As a kid, I was always aware of how great Legends of the Hidden Temple was, but it wasn’t until recently that I was reminded of that fact thanks to cable televisions’ “The 90’s are All That” line up which re-airs old Nickelodeon shows. Re-watching Legends of the Hidden Temple is a clear example of Nickelodeon in its prime. My family and I didn’t get cable until 1993, and from there on, my brother and I rarely ever watched any channel other than Nickelodeon. Specifically, every day after school, we’d sit down to watch Legends of the Hidden Temple wiching we could have a crack at the show and winning big prizes.
Nickelodeon is famous for creating some of the best game shows of all time, from Double Dare to GUTS, and Legends of the Hidden Temple is one of the best. You see, before reality television became “reality television” these types of game shows were all the rage and you could probably find at least two or three playing on various channels. These shows weren’t just physically demanding, but educational as well—they demanded brain power and physical power.
Legends of the Hidden Temple is very much in the spirit of Indiana Jones, only with the very likable Kirk Fogg as a host. Often dressed as an adventurer, Fogg would come bursting onto the set and was aided by his mystical guide, the ancient stone head Olmec (as voiced by Dee Bradley Baker). Only Olmec “knows the secrets behind each of the treasures in his temple,” Fogg would say. A terrific host, Fogg possessed a great personality which allowed him to really connect with the contestants.
The object of the game is that six sets of children’s teams (all named after colors and animals) would compete in the first round elimination that involved rafting across a moat. The first four teams that made it to their goal would make it to the second round: “The Steps of Knowledge,” which involved historical trivia. Olmec would tell a story about a historical figure, and the teams would have to answer questions based on the facts conveyed in the story. From there, the final two teams would have to compete in Temple games involving getting across obstacles or conquering some heavy feat. Every time a team won they’d get half of a pendant, ultimately aiming to win two complete pendants.
These pendants could be used in the temple to ward away the dreaded temple guards that burst from hidden walls to seize the players. If you lacked a pendant, you’d be dragged away and the second player would have to run in and complete the obstacle course (which involved puzzles, climbing, jumping, and mazes) and retrieve an ancient artifact before the time ran out. Often, the show rewarded the children with some great consolation prizes, but conquering the temple would guarantee a big trip to an exotic resort. Like every other Nickelodeon game show at the time, Legends of the Hidden Temple was a fun and harmless game show that thrived on exciting its audience. I can’t tell you how many times I’d sit in front of the TV as a kid and shout at the kids during the final temple obstacle course as the time wound down slowly.
Thankfully, the show has aged well since its premiere in 1993—much like Double Dare it works as a great game show and a wonderful nostalgia trip with bonus sentimental value—with over a hundred episodes total. Although Legends of the Hidden Temple ran on Nickelodeon and its sister channels until 1998 in syndication, there hasn’t been any DVD or Blu-Ray releases to date. It can, however, be found online through YouTube and occasionally airs on Teen Nick in America’s “The 90’s Are All That” series.
