1988 - Present
Pathfinder is another one-of-a-kind car game. The contestant starts off in the center of the board, either on a "*" (if it's a four-digit car) or on the first number of the car (if it's a five-digit car). The board is a 5x5 square. The object of the game is to continuously step to the next digit of the car, which is always adjacent (in front of, behind, to the left of, or to the right of) the digit the contestant is currently standing on. The contestant moves to the square s/he thinks is the next digit of the car, and if s/he is right, s/he can move on to the subsequent digit. If not, the contestant moves back to the original square and can earn another move by guessing the price of one of three small items (Secret X/Super Ball style: two prices shown, one is right). If the contestant misses the price, s/he must try again with another one of the small items. The game continues until the contestant finds the path to all four digits in the car (and wins) or makes a fourth mistake (either in picking digits or in guessing the small item prices).
The game gets easier as the contestant gets further along in the price of the car. The digits are usually arranged so that the contestant has a choice of four possibilities for the second digit in the car, three possibilities for the third and fourth digits, and just two possibilities for the fifth digit.
The one detraction to Pathfinder is that it is often the victim of bizarre technical glitches. Among them:
--Digits
ordered incorrectly on the board or on the readout above the
board
--Digits accidently appearing on the readout before they were
supposed to
--Lights around the digits on the board mysteriously lighting up
--Entire malfunctions when none of the components of the game
work
After a February, 1997 taping I attended in which Pathfinder was played (without a glithch), I overheard one of technicians say, "Thank God Pathfinder didn't **** up!"
Pathfinder is often played for cars in the $20,000 price range.
The sound effect to indicate an incorrect move on the board is the famous TRAP sound effect from the short lived ABC game show Trivia Trap.
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| We'll give you the "1" for free. The rest is up to you! | Of course, if you make a mistake, you can earn another chance with one of these small items. |
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| Is the second digit the "4", the "6", the "7" or the "2"? | He was right! It was the "4"! |
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| Now you see how it works. Is the third digit the "3", the "2" or the "8"? | Well he made a mistake, but he saved himself with that car seat! |
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| Later in the game now, and he's doing great! He's only made one mistake, and he's on the last digit! Is it the "7" or the "2"? | He guessed right and he wins a $14,387 car! Not too bad! |