One of the best TV game shows of all time is coming back. Legends of the Hidden Temple is returning! This show was originally aired from 1993 until 1995, but Nickelodeon continued to play reruns of the show until the early 2000s.
For those of you who are unaware of this amazing game show for kids, let me explain it to you. Or let me have the host, Kirk Fogg, explain it to you, as he says it best. “Welcome to the Hidden Temple. The rooms are filled with lost treasures that are protected by mysterious Mayan temple guards. Only Olmec knows about the treasures in his temple.” Kirk wasn’t the only one who hosted the show; he was helped by the talking Olmec head near the temple gate. Each episode is centered on a particular legend regarding an artifact from around the world that made its way to the temple.
There are 6 teams: Silver Snakes, the Purple Parrots, Blue Barracudas, Green Monkeys, Red Jaguars, and the Orange Iguanas.
First Challenge: The Moat. Teams must make their way across the moat on inner tubes. The first team member across will then throw the inner tube back to the other member. That member must climb on and swim across. If you fall off, you must go back and start again. The first four teams to the other side must hit their gongs and may proceed to the next challenge.
Second: The Steps of Knowledge. Olmac will tell stories of the artifacts the teams must find in the temple. Olmac will then ask the teams a series of questions regarding the artifact and the two teams that answer the most correctly will advance to the next challenge.
Second Pt 2: There are three challenges that the two teams must face before the winning team can approach the temple. In these three challenges, if one team wins, they will earn a Pendant of Life, which can be used in the temple. These three challenges changed every episode.
Third: Navigate through the temple to find the target within a three minute time period. The temple consists of 12 rooms that each have a specific theme, like the Throne Room, the Observatory, the Shrine of the Silver Monkey, etc. The rooms are connected to other rooms by doorways, although sometimes the doors might be locked. To open locked doors, you must complete a specific task or puzzle in each room. Be aware that if you enter one of the three sacred rooms, temple guards will jump out, scare you, and claim one of your medallions. Once you find the target, all doors become open to you to provide an easy passage out.
Every major challenge won you prizes, even if you didn’t make it past level 1. You won iconic 90s memorabilia, like Nerds, a CD Player, and a trip to Nickelodeon Studios, or somewhere fancy, like the Bahamas.
When I was younger, Legends was my LIFE. My schedule revolved around when the show came on TV. My ultimate dream was to be a contestant on the show, even though I was way past the 11 to 14 year old requirement. Looking back now, I realized that I was rather obsessed. No other little kid had planned out exactly how to win each of the challenges. No kid knew where each room was located in the temple, where to open each door, and which rooms the temple guards liked to hide in the most. The fact that this amazing show is making a comeback as a movie makes me extremely happy.