The Price is Right for Nintendo DS


FAQ by William “Blissey” Raymer



Table of Contents:


Section 1: Legalities/Updates


Section 2: Who Am I


Section 3: What Is The Game About


Section 4: Game Modes


Section 5: Pricing Game Information and Challenge Objectives


Section 6: Closing Remarks


--------SECTION 1: LEGALITIES/UPDATES------------

This FAQ is ©2008 by William “Blissey” Raymer. 


The Price is Right (Nintendo DS version) video game 
is ©2008 by Ubisoft Entertainment, under license from 
Ludia Inc./©2008 Fremantle Media North 
America, Inc. Developed by Ludia Inc.


The use of these trademarks in this FAQ is
not intended as a challenge to Fremantle 
Media North America's ownership of these 
properties. All other trademarks, logos and 
copyrights are the property of their respective 
owners.


Wikipedia files on each Pricing Game seen 
in the game were used in the creation of 
this walk-through (specifically in the 
notation of when each Pricing Game was 
introduced). The content in those files 
was created and used herein under the 
GNU Free Documentation license. 


There is an in-game disclaimer on initial 
loading and in the credits stating that 
references to the winning of cash prizes 
in the game is only intended for amusement 
and enjoyment purposes and to emulate the 
experience of being on the actual show, and 
that, furthermore, the game's producers absolve 
themselves of any responsibilities regarding 
the actual payment of these awards. This 
disclaimer also absolves me of any similar 
responsibility.


This FAQ is cleared for use and publication 
on the following websites:

www.ign.com
www.gamefaqs.com
www.golden-road.net


If this FAQ appears on a website other than 
those listed above, please e-mail me at 
Blissey01@yahoo.com with your name, e-mail 
address and the name and address of the 
offending website, so I can take all 
appropriate action. (For this action, 
please put “TPIR DS FAQ-Unapproved 
Website” in the e-mail subject line.)


If you have any suggestions, comments, 
etc. on how to make this FAQ better, 
please e-mail me at the above address 
with your name, e-mail address and 
comments. (For this action, please 
put “TPIR DS FAQ-Comments/Suggestions” 
in the e-mail subject line.) If I 
use your comments or suggestions in a 
revision of this FAQ, I will credit you 
properly.


UPDATE, 9/29/08: Shortly after posting a link
to this FAQ on Golden-Road.net, I was taken to
the mat by G-R user "JC_Ludia," who, as it turns
out, is one of the game's ACTUAL DEVELOPERS!
He notified me that the only way to accrue 
strikes in the single-player mode are in "One
Bid" and the Showcase Showdown. I apologize
for my inaccuracy.


---------SECTION 2: WHO AM I----------

My name is William Raymer, with the 
nickname/Golden-Road.net (a leading 
TPIR message board) user-name “Blissey,” 
after my primary e-mail address and 
favorite Pokémon. I have used many a 
FAQ in my gaming career, and feel 
I have learned enough to create one 
of my own in order to help those in need.



----SECTION 3: WHAT IS THE GAME ABOUT-----
The Price is Right brings all of the 
action and excitement of television's 
longest-running game show onto your Nintendo 
DS. Play all of your favorite Pricing Games, 
such as “3 Strikes,” “Punch-a-Bunch,” “Cliff 
Hangers” and the grand-daddy of them all, “Plinko.”


Play through a series of shows to prove 
you're the greatest contestant of all time 
in single-player mode, or play in Party 
Mode with up to three additional players.


--SECTION 4: GAME MODES------------------

There are two game modes: single-player 
and Party Mode.

Single-player mode tasks you with creating 
a contestant and playing through a
series of shows to rack up as much 
cash and prizes as possible. The 
progression of the game in single-player is:


“One Bid” (also known as “Contestant's Row”)
randomly selected “Pricing Game”
Showcase Showdown
Showcase (only if you win the Showcase Showdown; 
if you lose the Showcase Showdown, you are 
automatically sent back to the “One Bid” round)


A word of warning: Within single-player mode, 
a loss in the “One Bid” or the Showcase Showdown 
also gives you a strike. Three strikes, and...
you know the rest. 


In single-player, there are also a series 
of objectives-one for each Pricing Game, 
“One Bid,” the Showcase Showdown and the 
Showcase itself-for players to attempt 
to complete. The challenge might be 
something as simple as “Spin a total of $1.00” 
in the Showcase Showdown or as complex as 
“Get all positions right with 20 seconds 
remaining” in the Race Game.


The completion of all objectives unlocks 
a “Free Play” option, which allows you 
to play a selected Pricing Game without 
any fear of striking out. The challenge 
objective for each game will be listed 
with their applicable game in Section 5 
(see below).


