Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow - Kotaku Comments

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Starcade — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:44:40 MDT

Best article ever! Thanks OG for the mention :)

Starcade

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

grampaspanky — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:41:56 MDT

TV Powww, now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I was actually picked as a contestant, but it conflicted with the annual Xmas trek up the coast to be with the grandparents. I tried and tried to convince my parents to let me stay home, reasoning that my toy haul on that show would far exceed anything I'd get from the extended family and naturally ignoring the spirit of Xmas altogether in my argument. To this day, the mere mention of TV Powww makes me go "Niagra Falls" on people--

grampaspanky

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Unrulybrute — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:57:18 MDT

The funniest thing about TV Powww was the fact that no matter how fast the callers screamed "pow" in rapid succession, the game still had a constant rate of fire. Also, I could have sworn the game was Space Armada for the Intellivision (and optional speech synthesizer), which was like a prehistoric RTS that broke into the simple shooter used on the show. Could be wrong, we ancient gamers from the paleolithic era tend to be a smidge senile.

Unrulybrute

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

battra92 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:53:16 MDT

For a second there I was thinking that back in the day Jim Crockett put arcade game advertisements or something into Starcade (the first major yearly Wrestling Closed circuit and later PPV event; even before Wrestlemania.)

battra92

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

kingofallcosmos — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:20:56 MDT

I was overseas when Starcade was originally on the air, but I watched it religiously when it was on G4. I love the charm of it and the overall feel. Seeing classics like Crystal Castles and Moon Patrol is worth it by itself.

I did get to watch Video Power and Nick Arcade when they were originally aired. I liked both of those and they make an interesting contrast with Starcade. I also remember a British show that had one of those green screen games, but I can't remember what it was.

kingofallcosmos

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

sandwiches — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:52:15 MDT

I grew up watching TV POW in Sacramento on UHF channel 40, hosted by Captain Mitch during his "Cartoons Ahoy" show.

I'm pretty sure the games were bowling and some type of space shootery thing, all on a Magnavox Odyssey console.

sandwiches

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Swizzler121 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:23:51 MDT

@thinkfreemind: wow, two of the cheesiest things I've ever seen in one day... all from one show.

Swizzler121

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

someToast — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:32:31 MDT

Thanks for reminding me of Barney's Clubhouse Pow, which ran in Green Bay, Wisconsin (for only one year? Seemed longer.)

It would appear that the kids who thought they had Figured It Out by going "POWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOW" were universal to all markets.

someToast

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Islandkiwi — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:17:24 MDT

We had TV Pow in Hawaii when I was a kid, I remember that the prizes were all McDonald's toys...and to a kid, McDonald's was the shizzle. If you were really cool you had your birthday at McDonald's.

Then a few years later Castle Park opened, then an ice skating rink, then Chuck E. Cheese...

Hmm...anyway, forgive the old man rambling. Yes, I remember TV Pow.

Islandkiwi

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

codedemon — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:03:26 MDT

I find it hilarious that Geoff Edwards has a slight similar facial appearance to Scrubs actor John C. McGinley.

codedemon

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

mr.dandy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:34:52 MDT

Starcade was on when I lived in the SF Bay area, it was the messiah of all things cool to come. My week consisted of watching Starcade Saturday morning (increasingly early hours)... and waiting for Saturday when Starcade was on.

I also saw TV-POWWW, in Spokane, WA and also the SF Bay area, when I was about 8. My friend actually got on the show to play while I was at his house. The show I saw was definitely played on an Intellivision. The two games I remember most were Space Battle and Intellivision Football. My guess is there was a guy in the studio who pressed the button whenever the kid said "pow", it was barely synched up at all, mostly random luck! Ahh, good times.

mr.dandy

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

KoolAssKid — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:08:30 MDT

best post ever..."I'll choose Pengo"

KoolAssKid

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Evil Tortie's Mom — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:08:01 MDT

@Orionsaint: Exactly. Pong made its millions in bars, amongst the Swinging Singles.

