Ask the Audience | Phone a Friend: Playing Classic TV Shows Online

There are many ways to enjoy yourself playing online games. Many sites offer poker or slot machines to help spend a few hours, while casino themed games such as roulette and keno, or dice games like snake eyes or Monopoly, are also very popular with players.

Arguably the most instantly appealing and most accessible way to begin gaming online is with one that is instantly recognisable and one which the player already has a firm grasp of the rules. This is why playing online variations of classic TV game shows is proving particularly popular.

If one game has become synonymous with online popularity over the past decade it is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Since the television show was first aired, it has become something of a national institution, thanks partly to the large potential jackpot for someone fortunate enough to answer all their questions correctly, but also thanks to the very simple rule structure in place that means understanding the format for the show takes seconds.

Indeed, this very format lends itself superbly well to an online presentation of the game. Chris Tarrant poses a series of 15 questions that increase in complexity. The player has to earn a number of points by answering each question correctly with the amount of points each question is worth increasing as the player progresses through the game,

Once a player has earned enough points, they also start to win cash prizes as they progress through the game. Obviously, the cash prizes are not on the same scale as the television show, but there is a jackpot that accrues each time someone plays the game and wins regularly. Other than that, the game is a genuine reflection of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire experience, including all the iconic music from the TV show and Chris Tarrant's trademark presentation.

The appeal of playing classic TV quiz shows online cannot be understated. The fact that these games have widespread appeal, chiefly due to their popularity on television, means that gaming companies understand the instant appeal such games will have not only for their existing customers, but also to draw in new customers.

The fact that someone who may not be an experienced gamer online can join a site and begin playing immediately on a game they recognise is a huge plus for the customer as they can begin playing immediately.

So popular have quiz games based on TV shows become that there is now a wide range of other games available for popular TV shows; this includes the famous Roy Walker hit show Catchphrase as well as the famous Sunday afternoon Darts TV show Bullseye, hosted initially by Jim Bowen and then latterly by Dave Spikey.

Playing classic TV quizzes online is a perfect introduction to gaming for many people who enjoy watching and playing along with these TV shows at home. It gives them a glimpse of what it would be like to take the quiz and allows them access to the far wider and colourful world of gaming online.

This is a sponsored posting.

7 April 2011