American Gladiators is an athletic competition game show where contestants, referred to as "contenders", competed against the show's titular Gladiators in a series of physical games called "events" with the goal to be crowned the Grand Champion at the end of the season and win thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.
Over the course of the original series and a 2008 revival, twenty-three events were conceived. Each event was scored, with the objectives for scoring differing from event to event. When the original series premiered in 1989, points were awarded in multiples of five. Following a reconfiguration of the show's format in 1990, points were awarded in numbers ranging from one to ten; this carried over for the remainder of the original series and the 2008 revival.
The number of events per episode ranged from six to eight on the original series depending on the season, while the 2008 revival ranged from five to seven depending on the season and round of play. The one constant was the final event, The Eliminator.
Assault Years active: 1989–96, 2008
The contender had 60 seconds to hit a target using a series of projectile weapons, while avoiding high-speed tennis balls being fired at them by a Gladiator using an air-powered cannon. The course spanned the entire arena floor with each weapon located at a safe zone that provided some cover for the contender. Each successive station brought the contender closer to the Gladiator's cannon, and traveling to each one required the contender to cross open space where the Gladiator had an unobstructed shot at the contender. The contender's run ended immediately if he/she hit the target or was hit by the Gladiator's fire.
In the first half of season one, there were four safe zones consisting of a pillbox (where the contender started the event, weapon in hand), a burnt out building, a thatch bush, and two oil drums, and four weapons (see chart below). If the contenders hit the bull's eye on the target, which was located at the foot of the Gladiator's platform, they would receive 100 points. Hitting the outer rim was worth less points, originally 60 and rising to 75 by the end of the season. If the contender fired all four weapons unsuccessfully, he/she could take cover in the last safe zone until time expired to earn 30 points for a draw.
From the second half of season one onward, the course consisted of five safe zones and five weapons. The contenders also had to run to the first safe zone instead of starting at it, and the target was moved above the Gladiator's head. A finish line was also added after the last weapon station, and contenders had to cross the finish line within the allotted time in order to earn a draw.
Other changes made over the course of the series: For the second half of season one and all of season two, hitting the outer rim of the target was worth seven points and the bull's eye worth ten. Crossing the finish line at the end of the course earned the contender four points and a draw. Beginning in season three and continuing for the rest of the original series and the revival, all target hits were worth ten points. If they failed to hit the target, contenders were awarded one point per weapon fired. A draw awarded an additional point for a total of six points. Beginning in season five the contenders had to hit an actuator at the end of the course in order to earn a draw. In season one of the 2008 series, each weapon had to be loaded by hand and several smaller barriers were added to further aid the contenders. The second season returned to having the weapons pre-loaded, with the exception of one.
Assault Course configurations over the years:
SeasonStation 1Station 2Station 3Station 4Station 5Draw CriteriaTarget Hit Result Original Run1aRocket launcherCannonGlitter pistol2 or 3 Hand GrenadesNoneLast 60 seconds without getting hit at final safe zoneGladiator is covered in dirt (males) or glitter (females)1bCrossbowRocket launcherCannonPistol3 hand grenadesMust cross finish line within time limitPyrotechnics at foot of Gladiator platform23 softballsA smoke cannon shoots the Gladiator and their cannon3 and early 4Pump gunSmoke cannon in front of GladiatorLater 4Ball rifleCrossbow2 softballs5–7CrossbowArrow rifleMust hit buzzer at end of course within time limitSmoke cannon shoots Gladiator 2008 Version1SlingshotTurret CannonRocket search/SmokescreenRocket crossbow rifle3 balls, must be deployed with a buttonPress button at end of course within time limitPyrotechnics, and Gladiator is launched backward into pool of water2Cannon (no longer rotates)Bazooka/smokescreen
This event is known in the British series as Danger Zone.
Atlasphere Years active: 1990–94, 2008, 2026-present
Atlasphere is conducted across the entire arena floor and sees the contenders and Gladiators enter spherical metal cages to do battle in a sixty-second event. The object for the contenders is to roll their spheres into any of four octagonal scoring pods while the Gladiators use their spheres to impede the contenders' progress.
In the first year that Atlasphere was part of the event rotation, the scoring pods had a large circular depression in the middle. The contenders had to roll into the pod and settle their sphere into it for one second in order for a score, which would be indicated by a blast of nitrogen "smoke" from the center of the pod. This caused problems for some contenders as they could not generate enough momentum to get out of the pod and would become stuck for an extended period. For season three, the pods were redesigned to prevent contenders from getting stuck. In addition, an actuator was placed in the middle of each pod and all a contender had to do to score was roll directly over it, which would cause the actuator to depress, which then triggered a ring of chase lights (and, for seasons four and five, a sound effect) and a plume of smoke.