Evil Tortie's Mom

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Orionsaint — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:06:56 MDT

@thinkfreemind:

Yep with Johnny Arcade. God was he annoying, even at the time. His voice got under my skin. They used to show a Bigfoot cartoon to coincide with it if I recall correctly.

Orionsaint

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Orionsaint — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:04:15 MDT

You younger folk are probably wondering why can adults be on the show. Well at the time Video Games weren't thought of as just for kids. It was a phenomenon sweeping the world, like a crazy new dance, like a fad. Everyone was doin it. It wasn't really till NES that Video Games started being perceived as something just for kids.

Orionsaint

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Orionsaint — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:56:49 MDT

I'm old enough to remember this turd. It's just as cheesy as I remember it if not more. At that time video games were so big. TV excutives were scrambling to get anything video game related on TV. Hey we know! A gameshow! Everyone loves gameshows! hehe.

Orionsaint

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

relic1980 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:52:22 MDT

I just watched a couple of eps a little earlier. Pretty fun (I watched a few eps back in the early 80s, so I knew what I was getting into). Great seeing those old arcade units (and they actually have a few arcade units for sale in their store!). It was a little cheesy, but tolerable (hey, I actually watched KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park in the late 70s, so if I could survive that, I can survive ANYthing ^_^). I'd recommend it just for showing a roomful of classic arcade units to lil' relatives so they could see how it used to be (weeeell, sans the cigarette burns on the control deck and the line of quarters on the marquee...).

relic1980

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

iamspoo — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:35:50 MDT

I watched this show a bunch when I was just a wee lad.

iamspoo

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Erwin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:22:08 MDT

@thinkfreemind: Awesome. All day I'll be singing this.
Viiideeeeoooo Pooowweeer... Video Power!
Word to ya motha.

Erwin

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Erwin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:18:56 MDT

Ohh man, Starcade! G4 used to even show reruns before they went downhill. If only I could have been on it. Seriously, those kids sucked at Time Pilot.

Erwin

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

thinkfreemind — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:14:01 MDT

@Swizzler121: You think that's cheesy? Check out the show intro.

thinkfreemind

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Meldy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:14:00 MDT

Gamesradar have a great little feature on the gaming shows of old (there is a significant British bias however - but all the better to introduce everyone to Gamesmaster and Dominik Diamond). Great little read. I find it strange that they wrote this article, then Kotaku goes and mentions it... Hmmmm... ;-)
[www.gamesradar.com]
Yikes, that's my second Gamesradar link today - I feel quite dirty...

Meldy

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Swizzler121 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:00:57 MDT

@thinkfreemind: wow, that had to be one of the cheesiest things i've seen... ever. thank you

"Are your parents big winners?"
"...No?"
"AWWW! come on!"

Swizzler121

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

billnabors65 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:34:00 MDT

PIX! PIX! PIX!

billnabors65

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

MURDERFACE — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:12:48 MDT

LOL the only episode of starcade i remember was the special show all about Dragon Lair episode. Some white kid with a uber big afro was trying to win a Dragon's Lair machine and lost horribly. Hahaha good times.

MURDERFACE

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Lombax — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:05:57 MDT

HAHA HOLY SHIT WAY TO RIP OFF [www.giantbomb.com] god damn all kotaku does anymore is regurgitate news from other sites, and neogaf!

Lombax

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Agm — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:03:21 MDT

@Agm: Oh wow. No after watching that I don't want to be on it anymore. hehe. But I'm sure I would have still loved it back then.

Agm

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Agm — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:00:37 MDT

@thinkfreemind: Thats the show!

I could never remember that damn one.

I used to want to be on it like made.

Agm

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

thinkfreemind — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:50:10 MDT

Anyone remember the game show "Video Power"? When you won you went on a video game run to grab as much as you could. I used to dream of going on this corny show when I was a kid. Good times.

thinkfreemind

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Konatsu — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:42:42 MDT

Ah, I remember Nick Arcade. Never heard of all these other ones, but what I remember from Nick Arcade is that they had a game board where the team who answered the question right (or maybe they alternated?) got to move a little character (Mikey, I think his name was). The space he went to would reveal to be an arcade challenge or other surprises. It was in my youth that I saw this, so all the games were mostly recognizable. Most of the ones on this Starcade show, I don't even recognize.

