Cranium

***Crainium*** is the game seen in the first format seasons (1 & 2). It was usually played as the third game of the show. This game dominated the majority of the first season and tried new gimmicks in the second season.

## Season 1

In season one, one of the four game pillars was played each show. While in the first two taped episodes, all four were played one at a time.

But whatever format was played, one thing's for sure. Correct answers in this game scored points. The family with the most points won the game, a prize and Monopoly Crazy Card choice.

Although Family Game Night switches the games in episodes every couple times, this game was seen in every episode of season 1.

### Data Head

This piller was played with pictures & general knowledge questions.

* Each team has two minutes to guess as many clues as possible, earning 10 points for each one.
* Teams took turns answering questions with the first four questions going to the kids, and the second four going to the adults. Each correct answer is worth 10 points in round one & 20 points in round two.
* All questions are toss-ups. The first team to buzz-in with a correct answer scores the points. If answered incorrectly, the opposing team had a chance to steal. Each correct answer is worth 10 points in round one & 20 points in round two.
* (Guesstimator) Questions had numerical answers and were played just like the Card Sharks Hi-Lo toss-ups. Each question was worth 10 points, plus that much more for each new question.
* (Who's Older) All questions are whether the Object or a Person is Older. The first team to buzz-in with a correct answer scores the points. If answered incorrectly, the opposing team automatically scores. Each correct answer is worth 10 points in round one & 20 points in round two.

### Creative Cat

To start, near the end of a segment, the child contestants took their own tables with wads of clay on them backstage. Each team of children had cards which told them what object they must make with the clay. Then after the break, the kids were brought back out with their works under the dome covers. Now one at a time, the kids' work was revealed, and the parents whose kids' claywork was revealed had 15 seconds to guess what the clay made object is. A correct guess earned 10 points times the number of seconds leftover for a maximum total of 150 points. In the next round, it was the parents turn to do some creating. Only this time instead of shaping object out of clay, they drew objects; the catch was that they must draw blindfolded. Each parent had 15 seconds to draw the subject while the kids were guessing. Again, correct answers are worth 10 points times the number of seconds leftover, and with parents drawing individually, the maximum total was 300 points. In the event that the first family was unable to catch up, the opposing family won without being able to draw; they won it by default.

In the pilot shows, the dads were handed their clay at the start of the round, made their object, then brought it out at the end of the round, giving their families one chance to guess for 50 points.

### Star Performer

This one was centered around charades, and other forms of performance.

* The kids have 30 seconds to convey as many activities to their parents as they can; each one is worth 20 points. This is done by having one child thread their arms through their siblings, acting as "their" arms.
* On each answer, the dads have 30 seconds to yell it out while their teammates do charades on the on-the-floor video wall. The first round had players form letters and are worth 10 points, the second round sees players forming numbers which are worth 20, the third round is symbols which are worth 30, and finally the charaders form general things with each correct answer worth 40 points.
* (Cranium Piano) - *see page for details*

### Word Worm

* (Word Wipe) A word is revealed from either the top or bottom, and the kids buzz in to guess, each word is worth 30 points.
* (Backwards) In round one, the kids faced off in a buzz-in round. Words would be revealed a letter at a time backward (from right to left), and each time a team, buzzed in with the right word they scored 10 points; but if they buzzed in and they're wrong, the opposing team would be shown one free letter and offered a free guess. In round two, the adults teams each played a 60 second spelling bee except that they must spell backward and alternate turns in giving letters. Host Todd would announce the word and then the parents in control must correctly pong backward spell that word. Each correct backward spelling is worth 20 points.
* (Before and After) There are 2 words one on the left and one on the right. The teams will figure out the middle word based on the other 2. (ex. for couch and chip, you would say potato, as in "couch potato" and "potato chip.")

## Season 2

Instead of four different "pillers", only three Cranium games were put into play.

* **Guesstimator** - Similar to the educated guess questions on *Card Sharks*, one team is given a question that has a numeric answer. The other team must then predict if the actual answer is higher or lower than the first team's guess. The kids play first for questions worth 10, 20, 30 and 40 points; then the adults play more difficult questions for double points. Highest score wins. If there is a tie, one final question is read, and each team makes a numeric guess, with the closest guess winning.
* **Cranium Who's Older** - Teams take turns being shown a pair of people and/or things and identifying which one is older. Right answers scored points; wrong answers gave the points the opposing team. The kids play four questions worth 10 points each, then the adults play four questions at 20 points a question. Highest score wins. If there is a tie, one final question is played, and the team that buzzes in first gets to answer, with the winner determined by their right or wrong answer.
* **Cranium Piano** - The families faced a music keypad with five notes numbered & colored: 1-Blue, 2-Red, 3-Green, 4-Yellow & 5-Purple. This is a Simon-like game where the player who made a mistake forfeited the points to his/her opposing family. The kids played first and they must add one note at a time; their round is worth 10 points. The adults played second, but they must add two notes at a time; their round is worth 20 points.