Yes, I was a kid from the 80's and I saw Nickalodion at that time and of course one of the best things that channel did well was game show and this was one of the first I've ever seen.
This is another under the radar gem, it wasn't really overlooked it was a hit but like any relic as time went on, it sort of became kinda forgotten. I wouldn't say this was my absolute favorite game show, I don't feel it has as much rewatchability as many others I love, it's the kind to watch every once in a while, but all the same I really liked and enjoyed it for what it was.
The concept I thought was very good because it was something different and non conventional which is one of the thing I like about game shows. Basically the game is one big scavenger hunt by it's nature but what makes it stand out is in it's execution.
In the first rounds both teams have to solve visual puzzles, in each of them you have clues presented to you on the assigned object to find in short time, but these clues are riddles which makes the search even tougher. And that's part of what I really like about this game is that you have two different puzzles you have to solve at the same time. It really gets the contestants to really stretch out their brain muscles which makes the game more than fair, let alone tense.
However the highlight is of course the room searching which is what were in this show for. I really love the designs of the house sets, where each room/section is something different as each seem to have a different theme like a fairy tale room, general store, closet, living room and many others you have to see to believe, only bad thing they didn't go even further with the concept like having a sci-fi and horror themed rooms but oh well. Their all by their nature live action versions of the visual puzzles.
You pretty much do the same thing as with the visual puzzles solved but here your involved in physical activity, where you can't simply circle the location of the objects but literally find them with your bare hands. This is a lot of fun because it teaches the kids to really think on their feet, as their are scrambling to figure out what the object is and find out. This also create a sense of participation as it was just fun and really tense just watching the contestants searching like crazy, I remember at times thinking, "What are you doing , that's the object your locking for it's right there!" or even "pick up the pace!" Though it got really hard once it got down to the final round where you have to find six objects which contain the cards for the object to find in the next sections/room, that was both a brain and body buster as you had very little time in that final round so no one could afford to take a breath.
But I think the real beauty of those searches is simply it gave the contestants the freedom to just demolish and make a total mess of the place, without a care in the world. Which to me makes it even more fun because it's the kind of thing all of us ever once in a while in the back of our minds want that freedom to demolish to either vent our frustrations or repressed anger; but mainly just simply for the fun of it.
This is a good find.
Rating: 3 stars
