View source for Wipeout (1999 game show)

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2013}}
{{for|the 2009 Nine Network (Australian) TV series|Wipeout (2009 Australian game show)}}
{{Infobox Television
| show_name            = Wipeout
| image                = [[File:L_Wipeout_AUS_2000.jpg|center|160px]] 
| caption              = 
| show_name_2          = 
| genre                = [[Game show]]
| creator              = [[Bob Fraser (TV producer)|Bob Fraser]]
| director             = Robert Burton
| creative_director    = 
| developer            = 
| presenter            = [[Tony Johnston]]
| starring             = 
| voices               = 
| narrated             = Troy Swindells-Grose
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = [[Australia]]
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 2
| num_episodes         = 130
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = Wayne Cameron<br />Michael Boughen
| co_exec              = 
| producer             = Nina Campbell
| supervising_producer = 
| asst_producer        = 
| co-producer          = 
| editor               = 
| story_editor         = 
| location             = 
| company              = [[Southern Star Group]]
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = Rick Boogers<br />Matthew Peterson<br />Mark Johnston
| runtime              = 24 minutes
| network              = [[Seven Network]]
| picture_format       = 4.3 [[PAL]]
| audio_format         = [[Stereo]]
| first_run            = 
| first_aired          = 1999
| last_aired           = 2000
| related              = [[Wipeout (1988 US game show)|Wipeout]] (US version)<br/>[[Wipeout (UK game show)|Wipeout]] (UK version)
| website              = 
| production_website   = 
}}

'''''Wipeout''''' was an Australian game show that aired on the [[Seven Network]] from 1999 to 2000. The show was based on the [[Wipeout (1988 US game show)|original American series]] of the same title and was hosted by [[Tony Johnston]]. This version was the only one to use children as contestants, and in turn used points instead of dollars due to a law in Australia and Europe which prohibits children from winning money on game shows.

==Format==
===First two rounds===
The game was played with two boards (with twelve correct answers and four Wipeouts in each). The correct answers were indicated by checkmarks and the Wipeouts were indicated by crosses. In the beginning, the crosses appeared after an explosion or a guitar riff; later they appear in a variety of ways. Correct answers were worth 25 points each in board one and 50 points each in board two. Also, after an answer, play immediately went to the next contestant. In addition, the "Hot Spot" was simply called the "Bonus" but otherwise acted the same. The lowest scoring contestant is eliminated at the end of the round. If the round ended in a tie, the tied contestants were then shown a tiebreaker board with 12 answers arranged in a frame. Eight were right, and four were wrong. The tied contestants (starting with the player who won the coin toss) went back and forth picking answers until one contestant wiped out. The first contestant to wipe out was eliminated from the game, and the other player advanced to the next round.

===Third round (Bid for the Grid)===
In Bid for the Grid, there were twelve answers on the board. In early episodes, eight were right, and four were wrong. In later episodes, the number of correct answers and Wipeouts was split evenly with six apiece. Contestants secretly lock in their bids following five seconds of thinking time; the higher bid (or, in case of a tie, the faster entry) plays. Once the player won the bidding, he/she must give that number of answers in a row without a Wipeout. If the contestant can complete the contract, he/she won the board; but if the contestant wiped out, the opposing player must give just one correct answer to win the board. If the stealing player wiped out, play went back to the original player still trying to complete to contract and win the board. The first player to win two out of three boards wins the game and the right to play the bonus round. 

===Bonus round (Win it in a Minute)===
In the bonus round, the contestant must select a category (from two given) to play. They then had 60 seconds to find six correct answers on a grid of twelve possible answers. The contestant must enter his/her guesses on an over-sized keypad and then run to the buzzer located near the display to check his/her performance. The contestant was allowed to turn on more than six answers but if they did, a computerized voice would repeatedly say, "Too many, too many!" and the buzzer would not respond if they hit it. Winning the bonus round won him/her a major prize, which changed on occasion.

==Trivia==
* The show was repeated in 2000-2004 showing on the [[Seven Network]].

==External links==
* [http://members.iinet.net.au/~powney/gameshow/wipeout1999.htm Fan site for the Aussie "Wipeout"]
* [http://austvhistory.com/shows/wipeout00.rm Aussie "Wipeout" intro]
* [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=456871;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 "Wipeout" at the National Film and Sound Archive]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wipeout (1999 Australian Game Show)}}
[[Category:Australian game shows]]
[[Category:Children's game shows]]
[[Category:Australian children's television series]]
[[Category:Seven Network shows]]
[[Category:1999 Australian television series debuts]]
[[Category:2000 Australian television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s Australian television series]]
[[Category:2000s Australian television series]]
[[Category:Television series by Southern Star Group]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]