Good evening.
This is a topic I’ve been thinking about for a while.
A decent chunk of the Barry and Enright (B&E) library had luck-based bonus rounds, most notably Tic Tac Dough, The Joker’s Wild, and Bullseye. Basically, it was “achieve objective X before hitting obstacle Y.” I always wondered if that was the only format they could work with, or if there was another format that put a little more emphasis on skill and knowledge, with the luck factor still being put in play.
Using TTD, this was what I thought of (this is purely hypothetical; this is by no means the definitive format, nor is it the only correct answer):
Nine new categories are in play. The champion has 60 seconds to try to go through the board. Questions are in “rapid fire” format. Each correct answer nets $100 and captures the square, which could be an X or an O. An incorrect answer throws the square out. Managing to get all nine squares is an automatic win, resulting in $5000 plus a prize package. Should time run out, any captured squares that result in three in a row (across, horizontal, diagonal) will be revealed to see if Tic Tic Toe has been achieved. Each one is $1000. If there is no three in a row possible, the game ends then and there.
I apologize if that seems a bit convoluted, it seems more straightforward as it plays out in my head. However, it gives the contestant a little more control, based on how deep his or her well of knowledge is, and how quickly they can process information. Also plays into the “strategy, knowledge, and fun.”
That’s my idea on improving one B&E bonus round format. How would you do the others? How would you do with what I proposed? Is there one better? Share your thoughts.
As always, I thank you in advance for your responses, and hope to hear from you soon. Be well.
The Inquisitive One
