18 Game Shows from the ’80s That Are Lost to Time
These 18 game shows from the 1980s were once part of daily TV, but now, they’re nearly impossible to watch or even remember.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 5 min read
The 1980s were a golden age for television game shows, with flashy sets, quirky hosts, and big prizes. Many shows were loved in their time but never got reruns, reboots, or preservation. These forgotten titles were once part of pop culture, yet today, they’re rarely mentioned and hard to find in full.
1. Hit Man (1983)
Tabercil on Wikimedia Commons
Hit Man was a 13-week NBC trivia game show hosted by Peter Tomarken. The show focused on contestants watching short documentaries and answering questions based on what they saw. It was creative but too niche for mass appeal. It was canceled quickly and never aired again.
2. The New Treasure Hunt (1981–1982)
Pixabay on Pexels
This revival of the original 1950s show featured women choosing mystery boxes, hoping for a grand prize or a gag gift. It relied heavily on surprise, emotion, and misdirection. It was hosted by Geoff Edwards and had decent ratings at first. After two seasons, it was pulled and has since faded into obscurity.
3. Time Machine (1985)
Minority Media Inc. on Wikimedia Commons
This NBC show focused on pop culture trivia and events from the past. It included mini-games like “The Jukebox Game” and “Tube Game,” all centered around history. Despite a unique theme, it lasted less than six months. Only a few clips survive today.
4. The Magnificent Marble Machine (reruns in early ’80s)
Los Angeles Times staff on Wikimedia Commons
Though originally aired in the mid-70s, this giant pinball-themed show had reruns in the early 1980s syndication. Contestants played trivia to earn chances to use a massive pinball machine. The concept was unusual and memorable but didn’t last. It vanished from networks without preservation.
5. Body Language (1984–1986)
Kopiersperre on Wikimedia Commons
This charades-style game was hosted by Tom Kennedy and focused on players acting out words for their teammates. It was energetic and fit the style of the decade. Though popular in its time, it hasn’t been re-aired or released on DVD. Most episodes are not publicly available.
6. Tic Tac Dough (1980s run)
NBC Television on Wikimedia Commons
The show originally started in the 1950s but returned with new versions in the ’70s and ’80s. In this decade, it was hosted by Jim Caldwell and Patrick Wayne after Wink Martindale’s departure. Though it had decent ratings, the 1980s version disappeared after cancellation. Most episodes are archived but not easily viewed.
7. Chain Reaction (1980)
Pamericus on Wikimedia Commons
Hosted by Bill Cullen, this game had players guess missing words in chains of related terms. It was complex but interesting and had a loyal audience. Still, it only lasted one season and wasn’t kept in reruns. Later reboots forgot the original entirely.
8. The Joker’s Wild (1980s version)
Indy Sidhu on Wikimedia Commons
Originally from the ’70s, this version of The Joker’s Wild carried into the early ’80s with Jack Barry and later Bill Cullen. Contestants spun a slot-machine-style board to match categories and win money. Despite loyal viewers, the show ended in 1986 and wasn’t preserved widely. Most episodes aren’t publicly archived.
9. Go (1983–1984)
Google – Steve Francia on Wikimedia Commons
This fast-paced word game was hosted by Kevin O’Connell. Teams raced to describe words using short one-word clues, creating a sentence in real-time. The show was praised for being lively and smart. But it lasted only one season and quickly disappeared from schedules.
10. Bullseye (1980–1982)
Neil Francis on Wikimedia Commons
Hosted by Jim Lange, this show combined trivia with a spinning category board. It had a visual style similar to The Joker’s Wild and was produced by the same company. It was canceled after two seasons and rarely mentioned afterward. No official release has ever been made.
11. Double Talk (1986)
ABC Entertainment on Wikimedia Commons
This game show, hosted by Henry Polic II, had contestants solve phrases by decoding reworded sentences. It was similar in style to Catch Phrase and Password. The show aired for a few months in 1986 before being pulled. No reruns or full archives exist.
12. Sale of the Century (1983–1989)
NBCUniversal on Wikimedia Commons
This reboot of a 1969 show aired on NBC and featured trivia questions and timed shopping rounds. Hosted by Jim Perry, it had strong ratings and was popular during its run. However, it ended in 1989 and wasn’t brought back for syndication. It remains one of the better-known “lost” shows.
13. The Who, What or Where Game (early ’80s)
NBC Television on Wikimedia Commons
Though it started in 1969, the show ran into the early ’80s before being canceled. Contestants wagered on trivia questions from different categories. It had a long run but no revival, and very few episodes survive today.
14. Battlestars (1981, 1983)
JeremyWestby on Wikimedia Commons
Hosted by Alex Trebek, Battlestars featured celebrity panels and strategy-based gameplay. Despite Trebek’s growing fame, the show never caught on. It aired two short runs and was replaced by other game shows. It’s rarely mentioned in Trebek’s long hosting career.
15. Your Number’s Up (1985)
WikiPedant on Wikimedia Commons
This short-lived NBC show, hosted by Nipsey Russell, had a unique premise involving number-based questions and audience interaction. It lasted less than three months and is now nearly impossible to find. Most episodes were not archived.
16. Dream House (1983–1984)
KRLA/The Beat on Wikimedia Commons
Contestants answered trivia questions to win rooms for a future home renovation. The stakes felt real, and the show tapped into the growing home design trend. It was hosted by Bob Eubanks and had some buzz. Still, it was canceled quickly and hasn’t been seen since.
17. Now You See It (1989 version)
Department of Labor on Wikimedia Commons
This was a revival of a 1970s word search game show hosted by Chuck Henry in the late ’80s. Players had to find answers hidden in a giant letter grid. It had a solid run but was pulled off air after a short season. It wasn’t released publicly afterward.
18. Whew! (1979–1980, rerun into early 1980s)
Los Angeles Times on Wikimedia Commons
Technically a late ’70s show, Whew! ran long enough into the ’80s to be remembered by kids watching early morning TV. It had contestants solving incomplete phrases under time pressure. Hosted by Tom Kennedy, it was fast and odd but entertaining. The show was canceled and buried, with very little surviving media.