1, 2, or 3 points were awarded for each score, depending on the season and round of play.
After season five of the original series, Atlasphere would not be played again until season two of the 2008 series. For the final two seasons of the original series, Snapback took its place in the event rotation.
This game returned in season 1 of the 2026 Prime Video revival.
Breakthrough & Conquer Years active: 1989–96, 2026-present
Breakthrough & Conquer is a combination of American football and freestyle wrestling. The event is divided into two parts, each scored separately. This was also an event that the show did not initially allow female contenders to compete in; for portions of the preliminary rounds in 1989 a different game was played off screen (see Swingshot).
In Breakthrough, the contender begins at the 15-yard line of an artificial turf field and has to carry a football into the end zone for a touchdown. A Gladiator is positioned inside the five-yard line and must remain there until the contender reaches them. The contender scores by getting any part of the ball over the goal line without being tackled, going out of bounds, or losing hold of the ball.
The contender then moves over to a circle to grapple with a second Gladiator for 10 seconds (15 in season four). The contender can win Conquer by forcing any part of the Gladiator's body to touch the floor outside the circle. If the contender is forced out, they can re-enter the circle and keep grappling until time expired.
In the first half of season one, 30 (later 40) points were given for each successful part, and a contender earned bonus points if they were successful at both parts for a total of 100 points. From that point forward, 5 points were given for each successful portion of the event (although 3 were given during a point in season three).
During the second semifinal round of the first half of season one, Breakthrough and Conquer was the penultimate event before the running of The Eliminator and the Conquer circle was lifted off the floor, effectively making it a platform. This meant that instead of just managing to force a part of the Gladiator's body outside of the circle, in order to win the event the contender had to physically move the Gladiator off of the elevated circle and have their feet touch the floor. For safety, a blue padded mat was placed on the floor surrounding the circle.
While the men played the event without consequence, the women's competition did not fare as well. In one round, Gladiator Sunny suffered a severe knee injury when contender Tracy Phillips caused her to land awkwardly after pulling her off of the elevated circle from the front. The Conquer circle was lowered back down for contender Joanna Needham's turn, but she suffered a serious shoulder injury during her attempt at Breakthrough and was forced to drop out of the event and the Eliminator that followed.
This game was not played in Season 1 of the Prime Video revival, but as two seasons were initially recorded, it will be played in Season 2.
Crash Course Years active: 2026-present
This event is a 'Level Up' modification of classic event Atlasphere, in which the contenders are sent off in their Spheres side-by-side, and they have to navigate around the arena floor to the finish line while two Gladiators are trying to impede their progress in their own Spheres. 10 points to the contender who makes it to the finish first after two laps, and 5 points for the second if they finish within 10 seconds of the first contender, otherwise no points are scored.
Collision Years active: 2025-present
This game is based on the events "Hit and Run" and "Sideswipe." Unlike in Hit and Run, the balls are replaced by four of the Gladiators themselves, Just like in Sideswipe. The Gladiators' mission is to prevent the Contender from crossing the bridge by launching themselves towards the Contender from the side platforms and knock this off. For every time the contender successfully manages to cross, and returns a ball to a basket, they are awarded two points. The Gladiators are allowed to just knock off the Contender off the bridge by swinging towards them, but not allowed to get their legs to "scissors hold" and grab them off, neither are they allowed to leave their trapezes when swinging. The contender must keep moving at all times.
This event will debut in the Prime Video version.
Earthquake Years active: 2008, 2025-present
In Earthquake, a contender and Gladiator attempt to throw each other off of a moving twelve-foot circular platform above the arena floor and either onto crash mats (2008 season one and 2025 season one) or into water (2008 season two). In order to win the event, one has to have their opponent be completely removed from the platform and not be hanging onto anything supporting it.
The contender receives ten points for throwing the Gladiator off the platform and five for lasting the entire thirty seconds.
This game was not played in Season 1 of the Prime Video revival, but as two seasons were initially recorded, it will be played in Season 2.
The Edge Years active: 2025-present
First used on the 2023 UK revival, contender and gladiator are raised off the arena floor on a criss-cross grid of one-meter wide walkways. Contender and gladiator start on opposite platforms, and the aim for the contender is to reach the opposite platform as many times as possible, without being knocked off "the edge" or through the middle by the Gladiator.
Gauntlet Years active: 1993–96, 2008, 2025-present
In this event, the contenders have to run through a half-pipe chute while avoiding five Gladiators, all holding blocking pads to impede the contender's progress. In the first version, 25 seconds were given to start. If the contender made it out in time or without being forced out of the chute, they earned 5 points. If they made it out in under 20 seconds, 10 points were awarded.