1979 - 1983 (Retired)
It's Optional has several claims to fame, the first and foremost being that it was the only pricing game to always offer two cars, both the same make and model. In It's Optional, the contestant was shown a base model (i.e., no options) price of one of the cars s/he was playing for and a price of the same car with some options added. The object was to add enough options from a list provided to increase the price of the base model car to the "optioned" car. The contestant was told what the difference between the prices of the two cars was and was given a maximum number of options to choose (usually either 3 or 4). The contestant was given $100 leeway in adding options, so if s/he added options that got the lower priced car within $100 or less of the higher priced car, without going over, s/he won both cars. There was a list of 9 options, and more than one combination of options allowed for a win.
This is definitely complicated, so let's use an example. Say the base model price of the car was $4,109 and the car with options had a price of $5,199. The difference in the prices of the cars would be $1,090. The contestant would then choose options to try to increase the price of the cheaper car by $1,090, without going over. If s/he used three options and increased the car by, let's say, $1,045, s/he would win the game because s/he came within $100 of the desired increase. Think of it as a nightmarish version of Grocery Game.
Before I get into the obvious flaws of this bizarre game, let me remark that uncertainty remains about what cars the contestant would win in this game. When Johnny gave a description of the two cars, he mentioned that they were both the same make and model, but he described absolutely no options for the cars (not even the infamous California emission). So one is led to believe that the winners got two base model (i.e., no options) cars. Another theory states that the contestant won one car at the lower price shown in the game and another car with the higher price shown. Another theory suggests that the contestant might be winning one base model car and another car with the options s/he selected for the car, but that's highly unlikely. So the only thing we do know is that two cars of the same make and model were offered in this game. What options, if any, either one or both of the cars had is unknown.
Are you conufsed yet? This is the most baffling game I've ever seen on the show, with perhaps the exception of Professor Price. The game was played in a period of the show's run when housewives were the main demographic, and, therefore, made up most of the contestant pool. The average American, let alone the average housewife, does not goes around pricing car options for fun. The game was a total guessing game! And to make things worse, some of the options were extremely vague, like "Console Group" and "Interior Convenience Package." What the heck are those? Despite all this, the game was actually easy to win. Go figure.
To display the gradual increase of the lower priced car to the higher priced car, a car putted along a track with a range of values a la Range Game (see below).
|
|
| You could win TWO Ford Mustangs! Just don't ask what options they have. | Here's the It's Optional game. The board lists the options and that thing to the right is where the car moved across to indicate the addition of options to the car. Crazy. |
 |
 |
| On today's episode, the contestant must increase the lower priced car by $1065 and can only use three options. | Here's the car board. The lower priced car is $5825 and the higher priced car is $6890--therefore a difference of $1065. |
 |
 |
| She's used her first option and the car has moved... | ...$340, because that's how much automatic transmission is worth. |
 |
 |
| What a feat! She added exactly $1065 to the price of the car and she wins both cars! | Add it up...$340, $540, and $185 equals $1065. Not too shabby. Does she get those options in one or two of her cars? Heck if I know! |