Wheel of Fortune (video Game) - Arcade Versions

Arcade Versions

GameTek also developed an arcade version of Wheel in July 1988. Playable by one to three players, the gameplay was much like the show with a few exceptions – a Bonus Round (as gameplay ends with this round), selectable difficulty of puzzles (normal or expert), a single Wheel arrangement for all rounds (top dollar value of $900; with all cash values in $100 increments and no Free Spin space), and prizes or bonuses. When a puzzle was solved, a $10,000 bonus was added to a player's score and that player gets an extra turn. In addition, there is no Speed-Up Round/Final Spin. Players were given a set number of "misses" (wrong guesses or hits on Bankrupt or Lose A Turn, adjustable by the arcade owner between 1 and 5) before gameplay ended and the player was prompted to buy-in and continue. Hitting certain score amounts could replenish these misses (similar to earning extra "lives" in other games). Player controls were limited to an encoder wheel (which was used to spin the Wheel or select letters and game options) and one button for each player to confirm said selections.

This was a video redemption game – while no real money was actually won (it was simply a means of keeping score), reaching certain score amounts would cause tickets to be dispensed. Graphics were on par with arcade games of the era (slightly over the home game systems of the time), and the game even featured a "Vanna" look-alike to "turn letters" on the board and urge on players with a simulated voice. The "Vanna" look-alike wore a red dress in odd-numbered rounds and wore a blue dress in even-numbered rounds.

This game used a software-based test menu (as opposed to DIP switches) to set the game options – they were saved to EEPROM.