$uper $aver
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$uper $aver was a pricing game on the American television game show, The Price Is Right. Lasting from May 10, 1989 to March 11, 1996, it was played for a large prize worth more than $2,000, and used grocery items.
[edit] Gameplay
The contestant was shown six grocery items, arranged in a circle on the game display. Each grocery item had false prices attached; five of them were marked below the actual retail price, while the sixth item was above its real price.
The player selected four items, one at a time. As each item was chosen, its actual retail price was revealed, and the difference between the displayed and real prices tallied on the game's readout. The difference is added or subtracted (i.e., "saved" or "lost," respectively) to the player's bank, as appropriate.
For instance, the contestant chooses an item whose displayed price is $1.19; the actual price is $1.59. The player "saves" 40 cents, which is added to the bank. On the next pick, he selects an item priced at $1.99, but its actual price is $1.79; the player loses 20 cents, since that product was marked 20 cents above the actual retail price. After two picks, the player has 20 cents in his bank and two more chances to save 80 cents.
The contestant's objective was to collect at least $1 in his/her bank after the fourth pick. If the total was indeed above the target amount, he/she won.
[edit] Choosing the marked-up item
Although picking the marked-up product was undesirable, it did not mean that the contestant automatically lost. Usually, there were one or two items whose prices were 40 to 80 cents below their actual retail prices, more than enough to make up for a mistake and still win the game. Bob always pointed out while explaining the rules that it was still mathematically possible to win if the marked-up item was picked.
Also, the game did not end if the player reached $1 before his fourth pick. It was possible to choose the marked-up item on one of the last picks, fall below $1 and lose.
[edit] Trivia
- In the mid-1990s, the "K" in the word "BANK" frequently remained on the $uper $aver readout at the end of the game, seemingly without reason. Thus, the game results – "WIN!" and "LOSE" – often appeared as "WINK" and "LOSK."
[edit] Retirement
For years, the explanation was that $uper $aver was subject to frequent malfunctions. While the game did have its glitches, however, that was not the actual reason for its retirement.
During a Season 24 episode, host Bob Barker forgot to specify to the contestant that the game could still be won after choosing the marked-up item. The contestant complained that Barker's failure to disclose this rule to her resulted in her losing the game. The show's staff, after consultation with Standards & Practices, decided to award her the prize.
Having concluded it was too easy to miss critical details, it wasn't long before Bob – fearful such a mistake would come up again – had the game retired.
