[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Apr 19 2005, 08:39 PM\']Has anyone else noticed that some foreign GS games are near-exact copies of their US-released counterparts? Judge for yourself...
UK Celebrity SquaresAussie $otC (mid-80s, Tony Barber era)Aussie $otC (early 90s, w/contents shot)Aussie $otC (mid-90s, also w/contents shot; note set change on cover pic)Also, as an owner of all 3 Aussie $otC games (w/a copy of the 4th on its way soon), the rules read almost exactly the same as the 1986 US version, and even the same prizes are displayed on some cards.
The only differences are in the questions (obviously need ones better suited to an Australian audience, LOL), the Fame Game uses names of popular Oz TV shows on the cards (which hurts the replay factor, IMO), and unlike our boring "take a card and that's your bonus prize" endgame, theirs uses the shopping format...should the winner buy a lower-level prize, or decline in the hopes of working their way up to something bigger, like the car or $150K?
Interesting stuff!
Chuck Donegan (The Surprised "Chuckie Baby")
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Actually, there are FIVE Aussie SOTC games, two with Barber and three with Glenn Ridge, including the the 2000 New Century-era game.
The first Aussie game was released in 1985, predating the US game by a year; i.e. the US game was adapted from this game. I surmise that the change was made from the Shopping Round to the way it was in the 1986 game either to simulate the Winner's Board, for budgetary reasons or both.