One of the original networks made for kids, Nickelodeon has become iconic for its colorful programming that young people still watch today, in addition to being a haven of nostalgia for adults growing up watching in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The network has recently tapped into this growing nostalgia by way of airing reruns some of their classic Nicktoons on NickSplat, in addition to rebooting their iconic game show, Double Dare.
This gets us wondering - just what other older, previously ditched gameshows might benefit from the modern-day reboot? There is no shortage of options, and given the more sophisticated tech and glitzy 4k of the current era, surely some of these shows would be enhanced or made more enjoyable if given a modern coat of paint.
With this list, we’ll venture back in time as we examine 5 Nick gameshows that could use a Double Dare-like comeback, along with 5 that are probably best kept in the pages of Nickelodeon history.
LEAVE IT: Slime Time Live!
The most interesting thing that can be said about this early 2000s Nick show is that it holds the Guinness World record for the most people being pied in three minutes, and the most people slimed - if for some reason you were interested in that information.
Basically, this show takes on many of the Nick tropes to an absurd degree in an outdoor setting - kids partaking in various random games and challenges, often leading to an over-the-top mess with slime and pies. This would be intermixed with contestants who would participate over the phone. The concept of live, over-the-phone games may have been cool in 2000, but might come off a bit lame and dated these days.
COMEBACK: Nickelodeon Robot Wars
Sure, you could say this arena competition is quite a bit similar to the program, Battlebots, in addition to the British TV show also called Robot Wars. Still, the concept building and battling bots tend to be a motif more appealing to younger audiences anyway.
A kid version of Battlebots could prove to be an entertaining watch for children who fancy building and engineering, along with those who just like to watch a thrilling competitive - and safe - fight. This 2002 show was ridiculously short-lived, lasting only 8 episodes. It could definitely use another chance - perhaps with a patented Nick-style twist like adding some slime as an arena hazard.
LEAVE: Outta Here!
There’s a reason even many 90s kids haven’t heard of this rather obscure gameshow. It just wasn’t too entertaining, funny, or memorable all-around. For one, you had the similar, and superior What Would You Do? and Double Dare which came out around the same time. On top of this, the premise managed to be pretty simple on the one hand - featuring just two teams that would face off in different challenges.
At the same time though, the show was all over the place, featuring random events, trivia, and games that felt like multiple shows fused into one convoluted program. While the idea of having a whole studio audience of two teams facing off was somewhat neat, its execution was somewhat strange and left a bit to be desired.
COMEBACK: BrainSurge
Taking its place as the most modern Nick game show featured on our list, this colorful visual-based puzzle show ended too soon when it was canceled in 2011. Host Jeff Sutphen decided to move on to take part in the reboot of Figure It Out, and the rest was history - including this show.
It’s a shame because this was one of the more creative game shows the studio had conceived, at least during the 2000s. Given the major visual and technical component of BrainSurge, a more modern revamp would certainly make for a fun watch, given the advancements in picture quality and digital effects in recent years.
LEAVE: What Would You Do?
Yes, on the one hand, a reboot of this little-known Nick show from the early 90s would likely confuse many, considering we have a more adult-themed game show with the same name, airing on ABC. Still, even though this kid-friendly situational game show features a bunch of wacky challenges and messes that kids get a kick out of, this premise hasn’t aged all too well.
The studio audience setting and abundance of sliming and pie-tossing has been done to death at this point, and the “candid camera” elements this show ran with are no longer novel like they were back in ‘91.
COMEBACK: GUTS
In an era rife with popular shows revolving around team competitions and physical challenges, this epic sporting show, GUTS, would fit right in, and no-doubt entertain kids today. Even for its time, this athletic competition was fun and exciting to watch, with its array of thrilling events that ranged from pool sports to wall-climbing.
A revamped version featuring new events, and a larger, more elaborate Crag mountain of obstacles would be a blast to watch and could draw younger fans as well as older viewers looking to bask in Super Aggro Crag nostalgia. This show definitely deserved more than the few years of filming it received.
LEAVE: Figure It Out
While Figure It Out had its moments of amusement as a kid, it felt like more of a platform for Nick stars to flex their comedic quips - and to be slimed - rather than an actual game show with substance. And no, the overabundance of sliming does not count towards this “substance.”
Basically, a handful of hand-picked Nick celebs were tasked with guessing the talent of a child contestant, which was usually overtly easy to pull off, as a number of chances (and hints) would be given. It’s a pretty simple concept in the first place, but given that it was already rebooted once from 2012-2013, and has dozens of episodes, it’s probably best to leave this one alone.
COMEBACK: Nick Arcade
This awesome program’s adherence to an arcade and video games makes it a great choice for a modern coat of visual, technological paint. This awesome competition, created by James Bethea and Karim Miteff and hosted by Phil Moore, combined trivia with gaming face-offs, along with a cool digitized game board.
If this wasn’t neat enough, it would be capped off with a player entering a sort of gaming virtual reality world. They would enter a space laced with a green-screen background showcasing a virtual game environment, which the player would have to fight their way through.
Just imagine a modern-era reboot of this game, utilizing the advancements in gaming tech, which has propelled in grandiosity and glitz since the early 90s.
LEAVE: Make The Grade
Basically - imagine a duller version of BrainSurge, which hinges more on trivia tidbits you might learn in middle school rather than fun visual challenges, and you’ve got this show. Don’t let the colorful game board fool you; Make the Grade was still about as entertaining as sitting through a school lecture.
While learning these bits of knowledge can certainly be useful, and perhaps even interesting, for older crowds, it isn’t all too exciting for kids used to physical challenges, videogames, and messy pies to the face. It’s hard to see a reboot of Make the Grade being too exciting, even if it was slickened up with flashier visuals and more modern sensibilities.
COMEBACK: Legends Of The Hidden Temple
Most of the many fans of Legends of the Hidden Temple will tell you this nostalgic trip is epic even upon revisiting now. Between the animatronic talking Olmec, the elaborate obstacle course of the Temple Run, and the plethora of exciting events, this show was ahead of its time. Legends really managed to be both educational and entertaining.
The cool Aztec and Mayan themes, along with some interesting historical trivia bits, provide a timeless, solid foundation of a game show which could be rebuilt in glorious fashion. On top of this, the visual effects and set pieces could be made to be even more appealing and modern, offering a truly gripping watch.
Next: 10 Best Nickelodeon Gameshows
