Bonus round

A bonus round (sometimes also called a bonus game or sometimes in the industry an end game) is a special round in game shows and other games. It usually comes after the main or "front" game as a bonus for the winner. The game play of the bonus round usually varies from the standard gameplay of the main game, although there are often elements of the main game in the bonus round.

Origin

One of the earliest forms of bonus rounds was the jackpot round of the original "Beat the Clock" series. After two rounds of performing stunts, the wife of the contestant couple would perform at a jackpot board for a jackpot prize. Another early example was the lightning round on the Goodson-Todman word game "Password," starting in 1961.

Variants

Since then, many game shows have included the bonus round; some officially called bonus rounds, and others in the same format with other names. Some bonus rounds include unique elements; for example, The Price Is Right has contestants play individually in the front games and then compete with each other as a bonus round, which is opposite most other bonus rounds. Some end games that would generally be considered a bonus round, such as in "Lingo", are not truly bonuses, as the player(s) do not win any prize in the main game, and the entire prize is played for in the end game. Nevertheless, the general term of "bonus round" has often been used to describe this type of end game.

List of game shows with bonus rounds

Game shows with bonus rounds include:
*"The $10,000 Pyramid" and its successors ("$20,000 Pyramid", "$25,000 Pyramid", etc.) - The "Winner's Circle"
*"All-New Jeopardy! " - "Super Jeopardy!" (1978-1979)
*"The Big Showdown"
*"Blockbusters" - "Gold Rush"/"Gold Run"
*"Body Language" - The "Sweepstakes"
*"Bullseye-Bonus Island
*"Bumper Stumpers
*"Card Sharks" - "Money Cards"
*"Chain Reaction" - Instant Reaction (original version, though it was only ever called that on the 1979 pilot)
*"Concentration" and "Classic Concentration" (but not the original 1958-1973 version)
*"The Cross-Wits" - The "Crossfire Round"
*"Debt" - a two-part game, "Get Out of Debt" and "Bet Your Debt"
*"Double Dare" (1976 Version) - "The Spoilers"
*"Double Dare" (Modern Nickelodeon version and its spin-offs) - The "Obstacle Course" (renamed the "Slopstacle Course" for "Double Dare 2000")
*"The Face Is Familiar" - "Three of a Kind"
*"Family Feud" - "Fast Money"
*"Finders Keepers" - The "Room-to-Room Romp"
*"Fun House" - The "Fun House"
*"Get the Message" - "Turnabout Game"
*"Get the Picture" - "Mega Memory"
*"Go (game show)" - Go for the cash
*"High Rollers" - "The Big Numbers"
*"Hollywood Squares" - varied
*"Hot Potato"
*"Idiot Savants" - "The Grand Savant Round"
*"The Joke's on Us" - The "Add-a-word Game"
*"The Joker's Wild" (Syndicated Run)- "Face the Devil"
*"Legends of the Hidden Temple" - "Temple Run"
*"Let's Bowl" - "Beat the League Bowler"
*"Lingo" - "Bonus Lingo"
*"Make the Grade" - The "Honors Round"
*"Match Game" - a two-part "Super Match" bonus round, "Audience Match" and "Head-to-Head Match"
*"Nick Arcade" - The "Video Zone"
*"Now You See It" - The "Solo Round"
*"Password" - The "Lightning Round"
**"Password Plus", different format from its predecessor - "Alphabetics"
**"Super Password", same as Password Plus but renamed - "Super Password" (also called "The End Game,") and a "Ca$hword" bonus round played by the winners of the second puzzle each game.
*"The Price Is Right" - "The Showcase"
*"Remote Control" - Craftmatic Adjustable Bed game, later "Wheel of Jeopardy"
*"Sale of the Century" - "The Sale of the Century", later "The Winner's Board" and then the "Winner's Big Money Game"
*"Scrabble" - "Scrabble Sprint" (later on, another 10-second "Bonus Sprint" after the standard Sprints)
*"Starface"
*"That's the Question"
*"Think Fast!" - "The Locker Room"
*"Tic Tac Dough" - "Beat The Dragon"
*"Trashed
*"Triple Threat" - The "Triple Threat" Relay Round"
*"The Weakest Link" - The Final Round (Head to Head)
*"Wheel of Fortune"
*"Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego" - "The Map"
*"Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego" - "The Trail of Time"
*"Whew!" - The "Gauntlet of Villains"
*"Win Ben Stein's Money" - The "Best of Ten Test of Knowledge"