The main body of the show took place on Mondays and Wednesdays, and was an elimination contest between several youngsters over several different video games, where winners would go on to Friday's edition.
Bob Mills was the presenter for the show's original run, along with "GamesAnimal" Dave Perry, Jeremy Daldry and Tim Boone.
There was also an interactive phone-in show where callers would play video games live on the air, against other members of the public, with a celebrity guest at the controls while the viewer gave directions.
One forfeit involved a boy having to rip a poster of Pamela Anderson off his bedroom wall, after losing on Super Street Fighter II.
Dave Perry remained as the last of the original on-screen team though he left towards the end of the series, reportedly disillusioned with the new format and setting.
Other characters over the first year included Master Moriarty - a stuck-up schoolboy, The Games Messiah, Letty Edwards, Radion Automatic, the Ninja and The Executioner; the latter four were all dropped for Series Two.
The most notable new Videators were Mr Mathers, who after a shaky start found his feet and went on a winning streak, and Persian Prince of Perfection, who was inundated with fan mail.
Another aborted plan for series four involved a Videator named Big Boy Benny, to be promoted as either a "dark side" alter-ego to Barry or a hapless comic foil, parodying a popular angle from the wrestling world.