I remember playing the original version of this a decade ago, and now I feel old. Anyway, onto the voting:
3 Strikes has guaranteed excitement. If it's for a four-digit, five-digit, or six-digit car, you never know what will happen when a contestant pulls a chip out of the bag and attempts to place it in the car's price. Things get really exciting when there are two strikes on the board and only one number left, leading to a spectacular win or a painful loss (see playings from 1/29/91, 12/20/06, or Luke from Christmas Week, 2014). For about a decade, the show watered down the game by having only one strike in the bag, but that was nothing compared to the rule changes in Season 37 to address Drew's complaints that it was a "tedious and mind-numbing game." Thankfully, the proper rules were restored for Season 38, and the game is just as suspenseful as ever.
Most Expen$ive serves its purpose. It is a quick way to present three prizes and have the contestant pick which one is the highest-priced. The new set with floor logo introduced in 2010 was neat and was a good update to the venerable pylons that served the show well for about 25 years. Memorable moments included the model chats and George falling on a treadmill he was modeling. I do miss the rare occasions where all three doors are used for trips or cars.
In the end 3 Strikes swamps Most Expensive, 10-1.
Bonkers was what Split Decision could have been-an understandable, fast-paced game for a prize. This forces the contestant to think on their feet and play the odds regarding paddle placement (if the first number is a 7, unless the prize looked really expensive, place the paddle below!). The set, almost 15 years later, still looks great, although I do wish the big blue button remained. The game has seen its share of bad contestants, who take too much time making guesses or looking at the audience, but it has had some great ones who pulled off miracle wins or won the game in a quick fashion. Overall, a fun game.
Let 'em Roll, I remember when the fanbase derided luck-based games, but this one is one of the better ones in the rotation, in my opinion. It has a great presentation, especially after the set was updated in 2003. The pricing portion used to be very easy, but now it's a bit tougher, especially with a car on the line. The fact that a contestant can roll as much as $7,500 and end the game with that money is an interesting twist on the usual all-or-nothing nature of car games. Here, a contestant is in control of the outcome and it's a surprise to see lots of money pop up, or cars.
In the end, I like the fast-paced and skill-based nature of Bonkers more, so it gets the nod over Roll, 7-4.
Now for Temptation. I loved the new set when it came out in 2010; the drab yellow and pink finally got an upscale look that befits the game. The game takes a long time to play, but that makes its appearances all the more awesome. I did get tired of Drew's "It's your birthday!" routine because he used it as a crutch to present the four gifts to contestants, and long spells of bailouts really made the game not as fun or exciting as it was in previous years. But when wins happen, they are causes for celebration.
Balance Game is one of the best revivals of a pricing game concept. Contestants still balance scales, but rather than using small prizes, they have to equate differently-weighted bags to the price of a large prize. The huge scales give the game a good presentation, and it is a moderately-timed one-prize game, rather than a quickie, which gives it more cachet than some other games in the same category.
In the end, Temptation wins out, 8-3.
Finally, Spelling Bee. This was the first game I ever remember seeing on the show when I began watching in Season 22. It has a luck-based premise of finding the letters needed to spell "Car." But the pricing element was unique for a time, until Rat Race debuted, bid within $10 above or below the actual price of a small prize. The cash amounts, which remained at $500, were not as tempting towards the end of the Barker era, so thankfully they were doubled when Drew became host. We've had some exciting wins, especially with longshot victories (a contestant has only two or three cars and goes on) and the Aston Martin in Dream Car Week. The set is still neat with its honeycomb motif.
Money Game is the quickie car game that's super simple to play-just pick out the first two and the last two numbers, or else you'll accumulate nothing but money. I like how Drew has caught on to "El Cheapo" and points it out when it trips up a contestant. The set is a product of its time, the early 90s, and has now outlived its predecessor. It could use an update to bring it into the 21st century.
Spelling Bee has a better overall presentation, in my opinion. So it gets the nod over Money Game, 7-4.