Also, the Starcade host's feigned excitement is pretty funny.

Konatsu

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Magnum1024k — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:26:34 MDT

I used to watch this show on G4tv a few years back when they were new and still about videogames, it was one of the only shows I liked on the network. The others were Icons, G4tv.com, and Arena.

Magnum1024k

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Exor — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:21:54 MDT

does anyone here remember Video & Arcade? (aired on YTV in the 90s)..

Exor

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

GodzillaVsJapan — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:12:50 MDT

@3inst3in: haha I'm waiting as well :)

GodzillaVsJapan

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

J0hnny-Kickass — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:12:30 MDT

@Pikadrew:

I was watching that on Nick GAS with a couple friends once. The kids would actually die or get stuck on Greenhill zone 1. Garbage.

J0hnny-Kickass

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Spoony Bard — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:12:17 MDT

@Lou3000: They're teasing us. MOCKING us. Laughing maniacally while they sit and wait for us to -

Wait, where was I? Oh right.

I'm sure it's coming soon. :)

Spoony Bard

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

tk. — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:11:40 MDT

@3inst3in: Haha, you're not alone...

Ladybug is the best Pac-Manesque game next to Ms. Pac-Man. I play that every chance I get.

tk.

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

jiSh — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:11:18 MDT

@Lou3000: LOL yeah I keep refreshing Kotaku in anticipation!

jiSh

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

CrownJ88 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:10:47 MDT

I keep sitting here hitting the refresh button. Bring the review on! Please!

CrownJ88

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

xIvSlowDeath420 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:10:46 MDT

Everyones review is up except yours,what gives?

xIvSlowDeath420

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Riokenn — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:10:12 MDT

Damn, that kid got ripped on episode 127

Riokenn

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Lou3000 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:09:57 MDT

@3inst3in: Agreed, where is the review?

Lou3000

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

3inst3in — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:06:24 MDT

AHHHH Post the GTAIV review, it's 10am CrecenteTime! i'm antsy in the pantsy

3inst3in

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

kosbee — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:04:53 MDT

@Pikadrew: haha - Yeah. I didn't even have a Genesis, but I'd watch them play Sonic and I remember thinking that these kids were awful at the games.

kosbee

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

peAr nectAr — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:04:36 MDT

That was really awkward to watch. They had the five-minute long introductions, and obviously the host was more interested in what the fathers did for a living than the actual games.

And those horrible, Javier-Bardem-from-No-Country haircuts! Ahhhh! NOT THE EIGHTIES! ANYTHING BUT THAT!

peAr nectAr

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

JamisonRD — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:03:58 MDT

@kosbee: There was always 'Legends of the Hidden Temple' but yeah... I think you're remembering 'Nick Arcade'

JamisonRD

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Pikadrew — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:01:56 MDT

@kosbee:

yeah..the show was called (shockingly) Nick Arcade. I remember they played so shittily at all times and I kept wanting to be on the show to beat their faces in.

Pikadrew

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

ShaggE — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:00:35 MDT

@Tyber_Zann: The prizes are the best part of Starcade. :D Considering you can find many of them nowadays for $1.50 at a garage sale, watching everyone get hyped over them is pure comedy gold.

ShaggE

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

kosbee — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:59:10 MDT

This reminds me of some arcade style game show that Nickelodeon had on the air for a couple of years. I can't remember the name of it for the life of me, but the contestants would face off against each other in a few different games, and then the winner would play a game trying to reach a certain score.

Anyone remember that show?

kosbee

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

demonknightinuyasha — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:57:34 MDT

a couple months ago when i was in my digital audio design class for our review for the final we actually played starcade X3. The way we did it was we had a question off the final, then we had a video game question. we didnt play games after everything single question.

I got to play double dragon and despite the emuator controls being messed up from what the instructor told me i still managed to get the high score X3. it was the most fun i've ever had with a final review X3

demonknightinuyasha

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Americo — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:55:00 MDT

@MoeB: Nice to see Kotaku has a local fashionista.

