Discussion thread can be found here
.
We've had the Hunger Games
, Big Brother
, and even Battle for Dream Island (BFDI)
! Yet, even with all of these reality show-esque threads here on Forum Games (whether they be controlled by the tropers themselves or a simulator), one thing has been boggling my mind... there hasn't been a TV Tropes version of The Amazing Race yet.
Similarly to, yet different from its fellow CBS reality programs (including Survivor and the aforementioned Big Brother), the premise of The Amazing Race is quite simple: 11 teams (or more) of two travel to different countries and complete challenges in order to be the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop at the end of the leg, with the last team to do so risking elimination. Once 3 (rarely 4) teams are left standing, it's an all-out race to the Finish Line (with challenges as usual), and the first team to make it is declared the Official Winner.
Before we get started, let's lay down the basics of the game.
I would use an actual simulator for this, but the Amazing Race simulator on BrantSteele got set to private, and the ones on Scratch didn't meet my expectations. So to improvise, I'll let you (the tropers) control the characters you nominate, and I'll act as the host.
Each troper must nominate two avatars from their gallery (preferably with a pre-existing relationship, such as "Brothers", "Best Friends", or "Flight Attendants"), making one team. For this season, we'll do the usual 11 teams, and whoever decides to host the next one decides, and it goes from there. Each team will earn a set amount of money at the start of each leg, which they can use to pay for all travel expenses except for flight (such as trains and taxis). If a team spends all their money, they may obtain more in manners that do not involve law breaking, such as selling possessions, begging from the locals, or borrowing money from other teams.
Each team will also get a clue at the start of each leg, which will tell them where they will have to go next. Clues can also be obtained at route markers or after completing tasks. Route markers are usually attached to the boxes that contain clues, but some may mark the location that the teams have to go to next.
If a team arrives at the Pit Stop last on a leg, they will be eliminated unless the leg is a Non-Elimination Leg; if that's the case, the team will be allowed to continue racing, but they will have to perform a Speed Bump in the next leg: a task only they have to complete. Teams are never told which legs are Non-Elimination Legs in advance, and it's only a matter of luck. Teams may incur a time penalty at the Pit Stop for not completing a task properly or not completing a task altogether. Teams incurring a time penalty will have to wait for their penalty to end before being checked in, which can allow other teams to check in before the team with the penalty.
Each leg has a set of two tasks. These tasks vary in type. One type of task is the Detour, a task that has two different sides ("A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons."). Upon arrival, teams are given details about both sides of the Detour, but they may only complete one side, and both members have to complete the task. Usually, one side of the Detour is more physically-demanding and takes less time to complete, while the other side is less physically-demanding, but requires thinking and takes more time to complete.
Another type of task is the Roadblock ("A Roadblock is a task that only one team member can perform"). Prior to arrival at a Roadblock, teams read a vague question about the task that's to come (such as "Who's really hungry?" for a challenge about eating ostrich eggs). Teams may figure out the task by observing their surroundings, using common sense, or witnessing other teams performing the Roadblock. Unlike a Detour, however, only one member of each team can complete a Roadblock, and the other member is not allowed to help. If a leg has two Roadblocks, the team member who sat out the first Roadblock must perform the second one.
Other Amazing Race terms include:
- Fast Forward - A task that multiple teams can attempt, but only one team can fully complete. The team who completes the Fast Forward task is allowed to skip all other tasks in the leg and go straight to the Pit Stop. Any other teams at the Fast Forward task will have wasted their time and will have to continue the leg from where they left off prior to the Fast Forward.
- U-Turn - Allows a team to force another team to complete both sides of the Detour. A variant of this is the Double U-Turn, which allows two teams to use the same U-Turn.
- Yield - Allows a team to force another team to stop racing for a predetermined amount of time, usually 30 minutes. Teams are usually informed of when a Yield is going to be in the leg if the message "Caution, Yield Ahead!" is written on the clue.
- Superleg - A double-length leg with two sets of tasks. A Megaleg is similar to this, but it lacks a proper midpoint/rest area.
- No-Rest Leg - A leg that ends with a Pit Stop, but teams are handed their next clue immediately and are ordered to keep racing. What differentiates this from a Superleg is that on a No-Rest Leg, it and the leg after it are counted as two separate legs.
- Express Pass - A pass, usually given to the team who finishes first on the first leg, that allows the recipient to skip any task of their choosing without a penalty except the Fast Forward. Teams may be awarded two Express Passes, one or both of which can be given to another team, and rarely, an Express Pass can be handed out after a task.
