Not to get sentimental here, but gameshows of the 80’s… yeah. We all look back fondly at that time, because you just can’t beat it. They had charisma, they were exciting and we couldn’t help but be invested. We all desperately wanted that jet-ski or hot tub to be won – for some reason! There is just something about 80’s game shows that never failed to entertain. 

On this edition of Diamond Decades, we’re compiling a list of the best game shows of the 80’s which are bound to walk you down memory lane – for those who remember, of course. And if you don’t, then you will definitely be searching for them online after this rundown.

Mastermind

Truly, the one who came up with this game show was indeed a mastermind… We were hooked to our screens, “taking part” in the show like millions around the UK. Our minds and ears, all focused on Magnus Magnusson who would ask those vital questions to the contestants. We would hope that time would run out, just so we could hear the famous catchphrase “I’ve started so I’ll finish”. Ah… memories… *sniff*

Gladiators

Whilst now we have the enjoyment of  the reels of Gladiator Jackpot, we can’t deny the excitement that Saturday nights of watching Lightning and Wolf brought us. We always knew that handsome hunks and sexy ladies competing for physical activities would be fun… but this fun? It had style, charm, and enough reasons to continue loving it to this day! No other replication of this show will work, even if it involves ‘The Rock’.

Blockbusters

Well, the origins of this television game show hail back to America. We just took the liberty to base it on the American version and make it better! The game aimed to have contestants answer trivia questions to complete a path across a board of hexagons. It premiered back in 1983 and ran for a whole decade, before wrapping up in May 1993. For us, this one truly was a blockbuster!

The Crystal Maze

Remember those days when you would watch teams travel across the four zones of the Crystal Maze and try to collect as many crystals as possible? Whilst shouting at the TV “I could do that”. Well, believe it or not, we still feel the rush! Let’s be honest, how many of us put together a team, or spoke over a pint about how we would one day defeat the Crystal Dome and challenge ‘Mumsie’?

Wheel Of Fortune

A legacy that continues to this day. We even have slot games based on Wheel of Fortune but the real game show remains our favourite of all times. Contestants would compete to solve word puzzles, similar to hangman, and win cash and prizes. We are sure that you would have loved to be on the show, spinning the giant carnival wheel that determines the rewards. Even if the days are long gone… try spinning the wheels on one of our Wheel Of Fortune slots?

Yes, it’s true. The 80s… were good times