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One of the most successful game shows ever made, Wheel of Fortune catapulted Vanna White to stardom as one of the most recognizable TV celebrities. For those who have never seen the show, WoF requires all luck, verbal skill and general knowledge. The object is to solve a "hangman"-like mystery puzzle. Three contestants take turns spinning a huge wheel divided into sectors containing various dollar amounts, as well as special events such as "BANKRUPT", "LOSE A TURN" and "FREE SPIN". If a contestant hits a basic sector, he/she can guess a consonant to receive that dollar amount for every time that consonant appears in the puzzle. An incorrect guess or hitting "bankrupt" or "lose a turn" means action goes to the next contestant. At any time during a player's turn, they can elect to spin the wheel; buy a vowel of their choice; or attempt to solve the hidden phrase. The player with the most winnings at the end of the show is pronounced the champion and gets to play a bonus round, which he/she has fifteen seconds to solve after being given five consonants and one vowel to be uncovered. Softie, later GameTek, obtained an exclusive license to produce computer versions of this popular gameshow, straight on the heels of getting their Jeopardy! license too. The company 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 the digitized voice of Vanna White in the 1991 Deluxe Edition. Each new version featured more questions than the last, although they disappointingly bordered on the easy side and tended to be from only a few categories (e.g. people's names and common nouns). Still, fans of the TV show will definitely enjoy these computer releases which are quite faithful to the TV show. Don't expect a tough challenge, but do expect Vanna White's characteristic smile and gestures :) Reviewed by: Underdogs | 