“Party Mode” allows you and up to 3 
additional players to play the game. 
In Party Mode, the “One Bid” is followed 
by one Pricing Game for each player(from 
a selection of 4), then the Showcase Showdown. 
After the Showdown, the top two players then 
go on to the Showcase. 



----SECTION 5: PRICING GAMES/CHALLENGE OBJECTIVES---


“One Bid”

One Bid, also known as “Contestant's Row,” is 
the basic Price is Right game play. This section, 
which was the only game on the original 1950's 
incarnation of the show, is simple: Four 
contestants are shown an item (shown on the 
top screen of the DS) and are asked to bid on 
it. A description of the prize is shown in the 
text display on the touch screen. 


When it is the player's turn to bid, use the DS 
stylus to highlight one of the four numbers on 
the bidding  display, and, by touching the up 
or down arrows, select the number you wish to 
place in that slot. After you have your bid in 
place, tap the “OK” button. 

After all four bids are in, the actual retail 
price is revealed. Even if you don't win here, 
you go on to a Pricing Game. (But, remember: 
If you lose, you get a strike.)

Challenge Objective: Win with a $50 difference 
or less.



“3 Strikes” (introduced in 1976)

In this game, five numbers, representing each 
number in the price of the car the player is 
playing for, are placed in a bag along with a 
red “x” chip. The bag is then shaken up. Once 
the shaking is finished, tap the bag. If a 
number comes out, you must guess where in the 
price the number goes by tapping the slot you 
think the number goes in.


If the placement is correct, the number lights up 
on the game display. If not, a big, red “NO” covers 
the screen and the number goes back into the bag. 
The player's objective is to illuminate all five 
numbers before three strikes are accrued. 


Challenge Objective: Win the car.



“Shell Game” (introduced in 1974)

In this game, you must place a chip next to the shell 
which conceals a white ball. To earn chips, you are 
shown small prizes, one at a time, each with an incorrect 
price. The objective here is to correctly guess if the 
actual price is higher or lower than the price shown.


Once you have earned a chip, place it next to the shell 
that you think conceals the ball by tapping your chosen 
shell twice.


After all four small prizes are guessed, the shells are 
moved. If a chip is placed next to the shell that conceals 
the ball, you win the prize. (If all four chips are earned, 
the player can win an extra $500 bonus if they can correctly 
guess which shell has the ball under it.)


A loss results when no chips are earned, or if the ball is 
under a shell that does not have a chip next to it. 


Challenge Objective: Get all four chips.



“Bonkers” (introduced in 2001)

In this game, which was actually created by former 
Price is Right host/executive producer Bob Barker, 
you are shown the prize you will be playing for, 
followed by an incorrect four-digit price. You are 
then given four discs that you must place correctly 
within the 30-second time limit.


To do so place each disc above the number (if you think 
the individual digit is higher than the one displayed) 
or below the number (if you think the correct digit is 
lower than the displayed number) by tapping the disc with 
the stylus, then releasing it when you feel it is in the 
right place. 


With all four discs in place, tap the “Check” control. 
If you hear a “ding,” then you win. If you hear a buzzer 
sound, continue to make changes (however, unlike in “Race 
Game,” you ARE NOT told how many numbers are correct). 
The cycle continues until either you get all four numbers 
correct, or the 30-second time limit expires. (If the time 
limit expires and you are still making a guess, you are 
permitted to confirm a final guess.)


Challenge Objective: Get all positions right on the first 
try.



“Cliff Hangers” (introduced in 1976)

In this game, a mountain climber named Hans rests at 
the bottom of a mountain marked from 0 to 25, ending 
in a cliff. The objective is to make sure that Hans 
does not go over the cliff.


To do so, you must price three small prize items. For 
each dollar (high or low) you miss the price of the item, 
Hans will move one step. If after all three small prizes, 
Hans has not fallen off the cliff, you win the top prize. 


If Hans falls off the mountain, you lose.

Challenge Objective: Win in 10 steps or less.



“Punch-a-Bunch” (introduced in 1978)

In this game, the contestant is shown four small prizes, 
one at a time. The price shown for each item is incorrect-the 
player's objective is to determine whether the correct price 
is higher or lower than the price shown. For each correct 
answer given, the contestant gets a punch on a 50-hole 
punchboard. 


Inside each hole is a slip of paper. Written on each slip 
is a dollar value from $50 to the game's top stated prize, 
$10,000. (However, the unstated top prize value is $10,900-
that is if the contestant punches out a Second Chance slip, 
then punches out the remaining Second Chance slips on each 
consecutive Second Chance punch, until finally punching out 
a $10,000 slip on the final Second Chance punch.)


