Wheel Of Fortune Dos

PC Wheel of Fortune (DOS) is a Miscellaneous game, developed and published by Sharedata Inc., which was released in 1987. 1989 - Wheel of Fortune. Wheel of Fortune for MS-DOS.

This is another one of those DOS games I couldn't stop playing as a kid. Being that this simple game of Wheel of Fortune couldn't bare much goodness at how nicely, yet simply, this was programmed, it's only a matter of time someone talked about this.
Back then, my parents, namely my father, obtained all three individual versions of this game (see pictures above, but I lost my Second Edition box). This very copy I obtained is a 'Collector's Pak' featured all three editions in one package, but all still retains the same goodness from the individual editions released. With that said, let's dive in:
Yes, it's a DOS game so don't expect high-strung graphics emulating that of the Nintendo 64 and/or the Sony PlayStation during those days. The music is as classic as you can get, using the exact same musical tune from the actual TV show via 'DOS tunes.' Programmers sure got this right, considering this game's NES counterparts. The track played after you solved a puzzle correctly sounds like something you'd hear from a sports computer game, namely a game related to the Olympics. Anyway, the game boots up as a normal as the 'hostess' presents the letters featuring the title of the game. Right away this 'hostess,' who you know is Vanna White, sports red curly hair, a robotic bodily motion (no kidding), unveiling the letters with no arm-swerving and wears the same color dress all throughout. Yeah I understand the coding of getting a much better motion to get Vanna to look like she's really turning the letters around would have been considered, but I'm guessing that either the code was hard to figure out and write, or the machine compatibility didn't have enough power to support it. It's a strange feature but you eventually don't mind much about it.
After pressing any key, you'll find that you make your choices using the F-keys, and if you have a QWERTY keyboard, they are located above your number keys. If you're running this game via DOSBox on a laptop, you have to press the function key—fn—in order to have the F-keys work. (The CPU speed I strongly encourage is 211.) Information entering is very simple: how many players are playing (choose 1 if you're the only one playing, and it'll input 2 computer opponents), if you're a returning champion, and if not, you have to enter your name. After that, stand by, and you're ready to play some Wheel of Fortune!
With the wheel being initialized, it's time to play. The choices are easy to read: F1 to spin, F3 to buy a vowel and F5 to solve the puzzle. The wheel design is very simplistic but very cool. Since there is no strength meter to indicate the speed at which you like to spin the wheel, I sort of found that pressing the F1 key albeit softly makes it spin stronger. Then again, the strength of spinning the wheel is randomized, and there are times when the wheel spins the same way you spun previously which could be a blessing or a curse. For example, if you landed on a $5,000 space, it's a luxury; If you landed on a 'Lose A Turn,' you'd grind your teeth. With that said, when you spin the wheel, especially at the height of a competition when you need to beat your opponent's high score, you can only hope that the wheel plays nicely in your favor. It may sound spine-tingling on paper, but trust me, I've had these moments, and you will too.
As for the opponents, the computer opponents are indicated by an asterisk (*) and sport different names. The name I often see a lot is a contestant named 'BRIAN,' and sometimes 'FELICIA.' These names don't show much in terms of who is the more witty opponent, but what you don't want to do is give them an ample opportunity to have them solve the puzzle. If there are about 5 empty letter spaces left, or if vowels are all that's left in the puzzle, more than likely, the computer opponent will solve the puzzle....and they're always right in solving them. If you're like me always watching your score, making sure you have enough so you won't get beaten, if all else fails, just solve the puzzle if you know it. Don't make the mistake I ran into: get suckered into spinning the wheel hoping to land on a big denomination space when you found that you landed on the 'BANKRUPT' space (something that's happened on the actual TV show). The least amount I have won going into the Bonus Round was $600. Damn.
Just a little tidbit about the wheel: after Round One, the wheel design stays the same which is very disappointing. That black-striped red space, indicating 'BANKRUPT' would represent a $600 space, and only once correctly indicated as such on Round Three. Having mentioned this, if you've played the game enough times, you'll get used to what the spaces represent, but to someone new to this series will easily get thrown off. Worse of all, the Second and Third Editions never fixed this!
Onto the bonus round, you play for four prizes that very much stay the same throughout the three editions:
- LUXURY BEDROOM SET $8,000.00
- AMERICAN SPORTS CAR $10,500.00
- 17 FOOT FISHING BOAT $9,750.00
- DREAM VACATION $11,200.00
For the sake of high scoring, I usually play for the 'AMERICAN SPORTS CAR' and the 'DREAM VACATION.' Weird how the decimals are added, considering it has no value included with the prize's worth.
Before aiming to solve the puzzle, you have to select 4 consonants and 1 vowel. Sticking with the usual, I always choose R S T L N and E. There are times when I choose A and on rare occasions, the vowel I. Once you solve the final puzzle correctly, the price of the prize you played for gets added to your current score you won with, and your name gets add on the 'CHAMPS' list. After that, you have the option to play again or not.

For people with very little patience would find this game very tedious. Besides the confusion of the wheel, everything is very simple to follow and play. On the Third Edition, two-rowed puzzles are now presented on the very top row of the puzzle. Not that it means anything but I wonder why it was done this way, including one-rowed puzzles are presented at the absolute top (see the 'NIGHTCLUB' puzzle above). As for the Bonus Round puzzles, some of them are too difficult for someone even with 'above average knowledge' to attempt and solve. The category 'PHRASE' are fun to solve and know, but 'PERSON' is a category I find difficult. Although I will always recall Pat Sajak on the show, remind contestants that 'PERSON' does not always mean proper name, the puzzles featuring a proper name are names I've never heard of, and question why should I even know what worldly contribution they have brought to humanity (I'm not saying that a no-named person doesn't mean much for what they've done, but gosh, these are names I never even learned about in school). Also on the Third Edition, the category 'GROUP' often shows up, which could be names of a government agency group to a famous musical group.
Other than the flaws mentioned, it's a great game with some replay value. Give this game a shot! However, if I were to pick one, the Second Edition would be viable (sliding by a hair from selecting the Third Edition).

