Number one, absolutely "The Joker's Wild." To this day I still have a fascination with the whole slot machine thing. I bought a Phillips CD-I just to play the home game version!
Others, in relatively random order:
Concentration: I grew up watching the Jack Narz version. When I got my Commodore 64 (God, I'm ancient), my prents actually found a game called Match Wits, that was played the same way: a matching game revealing a rebus puzzle, except that the matches were linked pairs (say, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania if the category was cities & states). You could even make up your own sets of matching pairs, which of course I did. I got that on a Christmas morning so long ago, and still remember playing it all afternoon, only grudgingly stopping for dinner.
Later there was Classic Concentration (for which I also had the Commodore 64 version), which Philly's NBC station refused to run. When the family would trek to the Poconos for the annual vacation each July 4th week, I would revel in the chance to catch just a couple of days of the show (which, thanks to lousy timing, was pre-empted for (bleep)ing tennis several days. By the time NBC was airing only repeats, Philadelphia finally ran it for a short time. I was in heaven. Great theme on the "Classic" version, too.
Jeopardy: I've taken the test and failed more times than I care to admit, but still love it. In high school, they staged a school-wide tournament based on Jeopardy. I finished second among the junior class-not bad, if I do say so myself. Counting the Commodore 64, I think I've owned about a dozen or more home versions of the game, including my ultimate prized possession: the Simpsons edition of Jeopardy.
To Tell The Truth: Still missing the last revival, which I taped every day. Loved the 1990 revival, too (another excellent theme, based on the '70s version). Watched this one in every incarnation from the mid '70s on.
Match Game: Sure, the '70s-'80s version ruled (though now that I watch the very early episodes on GSN, before the questions became so risque, it was really kind of dull), but I liked the revivals too. (OK, so Match Game-Hollywood Squares may have been a bad idea, but Ross Schaffer and Michael Burger did good jobs hosting).
Wheel Of Fortune: Why the heck can't I get into an audition for THIS show? I would totally kick butt. Loved it even more once they ditched the shopping years ago.
Price is Right: Bob Barker is the king, but the show itself is a masterpiece.
Tic Tac Dough: Not, I repeat, NOT the Patrick Wayne version. That was an abomination against all that is good in the world. With Wink at the helm, it was a gem--sure it was cheesy, but come on, how can you not love that wood-panneled set?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Hey, 15 questions and three (or more) "cheats" at your disposal. How hard can it be? Yeah, right. I made the hot seat at the Disney World version and couldn't get the 64,000 point question right. Oh well, just being in the hot seat, even the fake one, was a memory I'll cherish. I have my point pins from the questions I got right in a shadow box--yeah, I'm obsessive.
In the runners-up list: Card Sharks, Pyramid, Super Password, Newlywed Game, Family Feud (Combs and Karn versions so far, with hope for the O'Hurley version to be good as well).
> What are your all time favorite game shows?
>
> Mine are(in no particular order)
>
> 1. Price is Right
> 2. Family Fued
> 3. Match Game
> 4. Press Your Luck
> 5. Sale of The Century
> 6. Win Ben Stein's Money
> 7. Remote Control
> 8. Double Dare
> 9. Hollywood Square
> 10. Wheel of Fortune
>
