The most famous adult game shows in America involve spinning oversized wheels like on Wheel of Fortune or The Price is Right, or answering questions like on Jeopardy or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Feel the excitement….of bar trivia and random chance. Yay? Meanwhile, over in Japan, they’re having actual fun with their very different game shows, like with this one which merely asks their contestants to try and climb some slippery stairs. And it is amazing.

The YouTube channel Just Wow Me shared this ridiculous clip of a group of eager, hard-working, persistent contestants on a Japanese game show, each trying to be the first one to make their way to the top of a staircase completely slathered in what looks like a Crisco-like substance (animal birthing agent?). This is a real-life Sisyphean task, only instead of it being a cautionary tale of woe, everyone is dressed like a rainbow and was really into it.

And trust me when I tell you, watch the entire thing. There are so many moments when you think it is over and someone has finally reached the top, only for someone else to ruin it for both of them.

I have no idea what the prize was for this game, but I kind of hope there wasn’t one. This would be even better if the only thing the winner got was pride. The pride of climbing slippery stairs. And isn’t that the type of pride we could more here in America? Aren’t we sick of just answering questions and spinning wheels? Isn’t it time to put the “game” into game show?

Would you want to compete in this game, or is there another Japanese game show you’d like to try even more? Share your dream contest in our comments below.

Images: Just Wow Me

More Strangeness From Japan

• Japan is getting cake-flavored Pepsi
• Sony’s robotic dog Aibo is back! For $1700
• Transparent pumpkin pie. Enough said.