American Gladiators

American Gladiators was a TV show which ran between 1989 and 1997. It was basically a physical game show, in which the contestants (two male and two female) matched themselves against the program's stable of athletes in a variety of feats of strength and agility. The champions at the end of each season won a prize package including a new car, a trip, and money (usually over $100,000 total). The contests were often quite extravagant and elaborate, with challenges featuring things such as highwires, steel cages, swinging ropes, and other obstacle course fare.

Games

*Powerball: The two contenders both competed against three Gladiators. The contenders would grab a color ball from a bin, and try to deposit it into one of five scoring goals on the floor. The four outer goals were worth less than the center goal, typically guarded by the third Gladiator. Contenders had 45 seconds to score as many times as possible. A try ended after the ball hit the floor, or the contender was tackled to the ground by a Gladiator. The most common point scoring setup was 2 for the outside, and three for the center.

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*Assault: The two contenders competed separately against a single Gladiator. The contender moved back and forth across the floor, using five weapons to hit a target above the Gladiator's head. Those weapons included a crossbow, rocket launcher, cannon, as well as three tennis balls at the end. At the same time, the Gladiator had a cannon that would fire tennis balls at the dodging contender. A direct hit would end the contest; hitting the target won points (7 for the outer ring, 10 for a bullseye, later 10 for a hit anywhere, or one point per weapon fired.)

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*The Joust: One contender competed against the Gladiator in a pugil stick battle; trying to knock the opponent off in 30 seconds. Five points were awarded for a draw, and 10 for a knockdown or disqualification of the Gladiator.

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*Human Cannonball: The contenders would swing on a rope, and using their inertia try to knock the Gladiator off of a pedestal, for five points. Each contender would face the same two Gladiators.

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*Breakthrough & Conquer: A contender would have to run a football into an endzone against a single Gladiator in the Breakthrough half of the event, and freestyle wrestle another out of a ring for the second. Each success was worth five points.

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*The Wall: The two competitors would have to climb up a simulated rock wall, while gladiators behind them tried to pull them off.

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*Hang Tough: A competitor would have to swing their way across a field of gymnastic rings, while a gladiator tried to use their legs to pull them off.

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*Swingshot: The two competitors would compete against three (later two) Gladiators to grab scoring balls from a center post hanging from the ceiling. The Gladiators would try to intercept the contenders by timing their jump to get in the way. Balls were worth 1-3-5, later reduced to 1-2-3.

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*The Gauntlet: The two competitors would race through a maze, without being tackled by one of the three gladiators hiding within.

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*Atlasphere: The two competitors would climb into large metal spheres, and try to rest them on certain spots on the field for points, while gladiators also in the spheres tried to bump them off.

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*The Eliminator: The two competitors would race against each other on an obstacle course that changed from season to season in minor ways, but usually involved running against treadmills, pedaling across a gap on handcycles, a balance beam, a cargo net, zipline and a straightaway to the finish line.

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