Description
A playthrough of GameTek's 1988 license-based game show game for NES, Wheel of Fortune.
I played three games in this video. The first is on difficulty level one. The second, at 12:09, is on level two. The third, at 23:05, is on level three.
Wheel of Fortune on the NES was an incredibly popular game, as you may have expected given the number sequels it received. It was the first of four games based on the franchise to be released on the NES between 1988 and 1992. It also happens to be GameTek's first published title, Rare's first (of eight!) gameshow adaptations for the system, and finally, the first license-based NES game show game released in North America. For a glittery version of Hangman, that's a lot of noteworthy trivia tidbits.
The gameplay is as faithful to the TV show as it possibly could be, and there are a ton of puzzles. The box claims over 1000, and since you'll only ever see four in any one game, the game will last a long time.
The graphics are fine - the neon pink wheel gives off peak 80s vibes, even if Vanna's skin is the color of baby food and her dress makes her look a professional castanet player - and the sound is pretty good. There's a crispy voice sample on the title screen, and even though the in-game music is limited, Dave Wise still somehow manages to find a funky groove to tap into for the little ditties and fanfares.
I loved Rare's Wheel of Fortune NES games as a kid, and they still hold a lot of their appeal now. Wheel of Fortune hasn't changed much since 1988, and the NES handled the concept just fine from the start.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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