- Save - A pass, obtained either by finishing first on the first leg or completing certain criteria, that allows the recipient to save themselves from elimination if they finish a leg in last place. If the leg turns out to be a Non-Elimination Leg, then the Save will be returned to the recipient if they attempt to use it.
- Double Battle (also known as a Duel, Face-Off, or Head-to-Head) - A task, usually right before the Pit Stop, where two teams compete against each other. The winning team will receive their next clue/check in at the Pit Stop, while the losing team has to wait for another team to arrive at the Double Battle location and try again. The cycle repeats until all but one team has won the Double Battle, and that team will either incur a 15-minute time penalty or instantly be eliminated.
- Starting Line Task - A task that is performed at the Starting Line. All teams must complete this task before continuing with the race.
- Intersection - Requires two teams to perform a task together. If multiple teams are present at the Intersection, teams may choose which team they would like to pair up with; conversely, if no teams are present at the moment, any given team must wait for another team to arrive, though they can opt to not pair up with that team and wait for another.
- Switchback - A task that was previously featured in a different season, usually brought back due to difficulty or significance.
- Driver's Seat - Allows the first team to arrive at a designated board to decide how much work the remaining teams will be required to do at the succeeding task. For example, Jonathan & Ana from The Amazing Race 37 decided which teams had to harvest 15, 20, or 25 pounds of rice at the fourth leg's Roadblock.
- Fork in the Road - A choice between two tasks, similar to a Detour. However, in a Fork in the Road, the choices are connected to different routes. Teams make their choice by placing their "Courtesy Of" photo on the route that they would like to take, like they would at a U-Turn or Yield. Once the choice is made, it cannot be changed, and the team will have to follow that route for the rest of the leg. Only a limited number of teams can select each route.
- Valet Roulette - Teams blindly pick a car key from a wheel and give it to the locals to find out whether the car they chose for the leg is manual or automatic.
- Scramble - Presents teams with three different tasks or challenges that they must complete; however, they may complete the tasks in any order they'd like. Each task that is completed rewards a team with a portion of their next clue, and receiving all the portions allows the team to put the clue together.
- City Sprint - A leg where teams must complete a series of tasks in the city that they're in for the leg before returning back to their starting point, doubling as the Pit Stop. There are no Roadblocks or Detours in a city sprint.
And also for clarification, if you're interested in playing the game, please be active. We don't want the game to be delayed or rendered completely inactive because of an offline player.
Now, without further ado, it's nomination time!
Contestants:
- Barbara
◊ and Jean
◊ (Sisters)
- Tsubomi
◊ and Erika
◊ (Best Friends / Pretty Cures)
- Mirabel
◊ and Luisa
◊ (Sisters)
- Nigel and Abby
◊ (Dating KND Operatives)
- Pecky and Pierre
◊ (Championship Co-Hosts)
- Dongrang
◊ and Samjo
◊ (Co-Workers)
- Aya
◊ and Chisato
◊ (Bandmates) (7th Place)
- Nemesis
◊ and Albert
◊ (Villains) (8th Place)
- Florges
◊ and Lilligant
◊ (Flower Pokémon) (9th Place)
- Pecorine
◊ and Kyaru
◊ (Guildmates) (10th Place)
- Neptune
◊ and Nepgear
◊ (Sisters) (11th Place)
- Faded
◊ and Away
◊ (Concept) (Disqualified due to inactivity, Aya and Chisato brought in as replacements)
EDIT: Now has an official TVT page, with a character sheet for Season 1 currently in the works!
Edited by iReekOfLemons on Jul 3rd 2025 at 3:20:55 PM
After Aya recuperates from her exhaustion earlier, she followed Chisato towards the last clue. However, they...
Chisato: Aargh, we're too late...
Aya: Um... aren't you bad at taking trains?
Chisato: I see... you still remembered what I said earlier. Anyways... while we're waiting to get the other train, is there something you wanted to mention out?
She recalls her memories, and...
Aya: Well, you see... You know what another term for an "idol" aside from a music artist or singer?
Chisato: Another term for it is someone you admire or revere... and after all, I know who you'd admired and what she said...
Aya: Yes. She said this,
"Anyone can make their dreams come true. You just have to work hard. Don't think that you're not good enough, don't give up on your dreams."
...I'm still crying when that was the last time I heard from her.
Chisato: She was your inspiration, and perhaps in the future others might admire you to the same way you admired her.
Aya: Really?
Chisato: Fufu, perhaps maybe not now, but maybe in the future, it might happen.
