The video game series based on the game show ''
Family Feud
''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. It features two families who compete to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes.
The show has had three separate runs, the ...
'' began with ShareData's 1987 release on the
Apple II
The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-m ...
and
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
consoles. In 1990
GameTek
GameTek was an American video game publisher based in North Miami Beach, Florida known for publishing video game adaptations of game shows in the late 1980s and early 1990s. GameTek was a trade name for IJE, the owner of electronic publishing rig ...
released a version on the
NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
. GameTek later released four more ''Feud'' games for the
Super NES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in E ...
,
Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
,
3DO, and PC between 1993 and 1995.
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game developer, video game production and video game publisher, publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company. Several of its studios were closed in early 2001 and most of its properties ...
, Global Star, and
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', '' ...
have also released versions starting in 2000.
ShareData versions
ShareData released the first video game versions of the game show in 1987 on the
Apple II
The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-m ...
and
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
, with two versions of the packaging: one shows a drawing of a just completed round (using the Milton Bradley home game art design), and another shows a full shot of the set from the first Richard Dawson era. The game plays like the Dawson era (with the look similar to the 1976 - 1985 era) with (2 Single rounds, 1 Double Round, and 1 Triple Round - with 300 point rules and Fast Money Win of $10,000)
Later in 1989, ShareData released "The All New Family Feud" on PC, Apple, C64 with rules, gameplay and look based on the Ray Combs era.
GameTek versions gameplay
NES
In the NES version of ''Family Feud'', the game tried to recreate the look and feel from the original
Richard Dawson
Richard Dawson (born Colin Lionel Emm; 20 November 1932 – 2 June 2012) was a British-born American actor, comedian, game-show host and panelist in the United States. Dawson was well known for playing Corporal Peter Newkirk in ''Hogan's Hero ...
-hosted series, even going as far as to include a Dawson-like host who kissed the female characters in the game. (This differed from the game's packaging, which used the set from the Ray Combs era.) One or two players could play.
Just like the show, the object was to come up with answers to survey questions posed to 100 people. Correct answers were worth money, with $200 winning the game and the right to play Fast Money for $5,000, which was played exactly the same way as on the show (at least 200 points needed to win). $5 a point was awarded for unsuccessful playings of the round.
A player entered his answers by using the controller to scroll through the alphabet, contained in a string along the bottom of the screen; the answer had to be completed within a time limit. Reasonable similes to correct answers were accepted, and slight misspellings were also recognized.
Once a player won, they were given two options. The first was to stop playing, with the other being to continue on. A champion retired after winning over $20,000 automatically unless they were defeated.
If a computer-controlled family wins the game, no Fast Money is played with an excuse given to the form of "Due to (EXCUSE), the (NAMES) will not be playing Fast Money today". Excuses used include "tax considerations" and "a birth in the family". This is a carry-over from the ShareData versions of the game.
SNES/Genesis and 3DO/PC
The versions that followed used the Combs set, with the SNES and Genesis version using a host resembling Combs and the 3DO and PC versions featuring a host resembling Dawson (as he had returned to the series by this point).
The later versions also added options to where a player could play a game without facing an opponent and whether or not they wanted to play the Bullseye Round, which had been added to the show in 1992 and was included in each of the later releases. The Bullseye Round was played as it was during the last two seasons of the Combs ''Feud'', where a $5,000 starting bank was used and up to $15,000 could be added depending on how many questions a team answered correctly.
The later version games played for points instead of dollars, with 300 winning the game. After a win, a player received a code to use if they wanted to stop playing but pick up where they left off. Five wins meant automatic retirement regardless of how much money a player won.
''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' reviewed the 3DO version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "It's a blast if you have a bunch of folks with whom to play, however, in the final analysis, whether or not you like it probably depends on whether or not you like the television show."
Reviews
SNES:
*''Questicle.net'' (Dec, 2011)
*''
All Game Guide
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publi ...
'' (1998)
*''Game Freaks 365'' (Nov 01, 2007)
*''The Game Hoard'' (Jun 30, 2020)
*''Just Games Retro'' (Dec 13, 2001)
*''NES Center'' (2001)
Genesis/SNES:
*''All Game Guide'' (1998)
*''Sega-16.com'' (Oct 08, 2006)
3DO:
*''The Video Game Critic'' (Jun 08, 2016)
*''Coming Soon Magazine'' (Jan, 1995)
*''3DO Magazine'' (UK) (Feb, 1995)
Hasbro, Global Star, and Ubisoft versions
In 2000, ''Family Feud'' was released for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
and
PC by
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game developer, video game production and video game publisher, publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company. Several of its studios were closed in early 2001 and most of its properties ...
.
Louie Anderson
Louis Perry Anderson (March 24, 1953 – January 21, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, author and game show host. Anderson created the cartoon series ''Life with Louie'' and the television sitcom ''The Louie Show'', and wrote four ...