One at a time, each hole's slip of paper is shown. The 
contestant can choose to give up the amount shown on the 
slip and look in the next hole or leave with the current 
amount. This procedure continues until either the contestant 
leaves with his/her current amount, the last hole is examined-
in which case the contestant receives whatever amount is on it, 
or a “second chance” slip (one each of the lowest amounts-
$50, $100, $250, and $500-has “Second Chance” written on it) 
is revealed. 


In the event a second chance slip is revealed, a second 
punch is granted. After that second punch, whatever amount 
on the new slip is combined with whatever was on the second 
chance slip. 


After all four small prizes are guessed, the player takes 
whatever punches are earned to the punchboard. Tap whatever 
hole you want to punch with the stylus. The slip is shown to 
you, after which you can decide to keep or give back what you 
see. 


The game ends when you keep what is on your slip, you find the 
$10,000 slip or you look inside your last hole, whichever comes 
first. The value of any correctly-guessed small prizes and whatever 
cash you find are added to your score. The only way to lose 
in this game is to incorrectly guess all four small prizes 
and not win any punches.


Challenge Objective: Win $5,000 or more.



“Race Game” (introduced in 1974)

In this game, played for four prizes, the contestant 
is shown four price tags (each tag goes with one of the 
prizes). He/she is then given 45 seconds to race over to 
the prizes and place the tags next to the prizes they think 
match the tags. 


To do this, tap the left or right arrow with your stylus to 
highlight the prize you want to guess, then tap the price tag 
that you think the item goes with. Repeat this with the remaining 
three tags.


When all four tags are in place, tap the “Pull Lever” button. If 
any number less than four appears on the main game setup display, 
you can go back and make changes. 


Once the 45 seconds have elapsed, the values of any prizes correctly 
matched up with their appropriate price tags are added to your score. 
The only way to lose this game is to have no tag matches once the 
45 seconds have elapsed. 


Challenge Objective:  Get all positions right with 20 seconds remaining.



“Plinko” (introduced in 1983)

The most popular pricing game since its introduction 
in 1983, “Plinko” gives you a chance to win up to 
$50,000 in cash. 


To start, you are given a single Plinko Chip and a chance 
to win up to four more. To earn additional Plinko Chips, you must 
correctly determine the prices of four small prizes (such as a 
French-press coffee maker set with the numbers 3-5 shown). Your job 
is to correctly guess whether the first number (3, in this case) or 
the last number (the 5) is the correct number in the item's price.


After all four small prizes, you take however many 
Plinko Chips you have earned up to the top of the board. 
Once there, use the stylus to place the Plinko chip where 
you want to, then let it go. Whatever the chip lands in 
(save the 0, of course) is added to your score. 


The only way to lose in this game is to have all 
of your earned Plinko Chips land in either “0” space. 


Challenge Objective: Win with a total of $10,000 or more.



“It's in the Bag” (introduced in 1997)

In this game, played for $16,000, the contestants are 
shown four items and five price tags. The player must 
correctly match four of the price tags with their 
applicable items. 


After all four grocery items are shown, you must tap the 
price tag that goes with the first item. Repeat the 
procedure with the remaining three items. Once that is done, 
the revealing begins. The first correct item is worth $2,000. 
If the price matching is correct, you can choose to quit with any 
money you have so far or risk it all on the next item and win 
double the money, all the way down the line. But, if even one 
matching is wrong, you lose everything.


Challenge Objective: Risk it all and win $16,000.



“Master Key” (introduced in 1983)

In this game, you have a chance to win two keys from a 
selection of five in an attempt to unlock three locks, 
representing a small prize, a medium prize and the top prize.


To earn these keys, you must determine the correct price 
of a small prize with three numbers shown  (For example, a 
drink mixer with the numbers “3-3-8” shown.). Your job is to 
determine if the first number (in this case, the first 3) or 
the last number (in this case, the 8) is part of the correct 
price by tapping the number you wish to choose with the stylus. 
If you get it right, you can choose a key.


If you have at least one key after both small prizes, you 
go to the three locks. One key unlocks all three locks 
(the titular “Master Key”), one unlocks none of the three locks 
(the “dud key”), while each of the remaining three keys unlocks 
each of the three locks individually. 


Whatever lock you unlock (if any) adds the lock's prize value 
to your score. If you fail to either win any keys or unlock 
any locks, you lose.


Challenge Objective: Find the Master Key.



“Money Game” (introduced in 1972)

In this classic game, the player must 
find the first two numbers and the last two numbers 
(the middle number is given as a freebie)in the price of 
a car from a field of nine 2-digit numbers. To guess, 
tap the number on the touch screen that you think is 
the first two or last two numbers in the car's price.


