Wheel of Fortune (NES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

A playthrough of GameTek's 1988 game show game for NES, Wheel of Fortune.
I played two different games in this video. The first is on difficulty level two, and the second, beginning at 12:24, is on difficulty 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, it was the first license-based game show game on NES in the United States.
For any game that appears as frivolous as a glitzed up version of Hangman could possibly be, that's an impressive list of noteworthy trivia tidbits.
The gameplay is as faithful to the TV show as it possibly could be in video game form, 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. It'll keep you in fresh rounds much longer than your interest in it is likely to hold. It'll certainly last you longer than Jeopardy! ( • Jeopardy! (NES) Playth... ).
The graphics aren't so hot. Well, the neon pink Miami Vice vibes of the wheel screen are, but why is Vanna's skin is the color of baby food? And why does her dress make her look like she should be playing castanets? Not even Molly Ringwald would've been caught dead in that radioactive potato sack.
The sound is pretty good, though. There's a crispy voice sample on the title screen (that's gotta be PCM!), 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 the Wheel of Fortune 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. It does pretty much everything that the modern editions do, so if you like the 8-bit aesthetic (or if you like stable framerates and not staring at loading screens... ahem Ubisoft), you'll probably have fun with it!
(This video is a brand new recording to replace my original 240p video.)
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocom...) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!

[@NintendoComplete]

Even for what amounts to a gussied up version of Hangman, Wheel of Fortune is a solid game show adaptation that's fun to play.

[@alexzgames3244]

MY NAME IS ALEX lol

[@NintendoComplete]

@Burnt Fishy No idea. It's in the line-up to be done, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

[@Dorian_Scott]

@Burnt Fishy There's a version of *_"Tetris"_* on the *_"CD-i"_* ? Does it suck...? Like most other *_"CD-i"_* games?

[@NintendoComplete]

@@Dorian_Scott It's not great, but it's better than the usual on the CDi.

[@ej1551]

Tidy at it u b I’d try SC 0:19 😅

[@psychedelicartistry]

This game was classic. I remember being a little kid getting the car as a prize saying "I want that car!" lol. Good old days back in the 90s ^^

[@susanfit47]

Since the game was an early NES release, the music leaves a lot to be desired. It is nice to see that the show's theme song by Merv Griffin made it into the game. The music was all done by David Wise of Wizards & Warriors, R.C. Pro-Am, Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country fame. To write the music, Wise had to tediously enter the music in 6502 assemlby machine code using hexadecimal numbers. He used Chris Stamper's sound driver. The track names and orderings are taken from the game's NSFE. However, the NSFE fails to mention the title music is Changing Keys by Merv Griffin. The Junior Edition of the game uses the same exact music as the regular version of the game. However, the Family Edition includes a completely different soundtrack.

[@ClarkTheShark]

This takes me back!

[@WoodsofWilmer]

Dude! I had this game when I was just a wee one. I didn’t know enough English at the time to understand what was the correct answer. So I didn’t win a lot, but it was fun to play none the less. I’m so glad to be watching this!

[@Cilla_Anton]

This brings back memories as a kids

[@RebeccaArndt55]

I remember this game. My grandparents used to have it for their NES

[@89horizon]

One of my most favorite games for NES as a kid

[@jubirelle]

Immediately hearing the title theme and I'm like that's David Wise isn't it? Dude writes so many catchy tunes!

[@SamtheBravesFan]

It was! He did all of GameTek's other game show music. His Jeopardy! rendition is great.

[@KTJohnsonkidThunder]

@@SamtheBravesFan the ones developed by Imagitek was not composed by Wise. Only the ones developed by Rare.

[@sgillman16]

He didn't write that. That's the Wheel of Fortune theme song

[@GreatMewtwo]

David Wise based the title theme off that of the show, "Changing Keys" by Merv Griffin himself.

[@danalong1237]

1:10: “Good luck to all three of you. $1000 is the top dollar value for Round 1, and, as always, we’re playing for cash. Here comes our first category (insert chimes) and it’s a phrase that we’re looking for. Just before the show, we drew numbers to see who would begin the game, and Alex, you won the draw backstage. Spin the wheel and good luck to you, sir!”-Pat Sajak.

[@dexm2010]

OMG My Dad used to love this game, and he didn't like a whole lot of NES games other than Bases Loaded, Blades of Steel and Golf.

