Starcade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Starcade | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Game Show |
| Creator(s) | James Caruso, Mavis Arthur |
| Starring | Mark Richards, Geoff Edwards |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 134 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | James Caruso, Mavis Arthur |
| Running time | 24 minutes (approximately) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | TBS, Syndicated |
| Original run | December 27, 1982 – September 1984 |
| Links | |
| Official website | |
| TV.com summary | |
- This page is about the television game show. For the professional wrestling event formerly promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling, see Starrcade.
Starcade was a game show where contestants competed against one another by playing video games.
The show originally aired on WTBS during the 1982-83 season. This season was hosted by Mark Richards. The show eventually aired in syndication from 1983-1984, with Geoff Edwards taking the hosting position. Starcade was the first to be a video arcade game show, and set the blueprint for similar game shows like Video Power, Nick Arcade, and Arena. The show was used to showcase brand new arcade games.
[edit] Format
Two players competed. Three rounds were played.
Each round began with a video-game related toss-up question. The player who buzzed in and answered correctly got first choice of five free-standing arcade games in the studio. After choosing, the player had 40 seconds (later 60, then 50) to amass as high a score as they could. After that contestant was done, the other contestant got to play the game that their opponent picked. Whatever points they earned were added to their overall score.
The second and third rounds were played identically, with 40 seconds (later 50) game playing time for the second round, and 40 seconds for the third. At the end of the second round (and third when the series began), the player in the lead played "Name The Game", where they could win a prize by correctly identifying four video games by screenshots. Prizes were awarded if the player could correctly identify three or four games.
One of the five games was a bonus game. If the player chose it during normal game play, they would receive a prize.
The player in the lead at the end of the third and final round won the game and a bonus prize, moving on to the bonus round.
[edit] Bonus Round
The winning player faced one final challenge: beat an average score of 20 audience members at the game they had chosen to play. The player would then have 30 seconds to do so.
If successful, the player won a major prize, which consisted of either their own arcade game, a home entertainment robot, a jukebox, or even a vacation (in certain "invitational" episodes.)
