Game shows are a staple part of our TV consumption across the world, with many concepts having been picked up globally with their own unique twists. But what are the best? We’ve scoured some of the Western worlds very best game shows to deliver you our all-time favourite five…
Deal Or No Deal
Testament to Deal Or No Deal’s popularity is that its still a huge hit despite no longer being on our screens in a number of countries. The game has been franchised out across many different areas including board games, slot games, and even bingo apps.
The game itself originated in the Netherlands before being synonymous with Noel Edmunds on UK TV. It went to the USA and many other countries too. Despite being a completely random game with no level of skill, it proved to be one of the tensest games on television.
Pointless
Pointless is a British TV quiz show developed by Richard Osman and presented by Alexander Arnold. The game sees pairs go head-to-head answering a series of questions by guessing the most obscure correct answer. Players then earn points based upon the number of people who said each answer in a pre-conducted survey. The lower the score, the better.
The gameshow has been running in the UK since 2009 and has since seen many international versions take shape, including Australia, Denmark, Germany, and it is scheduled to be developed in the USA although a date has yet to be confirmed.
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is an American institution and has seen over 9,000 episodes broadcast since first hitting our screens in the 1970s. The aim of the game is to correctly predict how much various pieces of merchandise is worth with players winning cash and prizes.
Presenter Bob Barker was long associated with the show and presented from 1972 to 2007 and is often voted the greatest game show of all time. Something we’re certainly not arguing with.
Family Feud
Family Feud is another long-running game show in the USA that has been on our screens since the 1970s and has been picked up to much success globally. Named Family Fortunes in the UK, two competing families go up against each other to try and guess the top answer from a series of survey questions.
Today, it is presented by comedian Steve Harvey, while in the UK it was famously hosted by Les Dennis, who would often say, “If it’s up there I’ll give you the money myself”.
Takeshi’s Castle
This Japanese game show only ran from 1986 to 1990 but it left a lasting legacy that has made it a cult hit all around the world. Many other game shows have tried to replicate the success of it, but few have succeeded.
The game show itself sees people have to complete an obstacle course in the fastest possible time, but its barmy, hilarious, and one of the game shows that really offer up a feel good factor.
