New Pricing Game Idea: Balanced Budget

[PimpinJC]

Played for: Up to $15,000 in cash and prizes

Gameplay:
The contestant had just been “hired” as an Account Manager for the show and is given $15,000 in cash as their budget.  The contestant is then shown 3 prizes that the show wants to offer as actual prizes on the show, each less than $10,000.  One by one, the contestant must budget an amount from the $15,000 given to cover the cost of each item.  (The total of the other 3 prizes will always total less than $15,000 with room to spare, so it’s possible to win every time.)

One by one, the actual price of a successfully budgeted prize (if done) is revealed at random, followed by another one.  Should the contestant be unsure if they’ve budgeted enough for the last item, they can take their leftover cash that they didn’t budget out as a “severance package” and quit.  If they’re confident, they continue, and the last prize’s price is revealed.  If the contestant loses, they’re “fired” and walk away empty handed.  However, if correct, they’re promoted to “employee of the week” and take home all 3 prizes plus the leftover cash they didn’t use.

[gamesurf]

Funny enough, reminds me of an idea Scott once developed except his was played with grocery products.

I like the idea as a HYO pricing game, it requires some strategy and good old-fashioned price estimation without hints. You could even get away with a non-fixed starting amount a la Shopping Spree or Credit Card.

If we were presenting it for a real idea on the show, my feedback would be it runs a little long for a 3-prizer, and the theming or presentation could do more to make the aim of the game clear to an average viewer. Maybe something like Million Dollar Money Drop, moving play money from try to tray?

they can take their leftover cash that they didn’t budget out as a “severance package” and quit.

What happens if they budget out 100% of the cash? Seems like most contestants would do that. The goal is to win the game, after all, not make a nice bailout for yourself.