The two would wait a bit more before the next Friendship Express Ride, buying the tickets beforehand, of course, since it's their only way home from Equestria. After all, their friends and family are waiting for them to return back (even if it's for a brief while, if they are to continue participating in the race)!
Nothing solves a day of depression better than a warm smile.Erika manages to finish her final tree with the ladder.
Hooray, I managed to finish my three trees! Completely apple-less they are. (;´∀`)
Except for that one pesky apple.
There was only one apple hanging from the tree.
No worries, Tsubomi-san. Pretty Cure, Civilian Marine Butt Punch! (*`Д´)
While powerless, with a whack, the little apple falls off the tree. Erika sorts out her apples in the basket.
That's great! Now let's get our clue.
The cures collect their clue from Applejack, and their load of apple pies.
Alright, so we must get to the train station in Ponyville.
The cures head off into their earth pony-pulled carriage, destined for the train station.
Edited by callmeamuffin on Jan 27th 2025 at 11:48:33 PM
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition.Well, now we should be fine in this leg at least.
Though, I do have a question. Barbara, we were following behind you and your sister. Did you not smell us or something?
So grab a stick and take a swing! Do the Piñata thing!Yes we were! Besides, you do have the best ability of smell here, and you didn’t think people could just follow behind right.
Well, she has the best ability of smell here anyway. Remember that red squirrel with the green hat.
Oh right, Chewoo.
Edited by starmate3 on Jan 27th 2025 at 9:22:25 AM
So grab a stick and take a swing! Do the Piñata thing!Friendship Express
"Gracias!" the Madrigals say as they receive their translators from Nigel and Abigail. They resemble lapels, so they fit them on their collars before taking their seat.
As the train moves towards Canterlot, Mirabel looks out the window and watches the scenery.
"Luisa?" she asks. "You have any idea where those plant creatures are? Last we saw them, they were trying to make their way through the crowded marketplace."
The older sister shrugs. "No idea, but they're probably struggling with catching up to us."
"You think?" asks Mirabel. "So far, we had to write letters to Twilight, deliver them to Spike and Starlight, survive Discord's chaos, and then find the next clue among Rarity's dresses."
"We also had to either punch some clouds in mid-air or harvest some apples," says Luisa. "We're not that close to them, but whatever Detour they chose, I hope they're not having a hard time like you did."
"Yeah..."
Mirabel sighs, for she knows that they'll be taking the next ride to Canterlot in 1-1.5 hour's time.
Edited by TroperNo9001 on Jan 28th 2025 at 1:41:37 AM
Still waiting for someone to break him free...*as wesker and nemesis manage to find and arrive at the train station, they find out that the train they were supposed to take has already departed*
Wesker: Oh great, now we have to wait for the next one...
Nemesis: *muffled groan* (Should have been quicker!)
*in the meantime, they sit on the nearest bench and wait. as a pegasus flutters by, wesker gets an idea and manages to rip off one of their hairs and hide it in his trenchcoat, so that he can analyze it once he returns "home"*
Pegasus: OW! What the hay, man!
Wesker: What? I didn't do anything.
Pegasus: You sure, buddy?! I could feel something pulling out my hair!
*wesker shrugs, casuing the pegasus to mumble something under their breath and fly away angrily. now the two villains are stuck playing the waiting game...*
Friendship Express
The Friendship Express was on the rails around the bend of Canterlot's mountainsides, and many of the teams could see Canterlot Castle, standing mighty and tall.
The Friendship Express then passed through two royal guards, before the engine came to a halt at the Canterlot train station, and the doors were opened.
All the contestants on the train are to collect their next clue at a route marker at Canterlot train station.
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition.Both Piñatas get off the bus first and take their clue. However, they feel as if they know what’s on the clue.
So grab a stick and take a swing! Do the Piñata thing!The Madrigals eat two slices of apple pie on the way to Canterlot, leaving one slice left along with the two pecan pie slices they got from Sandy back in Bikini Bottom. At their stop, they get their luggage and go down to retrieve their next clue.
"I hope we can get to meet Princess Celestia!" says Mirabel.
Still waiting for someone to break him free...Clue 8: Search for Princess Celestia's castle and enter her throne room, to retrieve your Friendship Letter and your next clue.
Wanderlust: Welcome to Canterlot, a city in Equestria with lucious spires, a giant city, and a rich culture of celebrations. For the next clue, you will need to rent a carriage and find Canterlot Castle, where Princess Celestia lives. Once you enter the castle, you must find her throne room where she will give you your Friendship Letter and the next following clue in the race.
Pinkie Pie is currently in Canterlot, delivering cakes to Celestia and Luna. You will need to ensure that you do not bump or crash into her, otherwise her cakes could splatter on the ground and become a slipping hazard for the other teams.