If a picture of the front half or a picture of the back 
half of the car is under the number, you are correct. But, 
if a money sign is under the number, then the number goes 
in a field of four slots to the left of the nine-number 
main field. If the four money slots are filled up before 
you find the first and last two numbers in the car's price, 
you only win in cash the combined total of the numbers 
in the money field. 


Challenge Objective: Win the car.



“Check-Out” (introduced in 1982)

The contestant is shown four grocery items, one at a time. 
They are then asked to enter what they think the price of 
each item is (via the “One Bid” entry procedure). After the 
contestant has entered their guesses, the total is shown. 


Then the actual prices of each grocery item are shown, then 
totaled up. If the contestant's guess total is within $2.00 
(high or low) of the actual total, then they win the prize. 
If it isn't within the range, then they lose.


Challenge Objective: Win with a difference of 50 cents or less.



“Hole in One (Or Two)” (introduced in 1977 ; 
“[Or Two)” format introduced in 1986)

In this game, you must putt a golf ball into a hole. To 
determine how close to the hole you will attempt to do so, 
you must place a series of four grocery items (shown on the 
DS' top screen) from least expensive to most expensive. (The 
better you do, the closer to the hole you will be.) If you 
arrange the grocery items perfectly, you will also receive 
a $500 bonus (win or lose).


After the grocery aspect is finished, it is time to putt the 
ball. An arrow will appear over the ball and move from left 
to right. Once the arrow is pointed in the direction you want 
to putt, tap the ball with your stylus. (It is recommended to try 
to have the arrow be parallel to the hole when you tap the 
ball.) 


If the ball goes in, you win the prize. If it doesn't, you still 
get a second chance to putt (JUST CHECK THE NAME OF THE 
GAME, ALREADY!) If it doesn't go in on the second try, 
you lose. 


Challenge Objective: Do a Hole in One. (This means you must 
arrange the four grocery items properly, then sink the putt.)



Showcase 

This was one of the games introduced when the current 
incarnation of the show debuted in 1972.


The winners of the two Showcase Showdowns (on the show-
in the game, the winner of the Showcase Showdown [You, 
if you did win] and the next highest-winning contestant) 
are shown a prize package (via the top screen), most 
often based around a theme or a story of some kind.


The “Top Winner”(You) will have the option of bidding 
on the first package or passing it to the Runner-Up and 
bidding on the second package. The person who is nearest 
to the actual retail price of the package he/she bid on
(without going over) wins their package. However, if the 
winner is $250 away from the actual price (again, without 
going over) of their Showcase, the winner gets BOTH 
Showcases.


To bid, just follow the bidding input procedure from the 
One Bid round. (See that listing for details.)


Challenge Objective: Win with a $1,000 difference or less.



Showcase Showdown

Introduced when the show expanded to a full hour in 
1975, the three contestants who won their way out of 
Contestant's Row in each half-hour spin a giant wheel 
divided into sections, each with a denomination on it 
from 5 cents up to $1.00. 


The person who gets closest to $1.00 in one spin or a 
combination of two spins goes on to the Showcase. If 
the spinner gets exactly $1.00, they get a $1,000 cash 
bonus (win or lose) and a “Bonus spin,” given after all 
three contestants get their spins. If one or both of the 
player's opponents ties with the player, the game goes 
to a one-spin-each spin-off.


The Bonus Spin involves the two green sections (with 5 
and 15 cents) and the $1.00. If (in one spin only), the 
contestant lands on one of the green sections, they get 
an additional $5,000 bonus. If, in the Bonus Spin, a 
contestant gets another $1.00, they get an additional 
$10,000 bonus. (In the event that two or more contestants 
get a $1.00, the Bonus Spin also acts as a Spin-Off, with 
the monetary bonus provisions still being in effect if 
needed).


When it is your turn to spin the wheel, just move the 
stylus from the top of the touch screen to its bottom. 
(Like on the show, reverse spinning is not permitted.)


Word of Warning: Lose here, and not only do you go 
all the way back to the One Bid round, but you also 
get a strike.


Challenge Objective: Spin a total of $1.00.



-------SECTION 6: CLOSING REMARKS-----------------------

Well, I have been a Price is Right fan all my life. So, 
when I saw this game on the shelf at my local Gamestop 
store, I just had to get it. I hope this FAQ has helped 
you figure out how to play these classic games on your 
Nintendo DS. 


So, in closing, this is William “Blissey” Raymer, 
reminding you to help control the pet population. Have 
your pet spayed or neutered. Goodbye, everybody....
until next time.


William “Blissey” Raymer
Yuma, Arizona USA
21 September 2008