1994 - 2007 (Retired)
Ugh. Okay, let me guess this one over with. Five playing cards are shown face down; four "regular" cards and one Joker. The contestant must remove the Joker to win a bonus prize. The contestant earns the opportunity to remove up to four of the cards by guessing the prices of small items. For each small item shown the contestant is shown the two digits in the price and is asked to guess that price; i.e., is the price $36 or $63? If the contestant has indeed removed the Joker after all the "removals" have been earned, the contestant wins the bonus prize. A few unfortunate contestants have earned all four possible removals and been bitten by the Joker on the one card they didn't remove.
Of course, I think any contestant forced to play Joker is bitten to start with. This is hands down my least favorite game in the current Price is Right rotation. Although this game was invented recently, it has an ultra-tacky, simple setup that looks like it was put together five minutes before it first aired. Although the price reveals on the small items are admittedly cool, this game still gives me the creeps. I have nightmares about having to play it--it's even worse than Pick-a-Number.
In 2007, Joker was finally retired. Hooray!
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| Oh hooray! It's my favorite game--Joker! | It looks like Hit Me--only half as exciting! |
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| Okay, this podium IS kinda cool, but still... | ...and, yeah, this price reveal is nifty, but... |
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| She got that first prize right, so she's removing the #1 card. | In fact, she got all four small prizes right. God forbid that Joker be behind card #5... |
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| Uh oh...it's not behind card #1... | ...but it IS behind card #2! She discarded the Joker so she wins this awful, awful game. |