Favorite/least favorite non-car game played for a car?

[CaptainPrice]

Which is your favorite and least favorite non-car game that's played for a car? I'm splitting it into two categories: Non-GP/SP and GP/SP pricing games (e.g. Check-Out for a car) that normally aren't played for cars but are when a shorter lineup is needed. I miss the three-car days, but I can understand why the show no longer does them as frequently as they did in the 1990s and 2000s.

Favorite (non-GP/SP): Range Game. Although it's a quick game, I do like having the range finder being a possible price of the car.
Least favorite (non-GP/SP): Push Over. A savvy player knows the first sequence of numbers is always wrong and feels predictable.

Favorite (GP/SP): Check-Out. Depending on how it's set up, it can give a "high stakes" feeling to Check-Out.
Least favorite (GP/SP): Bullseye. Although Secret "X" comes close, but usually the contestant can win without needing to go find the hidden bullseye.

What are yours? I'm curious.

[mechamind]

- Range Game is actually my least favorite of the non-GP/SP games to do it. The range gimmick only feels about as special as it does for a kitchen. I honestly get more excited with Double Prices for a car.
- On the other hand, I love when Safe Crackers hides the big prize behind a big door. Presentation wins big time here even though the game is simple as it is.

- Now, Check-Out, I agree with as a favorite. It is certainly "high stakes", but I've always loved the one-at-a-time reveal for the actual prices as well. I would've gone with Shell Game if Drew revealed the possible winning cups instead of the losing cup when the contestant only missed one.
- As for least favorite, it's a tough call. If forced to pick one, I would have to go with Hi-Lo due to the possibility of an anticlimactic loss, but honestly, I still like the reveal.

[Mallory16]

Super Ball!! easily. And practical too, for such a long game not to require another car game in the same half. It worked well played for a car. Kinda' a nice sendoff for its final playing to have been for a car, and won too!

If we don't want to count retired games, then maybe... um.. actually, I guess that game is kinda' in limbo. Kinda' fun to open that door to a car, though!

I'll just go with Range Game. I think Freeze Frame has real potential, with alternating 2- and 3-digit tiles, but that's another discussion.

[JayC]

I would say Check Out as my favorite since it's a more difficult game so it fits to be played for a car to raise the stakes.

Least favorite- Pick a Number, a car doesn't make it any more interesting.

[gamesurf]

Worst:

3) Squeeze Play. I don’t think the game is more fun with four options, and I don’t think it’s a more interesting test of pricing. If it’s set up nicely, it’s “guess the thousands digit”. If it’s not set up nicely, it’s “pick the number we’re thinking of”. Neither is much fun when a car’s on the line.

2) Shell Game. The bonus makes it a no-win scenario. I don’t like that you can win a car but not win the bonus and suddenly the game ends on a sour note. I don’t like that the bonus means they rarely can play this for a car, and I don’t like that on the rare times they do they have to force at least one impossible SP.

1) The Lion’s Share is technically a non-car game played for a car, and I’ve aired my grievances with that elsewhere.

Best:

3) Walk of Fame. A non-car game for car, where you have to work your way up to the car, and you can win it by knowing the general price of the car? That’s interesting! (When it’s played for an actual car and not a Zoe Zipper, that is).

2) Push Over. I like that the setup is forced to get more interesting than normal to make it a challenge. It usually rises to the occasion.

1) Balance Game. It’s Pick a Number, but with much better showmanship. Real test of pricing that can scale to a car, fun prop, fun to see the five digit display fully utilized.

[Flerbert419]

Least Favorite: Range Game. If the range changed from $150 to something larger I could get behind this, but right now it's just based on feel when a contestant should stop.

Favorite: 2 For The Price of 1. "It's a BBQ and a new car!" Seeing the car crammed into that little spot on stage is fun and it's always a big surprise when the doors open because you don't expect to see a car with the host and contestant in that position.

[Nick]

I would say the definitive answer is Safe Crackers, for opening up the safe to a car has excellent presentation.  2 for the Price of 1 is also not bad, and Push Over is definitely worthy.  Among retired games, Walk of Fame is probably the best.

2) Shell Game. The bonus makes it a no-win scenario. I don’t like that you can win a car but not win the bonus and suddenly the game ends on a sour note.

How is this different from any other perfect playing of Shell Game?  It'd be better off without the bonus, quite frankly.

And on a related note, one thing that's always driven me nuts is when checking for the ball with the bonus on the line is, if the host reveals under a shell not chosen and the ball isn't there, then there should sound the ding, not the buzzer!  The fact that the ball was not there is a good thing.  The same goes when revealing under shells not chipped.  If the ball's not there, that's a good thing, so the ding should sound.

[DYC]

Super Ball!! easily. And practical too, for such a long game not to require another car game in the same half. It worked well played for a car. Kinda' a nice sendoff for its final playing to have been for a car, and won too!

It was anticlimactic when Super Ball was played for a car, and it was won on the first try. Then they still had to go through the Super Ball song and dance to try to win a bakers rack or a grandfather clock. Or the $300 bonus lol.

I like when Check Out is played for a car lately, only because it's interesting that it's not been won in soooo long when played for a car. Let's get some retro Double Prices for a car behind Door #3 like the good ol' days.
 

[JT]

When Super Ball was played for a car, it always made the reveal and the game play extra special.

When Make Your Move debuted in 1989 it was played for a car as the 3rd prize and it made for good game play.

I like when Bonus Game and Grocery Game are played for a car because it's unexpected. Regarding Shell Game, I would have never made the cash bonus equal to the prize value - car or no car. The Shell Game bonus should just be $5,000 cash all the time so if it is not won, it's less of a downer.

[gamesurf]

How is this different from any other perfect playing of Shell Game?  It'd be better off without the bonus, quite frankly.

Cosign. It’s absurd on a normal playing, but it gets even more absurd the bigger the prize is.

I don’t think it’s too late to walk it back.

[Nick]

When Make Your Move debuted in 1989 it was played for a car as the 3rd prize and it made for good game play.

I have thought for years that Make Your Move with two two-digit SPs and a five-digit car is something that should be tried.

Cosign. It’s absurd on a normal playing, but it gets even more absurd the bigger the prize is.

I don’t think it’s too late to walk it back.

A thousand dollars is more than enough for 2026 for a perfect Shell Game bonus, but I maintain the bonus really doesn"t add anything to the game, and no matter the amount or the prize just won, it's still an unnecessary downer ending if the bonus is lost.

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

FAVORITE: Shell Game...though the bonus could be augmented in a car-based playing to make the bonus more worthwhile.

HATE: 3 Strikes...only because there have been more losses than wins as of lately (at least, whenever I watch this game being played in recent times)

[SteveGavazzi]

HATE: 3 Strikes...only because there have been more losses than wins as of lately (at least, whenever I watch this game being played in recent times)

Um...3 Strikes isn't a non-car game...