Switch?

Switch?
Premiere Date (Barker Era)	February 27, 1992 (#8324D)
Premiere Date (Carey Era)	October 18, 2007 (#4044K, aired out of order on January 2, 2008)
Pricing Game Location	Big Doors
Previous Premiered Pricing Game	Pick-A-Number
Next Premiered Pricing Game	Buy or Sell
Finale Date (Barker Era)	June 12, 2007 (#4032K)

In Switch?, a contestant is asked whether to keep the prices of two prizes in place or switch the prices, hence the question mark.

Gameplay

Two prizes are shown with a price for each. The contestant must decide whether the prices stay where they are or whether they should be switched. If they choose to switch prices, models carry the price tags and put them in their new positions, and peppy music plays. Then, the models spin the wheels with the titles on them to reveal the right prices. A correct decision wins the game and the two prizes.

History

• Switch? was created by Password Plus staffer Chris Clementson. The producers were seeking a game which could be played quickly.
• When the game was first played on February 27, 1992 (#8324D), it received its very first win.
• The game was played for two cars, six times (four times in daytime and two times in primetime).
• On April 8, 2004 (#2874K, aired out of order on April 15), although contestant Serena Stein has played this game and lost, this was one of two pricing games she played in the same episode, due to an incident from the second IUFB; the first was Let 'Em Roll.
• On January 5, 2010 (#4982K), contestant Alexandra Klem opted to switch the prices. However, Amber inadvertently revealed the price of one of the prizes, even with Drew repeatedly telling her to switch. Despite her decision being incorrect, Drew declared it a technical win and Alexandra won both prizes.
• On the Halloween episode on October 31, 2013 (#6474K), Switch? was renamed Witch? During that playing, the game was lost.
• Since Drew became the host, he often tells the models to not bump or run into each other, whenever the prices were switched. The models usually play along, making a dramatic show of avoiding each other. When a contestant decides to leave the prices alone, Drew often tells them to “Don’t move a muscle!“ Bob, on the other hand, never did so. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Drew was forced to tell the models to stay socially distant, so the models would make a big curve switching the prices.
• Switch? was played 14 times on the primetime version.
• On June 22, 2016 (#7593K), a contestant named Bridget Praytor decided to switch the prices, but lost, and it spoiled a perfect show.
• On September 19, 2016 (#7611K) to kick off the 45th season, it was played for two cars but was lost because the prices weren't switched.
• On October 24, 2016 (#7661K), when the prices were being switched, the beginning of the Switcheroo music was accidentally used, instead of normally using the end bars.
• On May 18, 2017 (#7944K, aired out of order on May 16), during Prices “Dream Car Week”, Switch? was played for two trips: one to the Indy 500, the other one to the Daytona 500. Both trips were won when contestant John Rockett decided to switch the prices.

Trivia

• The most number of times this game was played in any season was 37 (season 38), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 13 (season 20).
• Switch? is one of two games that can be won by doing nothing at all (that is, deliberately choosing not to switch). The other is Double Cross.
• The peppy music is currently the end bars of the music used in Switcheroo. Originally, the think music from Check Game, Cover Up, and Make Your Move was used.
• When Bob (or Doug) was the host, the left model would reveal the price first, then the right. When Drew took over, the models did it at the same time, although the home viewers didn’t see both prices flip until 2010.
• This also shares its name with a Game Show Network/GSN show of the same name which in turn was based on a Belgian format of the same name hosted by Jeff Hepner. The series debuted on January 30, 2023.

Gallery

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