a rope would appear to help them get across it.
- Alien Moonbase: An intergalactic mechanical building where the player was required to turn off three anti-matter reactors, while trying to avoid steam vents, an insectoid, and a laserbot. Pressing the main computer immobilized the aliens for five seconds and activated a “light bridge”, which made the reactors easier to reach.
- Ancient Tomb: A Mayan temple where the player had to grab three coins on both levels while trying to avoid bats, a statue’s hammer, arrows that shot up from the ground, fireballs, and a mummy. By touching a beam of sunlight, all the enemies were eradicated and all doors opened revealing the hidden coins.
Season 2 only
- Monsters on the Loose: A city under attack by alien UFOs, where the now-giant player had to rescue three humans from being abducted by the UFOs (but only while they were in the tractor beam) while avoiding other monsters such as a laser-firing eyeball, a slimy earth creature, and a monstrous cockroach. Touching a power rod released cosmic radiation and temporarily cleared the screen of any monster.
- Haunted Museum: A haunted mansion scene, where the player was required to collect three statue busts hidden inside moving bookcases while trying to avoid certain dangers such as a gargoyle, tentacles, a vampire, and the “Hand of Doom”. These dangers could be eliminated by pulling back a curtain and bathing them in sunlight.
Level 2
- Runaway Rail Car: The player travelled through a Wild West town and some abandoned mines on a railway car; he or she had to obtain three coins while avoiding vultures, hanging timbers, cactuses, tumbleweeds, and rats. If the player touched a green luck stone, he or she regained full power.
- Nile River Raft: The player floating on a fast-moving Egyptian river with a wooden raft must grab three lost gems while avoiding flies, alligators, rats, vultures, and a mummy. Touching the legendary Eye of the Pharaoh Diamond restored full power.
- Mind Maze: A Mayan room gauntlet where the player had to collect three coins while dodging fireballs, spears, and electrified squares. If the player touched a power square, he or she became immune to all damage.
- Cliffhanger: Taking place on a cliff with a network of caves, the player had to clear the cave openings to find three coins while avoiding rock slides, snakes, vultures, and giant lizards. If the player could touch a TNT artifact, it blew open every cave opening, thus revealing all the coins.
- Food Frenzy: A school lunch room setting where a food fight was taking place. The player had to grab three textbooks that were scattered on the floor, while avoiding flying food, and the gym coach. Opening a locker with stinky gym shoes stopped the chaos for five seconds.
Season 2 only
- Sub Search: An ocean scene with the player in a waverunner; the player had to collect three treasure chests while avoiding dangers such as sharks, eels, giant lobsters, explosive mines, and squids. Touching a solar fuel cell, however, restored all power.
- Enchanted Flight: A magic carpet scene, where the player had to grab three rings while avoiding swordsmen, gate traps, cobras, a royal guard, a baby dragon, guard dogs, and a genie that shot lightning bolts (the same Djinni from the Forgotten Desert in Mikey’s World). Touching a magic lamp restored the player’s health.
- Snow Slingers: An arctic scene where the player had to hit three elves with snowballs while dodging those of the elves. The player also had to avoid skiing foxes, and hitting an ice skating Polar Bear by mistake. Hitting a snowman made it play a song to make the elves dance in place for five seconds.
Level 3 (The Wizard Level)
Both players teamed up for the last level, which was a face-off with one of three villains that rotated throughout the show’s run: Merlock, a Gandalf-esque evil wizard that shot lightning balls; Skorsha, a fireball-throwing sorceress (name corrected per the show’s credits); and Mongo, a spiked armor-wearing troll who tossed balls of energy. To defeat them, the players had to touch three orbs before time expired, while trying not to come in contact with the Game Wizard, the ghostly creatures flying around the room, or the beams of lightning, fire, or energy (depending on who the Wizard was) that erupted from the ground. If either player touched a spinning hourglass that randomly appeared, the Game Wizard, the creatures, and the beams would become frozen for five seconds, and the players could not be damaged.
Upon their defeat (if the players were successful), depending on who the players faced, Merlock would fizzle into dust, Skorsha’s body would disintegrate into ash and blow away, and Mongo would disappear in a flash of light, leaving only his armor behind. Defeating the wizard also caused the message “You did it! You beat the game.” to appear on-screen.
In Season 2, the appearances of the wizards’ rooms were retooled, but the premise was the same as before.
Prizes
Typical grand prizes awarded in the bonus round included trips to U.S. Space Camp, a return trip to Universal Studios Florida, bicycles, video game systems and Macintosh Classic computers. Throughout the show’s run, precious few trips to other destinations (including Jamaica) were offered. Consolation prizes usually consisted of British Knights sneakers, supplies of candy, or video game cartridges. The actual consolation prizes are impossible to determine because, as was the case with other game shows that Nickelodeon re-ran, the consolation prize plugs were edited over with “sponsorship” plugs.
Trivia
- Three shows in the second season featured casts from other Nickelodeon shows playing for charity. Featured was the casts from Clarissa Explains It All, Welcome Freshmen, and Salute Your Shorts.
- An early alpha build of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 appeared in two episodes, one of which featured the cast of Clarissa Explains It All. A recent prototype (Sonic 2 Alpha) has been dumped which is similar, if not identical, to the build from the show. [1]
- Gravis Advanced joysticks were used as buzzers for both teams.
- All of the custom games used on Nick Arcade were implemented on Amiga computers [2], and Commodore supplied the show with Amiga 500 systems for endgame prizes.
- Moore would often create nonsense lyrics during the theme to the Video Challenge as he and the contestants moved into position and then back to their podiums, and would also do the same during the ‘think music’ for the wagering.
- There were 80 episodes of Nick Arcade produced (40 in each season), however, there are 15 episodes that Nick GAS has never aired for an unknown reason.
- The Mikey walking cue was recycled for 43 The Block.
- The Nick GaS tagline for Nick Arcade is The Place Where No Game Goes Unplayed.
- Joey Fatone of *NSYNC was a contestant. His team (the yellow team) lost, however.
References
- Nickelodeon Arcade page at Travis’ Game Show Jackpot site. Retrieved on January 2, 2005.
- Nickelodeon Arcade Review Page