A Chronological List of TPIR's Pricing Games

[Max]

Along with Bob Barker, the pricing games played on TPIR are one of the very best aspects of the show. Unlike the showcase showdowns (aka, "The Big Wheel Rounds") and the showcases, the pricing game element of TPIR differs on every episode; that's because there are a total of 74 pricing games currently in rotation, which means that you will never become bored by watching the same games being played over and over again.

Before I continue, let me share two links with you:

This first link, http://gscentral.net/pricing2.htm , gives you an overview of TPIR's pricing games.

This second link, http://gscentral.net/pricing1.htm , gives you a detailed explanantion of the rules and history of each game. Please note, however, that this link often lists an incorrect date regarding when a particular game debuted or (in the event that it was retired) ended.

Personally, my favorite pricing games of all time are Bonus Game and Shell Game. (I do not have a preference for either game, as I love them both equally.) I love Bonus Game because of the exciting "higher/lower" pricing element involving small prizes, the suspense that occurs at the end of the game when the board lights up, and because of the nostalgia factor (it was the first game I remember watching on TPIR and remains the game with the oldest game board/set design on the show). Now, Shell Game is virtually the same game as Bonus Game; even the "higher/lower" pricing element is exactly identical as in Bonus Game. Although Shell Game lacks the nostalgia factor of Bonus Game, its game play is even more exciting, as the contestant tries to guess which shell has a rubber ball underneath it.

Among the retired games, my favorites are Give or Keep and Superball!!

Below is a list of all 101 pricing games (which consists of 74 games that are still in rotation as well as 27 games that have been retired) ever played on TPIR. Note that these games are listed in chronological order. Also note that the dates for each game's debut (and finale, in the event it was retired) are not taken from the links that I posted above; rather, they are taken from golden-road.net, which is a much more reliable source for this kind of information. Finallly, note that although there are many games currently in the rotation, there were originally only five games--Any Number, Bonus Game, Double Prices, Grocery Game, and "Bullseye I"--in the rotation when Bob Barker's version of TPIR debuted on September 4, 1972.

1. Any Number (September 4, 1972-present) [see Note #1]

2. Bonus Game (September 4, 1972-present) [see Note #1]

3. Double Prices (September 4, 1972-present) [see Note #1]

4. Grocery Game (September 5, 1972-present) [see Note #2]

5. Bullseye/"Bullseye I"/"Bullseye '72" (September 5, 1972-September 14, 1972) [see Notes #2 & #3]

6. Clock Game (Septmeber 11, 1972-present)

7. Double Bullseye/"2-Player Bullseye I" (September 19, 1972-October 10, 1972) [see Note #3]

8. Five Price Tags (September 26, 1972-present)

9. Most Expensive (October 16, 1972-present)

10. Money Game (December 25, 1972-present)

11. Give or Keep (December 27, 1972-October 22, 1990)

12. Range Game (April 3, 1973-present)

13. Hi-Lo (April 9, 1973-present)

14. Double Digits (April 20, 1973-May 18, 1973)

15. Lucky $even (August 28, 1973-present)

16. Temptation (September 7, 1973-present)

17. Mystery Price (September 26, 1973-February 21, 1974)

18. Shell Game (June 17, 1974-present)

19. Card Game (July 4, 1974-present)

20. Race Game (August 14, 1974-present)

21. Ten Chances (July 15, 1975-present)

22. Golden Road (August 19, 1975-present)

23. Poker Game (September 9, 1975-present)

24. One Right Price (September 11, 1975-present)

25. Danger Price (January 8, 1976-present)

26. 3 Strikes (February 12, 1976-present)