, who was the host at the time, is the host of the game, appearing as a
Full-motion video
Full-motion video (FMV) is a video game narration technique that relies upon pre-recorded video files (rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models) to display action in the game. While many games feature FMVs as a way to present information duri ...
character. The game focuses on reliving the same aspect of the game show, in order to provide a better experience. The IBM PC version also features the ability to upload portraits of one's face, and placed in a
three-dimensional
Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informal ...
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
body. This brought the whole experience closer, and it is often considered to be a good feature of the game.
The PC version would later be released in the United Kingdom in 2001 under the show's UK name Family Fortunes. The only differences between both is that Family Feud host Louie Anderson is replaced with then-Family Fortunes host
Les Dennis
Leslie Dennis Heseltine (born 12 October 1953) is an English television presenter, actor, and comedian. He presented ''Family Fortunes'' from 1987 until 2002.
Early life
Dennis was born Leslie Dennis Heseltine on 12 October 1953 in the Liverpoo ...
, and the graphics have been changed to resemble the Family Fortunes set used at the time of the game's release.
In 2006, Global Star versions for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
, PC, and
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
were made. Although the box art uses the 2006–2007 season's logo (the first time it was publicly seen before
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor, comedian, singer, author, game show host and television personality. He is known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', and was the sixth host of the ...
was announced as host), the first set design in the game is the one from the 2005–2006 season (
Richard Karn
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'strong ...
's final year). Other sets that can be unlocked are the original 1976–85, 1988–94, 1994–95, and 1999–2002. Well-known game show host
Todd Newton
James Todd Newton (born May 5, 1970) is an American entertainment reporter, game show host, and author.
Career
Newton started his entertainment career at age sixteen as a disc jockey for Kincaid Entertainment in St. Louis. Later, the compan ...
does the voiceover in addition to hosting the game.
In 2009,
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', '' ...
released ''Family Feud 2010 Edition'' for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
,
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
, and
PC. The game uses the 2009 set and features customizable family avatars plus a predictive text input tool for faster answers. In a unique twist, the Wii version requires players to swing the Wii Remote down to hit the buzzer during Face-Offs. The game uses four-member families (much like the 1994–1995 season) as opposed to the usual five; like Ubisoft's ''Price Is Right'' video game, there is no host featured – all voiceover work is done by
Terence McGovern
Terence McGovern (born May 11, 1942) is an American actor, television broadcaster, radio personality and acting instructor. He is best known as the original voice of Disney character Launchpad McQuack from ''DuckTales'' and spin-off ''Darkwing Duc ...
.
In 2010, Ubisoft released ''Family Feud Decades'' for the Wii. The game uses sets and survey questions from the past four decades, using the 1976, 1988, 1999, and 2009 sets. Family Feud 2012 was released in 2011. In 2020,
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', '' ...
published a game simply called ''Family Feud'', made by independent game studio,
Snap Finger Click
Snap or SNAP may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind''
*''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme
* '' The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Caro ...
, for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
,
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, and
Stadia
Stadia may refer to:
* One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums"
* The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes'').
* Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey
* Stadi ...
.
In addition to the home games, a DVD set titled ''All-Star Family Feud'' was released on January 8, 2008 and featured a total of 15 celebrity episodes from the original ABC/syndicated versions on its four discs. It was re-issued as ''The Best of All-Star Family Feud'' on February 2, 2010.
Reviews
Hasbro:
*''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' (Oct 30, 2000)
*''PSX Nation'' (Jan 18, 2001)
*''
All Game Guide
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publi ...
'' (2000)
*''IGN'' (Dec 01, 2000)
Global Star:
*''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' (Nov 02, 2006)
Ubisoft:
*''Game industry News'' (GiN) (Dec 02, 2009)
*''GameZone'' (Oct 18, 2009)
*''gamrReview'' (Dec 01, 2009)
*''Digital Chumps'' (Oct 14, 2009)
*''IGN'' (Jul 07, 2010)
Other games
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
-based Mobliss Inc. also released a mobile version of ''Family Feud'' that was available on Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular.
In October 2008,
Glu Mobile
Glu Mobile LLC is an American developer and publisher of video games for mobile phones and tablet computers. Founded in San Francisco, California, in 2004, Glu offers products to multiple platforms including Java ME-based devices, Android, Wind ...
released a mobile
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
version of ''Family Feud''.
References
External links
Family Feudat
Eurocom
Eurocom (formerly Eurocom Entertainment Software) was a British video game developer founded in October 1988 by Mat Sneap, Chris Shrigley, Hugh Binns, Tim Rogers and Neil Baldwin, to specifically develop games for the Nintendo Entertainment Sys ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Family Feud (Video Game)
1987 video games
3DO Interactive Multiplayer games
Apple II games
Commodore 64 games
Eurocom games
Family Feud
Game Boy Advance games
GameTek games
Mobile games
Nintendo DS games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
Nintendo Switch games
PlayStation (console) games
PlayStation 2 games
PlayStation Network games
Sega Genesis games
Stadia games
Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Video games based on game shows
Video games developed in the United States
Wii games
Windows games
fr:Family Feud