For audiences who grew up in the '90s and 2000s, Nickelodeon is primarily known for its animated shows, like SpongeBob SquarePants and Hey Arnold! and its scripted live-action shows, such as The Amanda Show, All That, and Kenan & Kel. However, the channel has also aired a number of game shows over the years.
Some of these shows have gone on to be nostalgic classics, such as Legends of the Hidden Temple, Double Dare, and Guts. But others have been mostly forgotten and lost to time. Nickelodeon has aired more family-friendly game shows designed for kids than most audiences remember.
Keep It Spotless (2018)
Hosted by Melissa van der Schyff, Keep It Spotless saw kid contestants challenged to maneuver through paint-filled obstacle courses without getting any of the paint on their all-white clothing. The contestants were then judged based on how much paint ends up on their clothing.
Keep It Spotless was a silly, fun show that draws on inspiration from classic Nickelodeon game shows like You Can't Do That On Television. The single-season show aimed to replicate the same high-energy messy show that used to help differentiate retro Nickelodeon from Disney Channel and other competitors.
Nick Arcade (1992)
Originally airing in 1992, Nick Arcade was a game show that saw contestants face off in several different rounds of challenges involving trivia, video games, and live-action video games, in which the contestants were animated using bluescreen technology.
While the technology is dated by today's standards, it was fairly cutting edge for a children's show at the time. The opportunity for kids to see themselves in a video game and its combination of digital and physical elements made the show a unique viewing option.
BrainSurge (2009 - 2011)
Airing for three seasons from 2009 to 2011, BrainSurge was a zany game show that tested contestant's memory and problem-solving skills in a series of wild challenges. The contestants competed to solve puzzles, recall details from a story, and memorize grid patterns, with eliminated contestants getting slimed.
With impressive displays of memory and fun sets, the show is one of the best family-friendly reality television shows in recent years, earning a strong following of fans and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Game Show in 2012, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Wild & Crazy Kids (1990 - 1992 & 2002)
Wild & Crazy Kids was a game show that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the early 1990s and featured large teams of kids competing against each other in modified versions of sports or playground games, such as Donkey Basketball, Three-Legged Soccer, and Tug of War.
Benefitting from a simple premise and creative games, one Nickelodeon show that came back in 2002 as a single-season, 10 episode revival on Nick GAS. Wild & Crazy Kids was a high-energy showcase of kids being active and having fun in cool and entertaining games.
Figure It Out (1997 - 1999 & 2012 - 2013)
Originally airing in 1997, Figure It Out uses a familiar game show format in which Nickelodeon celebrities would try to guess the unique talent or ability that kids contestants possessed. The celebrities would ask questions of the kids and attempt to unlock parts of the phrase that describes the kid's ability.
The show made a comeback in 2012, running for two additional seasons. During the show's run, it featured celebrity panelists such as Amanda Bynes, Matt Bennet from Victorious, wrestler Chris Jericho, Colin Mochrie from Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and even the animated character, CatDog.
Make The Grade (1989 - 1990)
Make the Grade is one of the first game shows to air on Nickelodeon, debuting in 1989 and running for three seasons. The show is a fairly straightforward trivia show in which the kid contestants must answer questions from different school categories, such as history, science, and art, in difficulty levels that range from elementary to 12th-grade.
While not quite as zany or creative as some of the other game shows that have appeared on Nickelodeon, Make the Grade does a good job of playing to the channel's young audience and educating while entertaining.
Finders Keepers (1987 - 1989)
Finders Keepers is an inventive and unique game show that aired on Nickelodeon starting in 1987. The show's giant set features a replica of a house with one wall removed. In the first half of the game, the contestants must locate pictures hidden inside of a larger picture on a telestrator.
Then, in the second half of the game, the host reads a clue about an object hidden in one of the rooms in the house and the contestants must race against the clock to rummage through the house and find the object.
Think Fast (1989 - 1990)
Running for 110 episodes beginning in 1989, Think Fast is a simple but fun Nickelodeon game show. The show features two teams of two kid contestants competing against one another to win money in several rounds of play, including the bonus Brain Bender round.
The challenges closely resembled the type of games played on other Nickelodeon shows, such as Simon Says-type games, pouring colored water into a bucket over someone's head, and a Scattegories-like game, in which contestants have to name things in a category that all start with a predetermined letter.
You're On! (1998)
Similar to Impractical Jokers or Candid Camera, You're On! is a hidden camera game show that aired on Nickelodeon in 1998. The show involves kid contestants attempting to rope random passersby into completing tasks without revealing to them that they are on camera.
The format is a tried and true recipe for hijinks and the show is able to provide some entertainment by putting random strangers in ridiculous situations. The show also features a studio portion of the game in which members of the audience try to guess how many challenges the kids will be able to compete.
Get The Picture (1991)
Hosted by actor Mike O'Malley, Get the Picture aired for two seasons and 115 episodes beginning in 1991. The show features a simple format in which two teams compete against each other to answer questions and complete challenges in order to win the right to try to guess a hidden picture on a giant video screen.
As the name suggests, the game revolves around the hidden picture and players earn the ability to uncover parts of the image by answering general knowledge trivia questions and physical challenges including jigsaw puzzles, ring toss, mini-golf, and shuffleboard.