27. Hurdles (February 19, 1976-March 31, 1983)

28. Cliff Hangers (April 12, 1976-present)

29. Safe Crackers (April 27, 1976-present)

30. Dice Game (June 2, 1976-present)

31. Bullseye/"Bullseye II"/"Bullseye '76" (September 2, 1976-present) [see Note #3]

32. Switcheroo (October 22, 1976-present)

33. Hole in One (May 9, 1977-present) [renamed Hole in One.. or Two in late 1986 or early 1987]

34. Squeeze Play (September 13, 1977-present)

35. Secret "X" (September 14, 1977-present)

36. Professor Price (November 14, 1977-November 21, 1977)

37. Finish Line (February 21, 1978-September 25, 1978)

38. Take Two (June 23, 1978-present)

39. Shower Game (September 4, 1978-November 30, 1978) [see Note #4]

40. It's Optional (September 4, 1978-May 9, 1983) [see Note #4]

41. Punchboard/Punch-a-Bunch (September 27, 1978-present)

42. Telephone Game (November 1, 1978-November 29, 1978)

43. Penny Ante (January 25, 1979-June 14, 2002)

44. Barker's Bargain Bar (April 22, 1980-present)

45. Trader Bob (April 29, 1980-November 19, 1985)

46. Grand Game (May 16, 1980-present)

47. Now...and Then (September 17, 1980-present) [renamed Now...or Then in late 1986]

48. Hit Me (November 13, 1980-October 13, 2006)

49. Superball!! (February 3, 1981-January 12, 1998)

50. Blank Check (October 14, 1981-present) [renamed Check Game circa 1987]

51. Check-Out (January 28, 1982-present)

52. Pick-a-Pair (April 12, 1982-present)

53. Plinko (January 3, 1983-present)

54. Master Key (March 25, 1983-present)

55. The Phone Home Game (September 12, 1983-November 3, 1989)

56. Walk of Fame (November 4, 1983-November 27, 1985)

57. Balance Game/"Balance Game I"/"Balance Game '84" (April 9, 1984-December 3, 1985) [see Note #5]

58. On the Nose (September 14, 1984-November 22, 1985)

59. One Away (December 4, 1984-present)

60. Bump (September 13, 1985-November 20, 1991)

61. Add 'em Up (September 11, 1986-October 3, 1988)

62. Pathfinder (April 7, 1987-present)

63. Credit Card (December 7, 1987-present)

64. Spelling Bee (September 15, 1988-present)

65. $uper $aver (May 10, 1989-March 11, 1996)

66. Make Your Move (September 11, 1989-present)

67. 2 for the Price of 1 (December 12, 1989-present)

68. Gallery Game (September 10, 1990-April 11, 1991)

69. Swap Meet (September 9, 1991-present)

70. Pick-a-Number (January 31, 1992-present)

71. Switch? (February 27, 1992-present)

72. Buy or Sell (March 27, 1992-present)

73. Magic # (September 14, 1992-present)

74. Cover Up (September 13, 1993-present)

75. Joker (February 14, 1994-present)

76. Side by Side (May 10, 1994-present)

77. Barker's Marker$ (September 12, 1994-present)

78. Freeze Frame (February 22, 1995-present)

79. Split Decision (November 9, 1995-January 16, 1997)

80. Shopping Spree (January 17, 1996-present)

81. Eazy Az 1-2-3 (April 25, 1996-present)

82. It's in the Bag (September 26, 1997-present)

83. Fortune Hunter (November 21, 1997-May 11, 2000)

84. Line 'em Up (March 10, 1998-present)

85. Clearance Sale (September 21, 1998-present)

86. One Wrong Price (October 23, 1998-present)

87. Push Over (March 3, 1999-present)

88. Let 'em Roll (September 20, 1999-present)

89. Flip Flop (February 25, 2000-present)

90. Triple Play (October 2, 2000-present)

91. That's Too Much (April 19, 2001-present)

92. Bonkers (September 24, 2001-present)

93. Pass the Buck (October 4, 2001-present)

94. Step Up (February 7, 2002-present)

95. On the Spot (January 27, 2003-November 5, 2004)

96. Time Is Money (September 22, 2003-April 23, 2004)

97. Coming or Going (October 2, 2003-present)

98. 1/2 Off (May 28, 2004-present)

99. Pocket ¢hange (January 10, 2005-present)

100. Balance Game/"Balance Game II"/"Balance Game '06" (February 6, 2006-present) [see Note #5]

101. Stack the Deck (October 9, 2006-present)

Notes:

Note #1: While three pricing games all debuted on the September 4, 1972 episode, they were played in the following order: Any Number, Bonus Game, and Double Prices.

Note #2: While two pricing games debuted on the September 5, 1972 episode, Grocery Game was played before "Bullseye I."

Note #3: There are two completely different pricing games that have been named Bullseye. Because of this, the names "Bullseye I"/"Bullseye '72" are often used to refer to the first game that debuted with this name and the names "Bullseye II"/"Bullseye '76" are often used to refer to the second game that debuted with this name. Also note that Double Bullseye/"2-Player Bullseye I" was a two player version of "Bullseye I."

Note #4: Two pricing games debuted on the September 4, 1978 episode. However, Shower Game was played before It's Optional.

Note #5: There are two completely different pricing games that have been named Balance Game. Because of this, the names "Balance Game I"/"Balance Game '84" are often used to refer to the first game that debuted with this name and the names "Balance Game II"/"Balance Game '06" are often used to refer to the second game that debuted with this name.

[Scotty]

Plinko!!!!!!

