History Main / BlinkingLightsOfVictory

* The studio lights sweep around wildly and strobe when a contestant answers the final question correctly on ''Series/AreYouSmarterThanAFifthGrader''.

Sometimes seen in media other than game shows, like video games.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tictacdoughgamewin_6.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Part of the Blinking Lights of Victory display on ''Series/TicTacDough'' with Wink Martindale, from 1979]]

* On ''Series/TicTacDough'' w/Wink Martindale, whenever a game was decided in favor of either X or O, a special victory stinger version of the theme music was played (longer in case of car wins for X; champions got cars for every five wins they achieved), and the chase lights around the oval backdrop of Xs and Os (two sets, one outside, one inside) cascaded from the middle to the top (on the top half of that backdrop), and from the middle to the bottom (on the bottom half). The chase lights on the board also cascaded from right to left (and vice versa), and down to up (and vice versa). The winning pattern on the board for the victorious player also had flowing chase lights around each of the boxes in that pattern, and the three Xs or three Os in the winning line appeared and disappeared rapidly in a cycle; there were also red chase lights in the pot display, and the pot total for the winning player cycled in and out (these chase lights were also in the Tic Tac Dough title display on the floor of the set, and flowed around that as well.

** Whenever a contestant wins a game, the lights making up a number display or parts of the stage props blink and flash. With a big dollar amount from $10,000 and higher, the amount won often flashes on the screen. If a contestant in the 1970s up to around the end of Barker's tenure won both showcases at the end of the show, the words "DOUBLE SHOWCASE WINNER" would flash on screen. In at least one instance, a glitch caused the ENTIRE screen to flash white (The white was the color for keying in the graphic).

* ''VideoGame/DiceyDungeons'': Fitting the game show aesthetic, the "combat victory" screen involves a sign surrouded with blinking lights, with more lights in the lettering.

* Seems to be the norm for modern sports events, where the video scoreboard will blink or stadium spotlights will swing around wildly.

[[AC:Reality Shows:]]

* Some pinball machines do this when the player has gained a special score or prize during gameplay.

* On the original ''Price,'' the winning contestant's frozen bid in that game would flash. At the show's end, the top score would simply have an asterisk to the left with no flashing.

* On ''Series/{{Pyramid}}'', the lights inside the dollar amounts on the pyramid board blink, the trilons holding the categories and dollar amounts move around, and the lights around the board form a chasing pattern.

* ''Series/WheelOfFortune:'' From its inception, any puzzleboard that had lights in them would form a chase pattern when the puzzle was solved. From the start of the modern era with the flatscreen displays, the blue lights around the puzzleboard shift colors and flash white.

** When a contestant successfully answers the top-prize question (such as the United States, Germany, Russia, or Japan, for example), the studio lights brighten up, sweep around, and strobe, along with the ConfettiDrop.

We can't simply announce that in a dull voice, or just yell it out. In order to signify the win, let's have some blinking, flasking lights. Or if it's the Grand Prize, let's throw a strobe light in for good measure!

** Although, in an inversion, if the contestant gets any of the answers wrong, only the correct answer on the contestant's screen blink.

* In the 1997 show "The Big Moment", successfully completing the one challenge assigned to the contestant results in a wild strobing party.

We can't simply announce that in a dull voice. In order to signify the win, let's have some blinking, flasking lights. Or if it's the Grand Prize, let's throw a strobe light in for good measure!

However, we can't just leave everything still and placid with the studio!

Something has to signify the win, as if the studio, game prop, or even the television screen is having a party or getting excited over said win!

''I know!'' Let's have a lot of the lights flash and blink! Or if it's the Grand Prize, let's throw a strobe light in for good measure!

* Series/AmericasGotTalent: This is both inverted and played straight: A full-four-count buzzer causes the background to go red, and the lights flash mockingly. HOWEVER, if the act is a particularly amazing or touching act, and a judge presses the Golden Buzzer, the entire stage turns gold with strobing lights.

** When a contestant successfully answers the top-prize question in developed modern countries (such as the United States, Germany, Russia, or Japan, for example), the studio lights brighten up, sweep around, and strobe, along with the ConfettiDrop.
** Although, in an inversion, if the contestant gets any of the answers wrong, only the correct answer on the contestant's screen blinkd.

* A rather tame example in comparison to others, but in ''Bowling for Dollars'' (a 70s gameshow syndicated in multiple local markets), when someone hit the jackpot by scoring two consecutive strikes, the backlit Jackpot display would flash on and off.[[https://youtu.be/zdRNrmD4NcM?t=686]]

'''''YAY! SOMEONE HAS WON A PRIZE!'''''

I know! Let's have a lot of the lights flash and blink! Or if it's the Grand Prize, let's throw a strobe light in for good measure!

YAY! SOMEONE HAS WON A PRIZE!