Americo

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Tyber_Zann — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:47:30 MDT

I used to watch this all the time, I think it played a lot on G4. I'd usually watch it to see what crappy prizes they'd give away, like a huge jukebox that they said was 'portable', or computerized chess.

That show always made me feel uncomfortable, but I could never look away. Did the host ever kill himself from shame?

Tyber_Zann

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

the_dudefather — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:46:05 MDT

there were a few Hugo based games on TV when I was growing up, you had to say directions to move as well as actions (like 'jump')

LEFTLEFTLEFTLEFTUPUPUPSHOOTSHOOTDOWNDOWN

the_dudefather

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

KaneRobot — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:44:49 MDT

AWESOME. I caught a few episodes of this back when G4 wasn't totally awful...I was only about 3-4 years old when they originally aired so my memory of them in "real time" is pretty flimsy.

My favorite Starcade episodes were the ones where the grand prize was a vaguely described "robot."

KaneRobot

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

NYLatenite — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:39:43 MDT

We didn't have TV-Powww, but here in NY we did have WPIX's version of it during the weekday after-school cartoons - where it was the same idea, but instead the kid on the phone would shout "PIX" when they wanted to shoot - and of course, the shot would follow a few seconds later.

Inevitably, it would just become some kid shouting "pixpixpixpixpixpix" for about a minute or two.

NYLatenite

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

ez054098 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:35:23 MDT

I miss those days.

ez054098

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Jabbertrack — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:32:57 MDT

Awesome

and @Jekht: you have no soul

Jabbertrack

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

DontFearTheHobo — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:31:19 MDT

I loved Nick Arcade. I always wanted to be on it, and show up some of the kids who just plain sucked. And they were all fools when it came to the final thing, when they were in the game. I would always scream at that, and Legends of the Hidden Temple.

DontFearTheHobo

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Nisori — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:24:01 MDT

Cool, neat find. reminds me of a more streamlined Nick arcade.

Nisori

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Doomstink — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:21:56 MDT

I'm too young for that (21), but in my day (the early 90s) we had Nick Arcade, and I actually believed that they had the ability to transport you inside of a video game. I had no idea what blue screens were at the time, so I thought it was so awesome.

Doomstink

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

parad0x360 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:20:42 MDT

@Malvolio the Magician: The Sega we all know and love is long dead. Sammy took care of that when they killed studios and consolidated others. They managed to kill every ounce of creativity the company had and they either fired or shelved the best developers they had or chased them out altogether.

parad0x360

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Cruithne — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:20:09 MDT

In the Uk there were Saturday morning kid's shows in which people would play different versions of that pow game, including having to give instructions to the guy shooting...

"left a bit, left a bit, right a bit, up a bit, FIRE!"

It was shite.

Cruithne

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

MoeB — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:18:55 MDT

Love those pants...

MoeB

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Malvolio the Magician — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:15:52 MDT

SEGA, Sega lives. It will never die.

Malvolio the Magician

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

bigman88zz — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:15:43 MDT

yes! now i can finally watch people play angler dangler.

btw, that was not sarcasm

bigman88zz

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

Jekht — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:11:26 MDT

I tried watching a little, but then i died inside.

Jekht

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

DTownsu — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:11:07 MDT

Starcade was a bit before my time, but all the corniness of an 80's television show seems to be there. The closest thing to Starcade for me was Nick Arcade.

DTownsu

Now Online: Starcade, the Video-Game Gameshow

jollydwarf — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:11:01 MDT

"Starcade"...one of the only game shows I can remember that had challenges based on a contestant's skill, and not luck or knowledge of semi-useless trivia. Today, it would be like some multi-game version of "Madden Nation" with a bunch of oppressive attention whores posturing and shit-talking in front of the camera for weeks on end.

"Here's hoping all your troubles get zapped!" I quoted that from memory. Did I get it verbatim?

P.S. "Sinistar" on XBLA, for the one millionth time!

jollydwarf