And I love it when they spin the big wheel.

[Danni]

I've always wondered, has anyone ever won $50,000 playing Plinko? That would have to be some major star-alignment stuff right there for that to happen.

[DruRocks]

Plinko.

[Max]

Danni, nobody has ever won $50,000 on Plinko. As a matter of fact, the odds of that happening are (according to wikipedia) .0017%.

The most ever money won on Plinko was $40,000, which occurred on a primetime special; however, this record does not really count, since the big slot was worth $20,000 on the primetime specials (as opposed to being worth $10,000 on the daytime episodes).

On the daytime episodes, the record for most money won was $23,000. However, you should keep in mind that prior to 1998, the big slot was only worth $5,000 (instead of $10,000). Back when the big slot was only $5,000, somebody did win $21,000; this particular playing was really the best ever playing of Plinko, since the contestant managed to hit the big slot a record of four times.

[Danni]

Cool beans!

Is there a pricing game that more contestants tend to lose?

I'd say my favorites are: Three Strikes, The one with the yodeling mountaineer, Pathfinder (I love the sound that's made when the contestant gets the number wrong), and Plinko.

[R!ck]

1. Any Number 8/10

First game ever played on TPIR and it's still exciting today.

2. Bonus Game 10/10

One of my Top 5 fave games, however it's played rather infrequently

3. Double Prices 0/10

The dullest game in TPIR history. A time restraint game played to make up time for a complicated game (i.e 10 chances, 3 Strikes, Pocket Change) 0/10

4. Grocery Game 7/10

Okay game, But it is in dire need of an update.

5. Bullseye II 7/10

Great game! I almost don't want the contestant to hit the bullseye, because I like the build up to see if the bullseye is behind one of the grocery items.

6. Clock Game 6/10

A ghetto game as I like to call it. Sure it's fun, but the prizes are usually in the 700-800 range, and If I were called up to play clock game, I'd be disappointed.

8. Five Price Tags 8/10

As soon as I see the door open from the left side of the stage, I know it's Five price tags. This is a fave of mine.

9. Most Expensive 2/10

Dull and very easy to win. played to much

10. Money Game 6/10

One of the early games that actually gets played frequently. I like the game, but almost always the front and back of the car are side by side and I end up screaming like a madman at the contestant.

11. Give or Keep

Another game I don't remember

12. Range Game 3/10

Yawn! another sleeper

13. Hi-Lo 5/10

Odds are 50-1 in winning this game, but if your a smart shopper it can be done.

14. Double Digits

Don't remember this one

15. Lucky $even 5/10

I think I've only seen 2-3 wins on this game. It seems to be one of the hardest (Line em Up being the hardest) to win

16. Temptation 7/10

Another hard to win car game. TAKE THE PRIZES if you have the slightest doubt.

17. Mystery Price

Never saw this played

18. Shell Game 9/10

One of my faves, of course it's rarely played

19. Card Game 6/10

Pretty easy to win at this one. Not one of my faves but I like to scream at the contestants whtrn they bid to high lol 7/10

20. Race Game 10/10

One of the first games I remember seeing as a child, and I still love it today

More to come

Line em Up is a very hard game to win. I think there was only 1 winner last season.

[Danni]

Really? I remember seeing quite a few winners with Line Em Up.

I'm upset that Hit Me has been retired. It's not Bob's fault that the contestants are stupid and can't figure out that the price listed is a multiple of the actual price.

[R!ck]

I've onlt began watching again after a few year hiatus so I guess there have been more Line em Up winners than I thought lol

I miss Penny Ante and Superball Bring them back!!

[bellcurve]

I love Plinko, Pick a Number, Barker's Bargain Sale, Punch a Bunch, Lucky Seven, Any Number, Hole In One, Cliffhangers.

[Mitchapalooza]

My Top 5 Games of All-Time:

1.) Plinko

2.) Pathfinder

3.) Hole In One

4.) Cliffhangers

5.) Punch-A-Bunch

Clock Game also holds a special place in my heart as does the game where they have to ask "Ladies Do I have 1, 2, 3, 4, all 5 numbers right"!

[DaysForever]

Plinko all the way! That game is awesome!

[alwaysAMC]

I loved all the car games. There was one where you had to change a digit in the price each time you wrote on the board...you get so many chances before you run out of magic marker board. I can't remember the name, but I haven't seen that one played in a long time.

I also loved the ones where you punch out like 6 or 7 numbers and pull out money prices or car parts...Bee Game or something?

[Danni]

You're thinking of Punch a Bunch and Spelling Bee.

[alwaysAMC]

Ah yes! That is it...thanks