- Clue 1: Find the Golden Oak Library and collect a clue from the top of the door.
- Clue 2: ROADBLOCK! Birds of a feather flock together. Write a friendship letter to Princess Celestia.
- Clue 3: Bring your friendship letter as a team to Spike (and Starlight Glimmer) in the Castle of Friendship.
- Clue 4: Get to Fluttershy's cottage to retrieve a clue possessed by Discord.
- Clue 5: Go to the Carousel Boutique and search through Rarity's designed clothing racks.
- Clue 6: DETOUR! Fly as a duo through five clouds in one go (Neatly Soar Through and Fly) or collect all the apples from three trees separately (Sweetly for Apple Pie).
Edited by callmeamuffin on Jan 28th 2025 at 9:16:26 PM
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition....Im not sure if im- You never know until you try.
...Alright.
"And for one night only...you can get your revenge." / NEWAllez! To the carriage!
But first we gotta rent one!
The two piñatas run off to go do that.
So grab a stick and take a swing! Do the Piñata thing!Canterlot
"YESSSSSS!" shouts Luisa. "Can't wait to meet the princess!"
"You mean princesses!" says Mirabel as she thumbs through her library book. "It says here that Twilight knows Celestia and her sister Luna!"
"Oh, I see!"
"Now vamanos, sister!"
They look for another carriage, this time pulled by two unicorns, but just when they take their seats, the unicorns turn up their noses at them and snort.
"20 Bits!" says one of them.
"What?!" asks Luisa.
"But I thought we already paid for all the commute in this world!" adds Mirabel.
"I am sorry, young ladies, but that was only for the Ponyville fare," says the second unicorn.
"You are now in a different city, so our policy is different," the first one continues.
"So not only do you need to pay the new fare, you must do so for every time you use our services!"
Mirabel checks her and Luisa's budget and sighs. "Fine..."
They pay them Col$87,000 and tell them to take them to Canterlot Castle.
Still waiting for someone to break him free...The Dating operatives decide to follow another team, and it's pretty easy to spot a giant castle in the distance.
—
In another area of Equestria, a book with the label Cupcakes and other Horrifying Stories was what the present Toiletnator left for the ponies. The book's artwork depicts an evil Pinkie Pie holding a knife glaring at the viewer about to stab them. The binding looks hand-made rather than mass-printed.
Edited by DecafGrub47393 on Jan 28th 2025 at 7:52:07 AM
Here's looking at you, kid.Tsubomi and Erika arrived at Ponyville train station with their bags.
I believe we missed the first ride, but the second ride should be available.
That's alright! Let's get our tickets! ヽ(^○^)ノ
With Tsubomi and Erika spending ¥1,555 on their tickets, they sit down on the floor, waiting for the train to return.
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition.The piñatas arrive as well, after paying their fee. Now to find the princess and the clue, and avoiding knocking over Pinkie Pie.
So grab a stick and take a swing! Do the Piñata thing!With the five teams out of the Friendship Express, the latter begins to clatter on the rails again, back down to Ponyville, to pick up the next teams.
Edited by callmeamuffin on Jan 28th 2025 at 11:27:48 PM
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition.Canterlot
The Madrigals arrive outside the castle and get down to cross the drawbridge to the entrance. Like with the Castle of Friendship, Luisa looks around its interior while squealing in delight.
"But where do we start searching?" she then asks Mirabel. "We shouldn't spend, like, the whole afternoon or so trying to find the princess in every room this time!"
"Well, it says in the clue that Princess Celestia's just at the throne room, but we better avoid the kitchen and banquet hall along the way because that's where Pinkie Pie might be. Let's go!"
Edited by TroperNo9001 on Jan 28th 2025 at 9:48:18 PM
Still waiting for someone to break him free...

Friendship Express at Ponyville Station
The first ride on the Friendship Express has been fully booked.
Contestants on the first ride:
The conductor pony pulled the whistle, and the Friendship Express' wheels began to clatter on the rails. The next destination for the five contestants on the train is Canterlot, and the train will arrive there in 30 minutes (in-universe).
The remaining five, or four, teams will have to ride the next Friendship Express ride, which will arrive at Ponyville Train Station in the next hour (Again, in-universe).
(If your contestants are on the train, you're allowed to get them to socialize with each other, as well as other teams, by forum posts.)
Edited by callmeamuffin on Jan 27th 2025 at 3:52:25 AM
Working on Sandbox.The Amazing Race TV Tropes Edition.