Farkle

Farkle is a game show based on the dice game of Farkle, or Farkel, which is a dice game that has also been called or is similar to 1000/5000/10000, Cosmic Wimpout, Greed, Hot Dice, Squelch, Zilch, or Zonk. Its origins as a folk game are unknown, but the game dates back to at least the mid 1980s. It has been marketed commercially since 1996 under the brand name **Pocket Farkel** by Legendary Games Inc. While the basic rules are well-established, there is a wide range of variation in both scoring and play, as described below.

The game show itself was developed in 2014 after Joe Silverman, the head of Buena Vista Television, saw a YouTube video from Greggo's Game Shows where they were playing a version of Farkle as a game show, with the host asking questions based on anime. Silverman went right to work developing something similar to what he saw in that video. In the end, Mark Goodson Productions started production for Farkle in 2015, with Buena Vista Television handling the distribution. John O'Hurley is the host of the series.

## Gameplay

Two contestants are chosen to play Farkle. Control of the Farkle Board is determined by a multiple choice question (with three choices). The Farkle Board has six screens in the form of dice. The screens flash randomly and can be stopped by the contestant's button. The objective of Farkle is to score, and on the Farkle game show, there are three ways to score:

* A 5 will add $50 to the Farkle Jackpot.
* A 1 will add $100 to the Farkle Jackpot
* And any triple (3 of a Kind of 2, 3, 4, and 6) will add $1,000 to the Farkle Jackpot, and the contestant receives a prize, which they win if they win the game.

Anytime the contestant scores on any combination, the screens are frozen until the turn is over. The contestant can either continue to roll with the remaining screens to build more to the bank, or they can stop and the host will ask another question. Strategy is key because if someone farkles (no 5s, no 1s, and no Triples), the player receives a strike, and the turn is over. Three strikes puts them out of the game and the remaining player wins the Farkle Jackpot. Also, if the player clears the screen (meaning a 1 or a 5 comes up), they receive a reroll token, meaning they can cash it in at anytime to avoid a Farkle. Also if a player clears the screen, they add $2,500 to the Farkle Jackpot.

Each game starts with $1,000 in the Farkle Jackpot.

### Sudden Death

Sudden Death happens when, after 9 questions both players are still in the game, or both players have two strikes, When that happens, questions are no longer asked, and the winner is determined by the roll of the dices. Two ways can end Sudden Death, either the player clears the board, or he/she farkles. The person who last answered the question can either take that chance or pass it to their opponent. Whatever scores they get it is added to the Farkle Jackpot.

### Bonus Round (The Bonus Game)

Unrelated to the pricing game from *The Price is Right*, The Bonus Game is Farkle's bonus round, where the objective is to knock out numbers 1-5 (the six is replaced with a wild card) via a Triple. A prize is connected to each number (from least expensive on 1 to most expensive on 5). The round continues until the contestant chooses to stop or all five numbers are knocked out. If all five numbers get knocked out (via 12345Wild instantly or doing it via a Triple), contestant wins it all plus a brand new car. Once a number is claimed, they can not roll that number again, or the round is over, and they'd lose all that they have. If the contestant has a reroll token, they can use it in The Bonus Game.