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© 2008-2019 written and reviewed personally by Kris Caballero.
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Game Title	Wheel of Fortune
Description	Tired of just watching the highest rated game show in the history of television? Well, now you can participate as this exciting electronic version of the game show comes alive in your home, anytime you want! This is your chance to prove that you are as good as the contestants on TV. Spin the wheel and choose a letter. It's just like the real thing — great graphics and animation, the colorful wheel and a gorgeous hostess who turns letters . . . even the music is authentic. Thousands of puzzles to keep you guessing, and if you're stuck, you can always buy a vowel. If you win, you can go on the championship round where the stakes are even higher. Be the star contestant, challenge your friends or the computer. It's hours of action and excitement and Wheel of Fortune. OVER A THOUSAND PUZZLES TO KEEP YOU GUESSING! MORE PUZZLES! MORE ACTION! MORE EXCITEMENT! PERFECT YOUR SKILLS! NEW PUZZLES IN SORTS OF CATEGORIES
Software Compatibility	For IBM PC, XT, AT and 100% Compatibles with CGA & 256K. Contains 3.5' and 5.25' disks.
ISBN / Bar Code number	????
Video Format	1.33:1 (4:3) / Full Screen
Audio Format	[Dual] Mono
Disk/CD Count	Six (6) — Three (3) 5.25' and three (3) 3.5' floppy disks
Language(s)	English
Genre	Puzzle
Rated	????
Region	NTSC
Specification	Color (VGA)
Manufactured and Distributed by	GameTek / IJE, Inc.
Company	GameTek / IJE, Inc.
Product Number	FLP 11B (????)
Game Release	1988
Copyright	Manufactured and distributed by GameTek/IJE, Inc. 2999 NE 191st Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33180. Made in the USA. This repackaged program was previously released by Sharedata, Inc. under the same title. All aspects of the present game, except for packaging, are the same. Merv Griffin Enterprises did not write any of this computer program material or source code and makes no representation as to it's [sic] content. The OFFICIAL TV GAME SHOW VERSION seal is a trademark of GameTek, Inc. Wheel of Fortune® is based on the television program produced by Merv Griffin Enterprises, a Unit of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. Copyright©® 1987, 1988, 1990 Califon Productions, Inc. Packaging & computer source codes ©1987, 1988, 1990 GameTek/IJE, Inc. All rights reserved. IBM, Commodore, and Apple are registered trademarks of international Business Machines, Inc., Commodore Business Machines Inc., and Apple Computer, Inc. respectively.
Other Formats	????
Quoted Reviews	--
Other	--

Wheel Of Fortune Dos Game

'Wheel of Fortune: First, Second, & Third Editions' Credits

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1. Wheel of Fortune 3rd Edition

Description of Wheel of Fortune 3rd Edition

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One of the most successful game shows ever made, Wheel of Fortune is a very popular TV program that catapulted Vanna White to stardom as one of the most recognizable TV celebrities.

For those who has never seen the show, WOF is a language game that requires both luck and skill. The object is to solve a 'hangman'-like mystery puzzle. Three contestants compete, taking turns spinning a huge wheel divided into sections containing various dollar amounts, as well as spaces such as 'BANKRUPT', 'LOSE A TURN' and 'FREE SPIN'. If a contestant span a dollar amount, he/she could then guess a consonant to receive that dollar amount for every time that consonant appears in the puzzle. An incorrect guess or spinning the wheel to one of the penalty spaces means control goes to the next contestant. At any time during a player's turn, they can elect to spin the wheel; ask to 'buy a vowel' of their choice, in which case $250 is deducted from their score; or solve the puzzzle. The player with the most winnings at the end of the show is pronounced the champion and gets to play a bonus puzzle, which he/she had 15 seconds to solve after guessing five consonants and one vowel to be uncovered.

Softie, which later became GameTek, obtained an exclusive license to produce computer version of this popular gameshow, on the heels of getting a Jeopardy! license. The game milked the license relentlessly, releasing approximately one WOF PC game each year between 1987 and 1994. New features were added as technologies advanced, from CGA to VGA and digitized voices of Vanna White in the 1991 Deluxe Edition. Each new version features more questions than the last, although they disappointingly border on the easy side and tend to be from only a few categories (e.g. people's names, common nouns).

Still, fans of the TV show will definitely enjoy these computer releases which are quite faithful to the originals. Don't expect a tough challenge, but do expect Vanna White's characteristic smile and flipping of white cards :)

Review By HOTUD

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Comments and reviews

BOAZ2020-04-080 point

I LOVE IT

Unknown Gamer2020-02-260 point

Can you by chance upload the Wheel of Fortune 2nd Edition 98 Hasbro Interactive game please?
Sadly my CD I have is not working correctly and I was hoping to start messing with it with PCEM but the Disc acts like it will not work and is to damaged to get anywhere's at all...

GRIFF2018-01-07-2 points

I CAN NOT HANDLE THIS BECAUSE THE COMPUTERS ALMOST BEAT ME AND WHEN GET THE HIGHEST SCORE YOU WILL GO TO THE BONUS ROUND. BUT THE JACKPOT ROUND IS THE FIRST ROUND. IF YOU LAND ON THE JACKPOT WEDGE YOU WILL WIN THE JACKPOT. BUT IF GET BANKRUPT OR LOSE A TURN YOU LOSE YOUR TURN.

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