Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I received this as a gift yesterday. There seems to be some sort of curse on home versions of Wheel of Fortune; they're nearly all badly flawed in one way or another. But this seems reasonably good.
Four AAA batteries are required. The battery doors screw on; this has the advantage of making them nearly impossible to lose, but it does mean that you'll need a small Phillips-head screwdriver to install the batteries in the first place.
The game can be played by 1 to 3 players. In the one- or two-player game, you're playing against a single computer opponent; in the three-player game, the computer does not take part.
The game contains around 400 puzzles. Theoretically, cartridges can be purchased that have several hundred additional puzzles apiece; but I haven't seen the cartridges on sale in quite a while, so don't count on this.
The keyboard is well-designed, with clearly-marked buttons for spinning, solving, buying vowels, and reminding you of the puzzle category and the player's scores.
The screen is small, but quite clear, requiring only moderate light to be playable. The screen does show the "used letter board" as well as the puzzle, but the used-letter-board area is quite small, so you may need better light (or squinting) to see it.
The lack of a volume control is a problem. The sound can be turned on and off, but when it's on, it's quite loud; this is compounded by the fact that the speaker is on the back of the unit, so it's substantially louder for the potentially-irritated bystanders than it is for the person actually playing the game. However, as with many handheld toys, this can be corrected with a little creativity--just tape index cards or other sturdy paper over the speaker grille until the sound is muffled to an acceptable level.
The game itself is well-implemented. The rules of Wheel of Fortune are all there and correct, though the game only lasts for three rounds instead of the TV show's "whatever we can fit into about fifteen minutes". The bonus round is there as well, and it plays just the way it does on the show (you're given TNRSLE for free, allowed to choose three consonants and a vowel, and given a limited amount of time to solve the puzzle). The game keeps track of the highest score you've reached.
My only complaint with the actual gameplay is the computer opponent, which has done a poor job in the seven or eight games I've played; it seems to pick letters pretty much at random (guessing letters like "J" or "W" instead of "T" or "N" or some other letter more likely to appear), and it's prone to solving puzzles when it has very little money (even solving two puzzles when it had $0--though the game does award the 'house minimum' of $500 for solving a puzzle with no money).
So if you don't mind the high sound volume and the potential lack of cartridges, and you can put up with a slightly-ditzy computer opponent (perhaps a good simulation of some of the folks who actually make it onto the show...), this is a fun little toy.
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Wheel Of Fortune Handheld Electronic GameIf you've always wanted to try your hand at the Wheel, here's your chance! This handy electronic version plays much like the game show. Spin the wheel, buy vowels and solve the puzzles. But watch out for those tricky bankrupt or lose a turn spaces. This amazing electronic game unit stores over 400 different puzzles and features music and sound effects for even more fun. So who needs Pat Sajak? Now you can take the Wheel for a spin any time, anywhere! Two AAA batteries (not included) required. For 1 to 3 players.
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