Nick Arcade

TV review by Andrea Graham, Common Sense Media
Nick Arcade Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Game show is as outdated as Super Nintendo.

NICK GAS Game Shows 1992
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Parents say

not rated for age

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

not rated for age

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this Nickelodeon game show from the early '90s is all about video games. Kids compete in various rounds of quizzes, video puzzles, and video game face offs for a chance to win prizes. Aside from the occasional trivia question, there's no real educational content, and today's kids are likely to scoff at the now-vintage video games on display.

Community Reviews

jeno25
jeno25 Adult
April 9, 2008
not rated for age

My 3yr old and husband love this show

Surfer_Clock
Surfer_Clock Adult
April 9, 2008
not rated for age

Are you kidding me??

Did I just read that you recommended the overcommercialized, rather raunchy, and at times unbearable G4 channel over THIS?? Unbelievable! This show is a CLASSIC, and I stand firm in my position that this show is still a worthwhile examination into the early days of video game culture. You talk about the evils of commercialization, yet you just recommended G4 for more 'modern' fare? HYPOCRITICISM AT ITS FINEST.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Hosted by Phil Moore, NICK ARCADE is a kids' game show that fuses two popular pastimes: video games and television. Two teams of two compete in various rounds, answering trivia questions, solving video puzzles, and facing off in video game competitions to gain points and win prizes. The center of the show is a large interactive game board map, which features an animated character named Mikey who serves as a marker of each team's progress. The team with the most points at the end gets the chance to compete in a live-action video game known as the Video Zone -- which made it feel like contestants were transported into a game.

Is It Any Good?

While Nick Arcade probably had a no-fail formula for gaining kids' attention back in the early '90s when it originally aired, it's painfully behind the times now, featuring obsolete game systems that today's kids probably have never heard of. Plus, Moore takes the silliness to an unbearable level that most kids will find annoying and corny.

Twenty-first-century kids probably won't be very interested in Nick Arcade, and there are better shows for them out there, anyway (try the G4 channel for up-to-date fare). But some viewers may get a laugh out of watching contestants play old-school games on now-obsolete platforms.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how video games have transformed entertainment. Why are video games so popular? Are all video games suitable for kids? Why or why not? How have video games changed since this show was originally on the air? Do older games have any appeal for today's kids? Why do you think this show is still rerun regularly?

TV Details

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