[@1998232v6]

This game used to scare the crap out of me. The face on the blonde haired lady would occasionally glitch out. It was freaky looking. Granted I was maybe 4 when this was around.

[@danalong1237]

11:27: “Alex, here you are in our bonus round, and the mini-wheel awaits you. Do you have anybody in the audience rooting you on? (Alex says yes) We would love to see you win that prize. Spin that wheel and good luck!”-Pat Sajak. (Alex spins the wheel) “Step right over here, Alex. The place is ours, and, speaking of which, the category for tonight is indeed a place. As always, we start with R, S, T, L, N, and E. There they are. Now, I need you to do you work: three consonants and one vowel.”-Pat Sajak. (Alex picks D, M, B and A, and a D and an A appear on the board) “One D and One A. Audience, as always, complete silence. Place is the category. 10 seconds. Go!”-Pat Sajak. (Alex correctly says “Ellis Island!”) “YES! You did it! You did it! Let’s see which prize you won! It’s a new Porsche! Charlie O, tell us about it!”-Pat Sajak. “Alex, you just won this beautiful Porsche! (Charlie O’Donnell describes the Porsche) And, Alex, this Porsche is worth… $19,750! Congratulations!”-Charlie O’Donnell.

[@danalong1237]

12:10: “Alex Florentine, you’re gonna be leaving us with a grand total of $29,900 in cash and prizes! Our congratulations to you! We’ll see you Monday! Have a great weekend!”-Pat Sajak, “Bye-bye!”-Vanna White. “Some of our departing contestants will receive… (insert fee plugs).”-Charlie O’Donnell. (Fred Cowgill plugs sports on the Channel 32 News at 11 on WLKY, which has carried Wheel of Fortune since 1983) “This is Charlie O’Donnell speaking. Wheel of Fortune is produced by Merv Griffin Enterprises. Distributed by KingWorld.”-Charlie O’Donnell.

[@danalong1237]

0:07: “(audience: Wheel… of… Fortune!”) From our studios in Hollywood, it’s America’s most-watched game show! The famous wheel is spinning your way with lots of cash and an assortment of great prizes! Over $126,000 just waiting to be won tonight! Now, here are your host and hostess… PAT SAJAK AND VANNA WHITE!!!!!!!!!”-Charlie O’Donnell (1932-2010).

[@AntilifeHorde]

Damn, you won a sports car and a trip to Hawaii. You're a lucky one!

[@jaredbrown3249]

Like the sound of the wheel

[@Bloody-Butterfly]

Just coming back for the feels

[@ALTAIR2]

I had the tiger electronic version of this and it was great

[@troyandrew6154]

I did too

[@DABangEm84]

I had this game and thought that Vanna looked like a zombie.

[@Gameboy-Unboxings]

Vanna's sprite looks way better in the game boy version in my opinion.

[@MegaMr46]

My grandparents were fans of the game show

[@troy2477]

I remember this game looks like I remembered

[@wizzgamer]

Better than the Mega Drive cart version excellent conversion considering the hardware.

[@imperfectxennial3008]

I had this. Man I miss the days.

[@KBH_kazuhisa]

Is funny since This one's of these games are listed as "Favourite game" on Nintendo World Championships 2024 (Switch, NES edition)

[@darrendoyle568]

I played this game a lot as a kid obviously the stakes are much higher now and what I like about this is it had the old bonus round format

[@alannunes8819]

Nice playthrough!

[@susanfit47]

GameTek's Wheel of Fortune for the Nintendo Entertainment System, is based on the TV game show of the same name in syndication.

[@KTJohnsonkidThunder]

I could've sworn you did a playthrough of one of the NES WOF games. The Family Edition, also developed by Rare, had better music.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Wheel of Fortune est. 1975 Hosted by Chuck Woolery, Rolf Benirschke, Bob Goen, Dr. Susan Stafford and of course, Pat Sajak & Vanna White God Bless the Wheel of Fortune Wheel of Fortune is Produced By Merv Griffin Enterprises A Unit of The Coca-Cola Company

[@danalong1237]

Distributed by KingWorld

[@ericavila-0252]

Congrats, you're going to Hawaii!

[@chriskelly509]

Looks better than the snes version

[@justinlaboy6837]

when I was a KID, i remember a final round puzzle being "CERTIIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT". what kid is supposed to get that in a few seconds with just an R and an E? lol

[@Dorian_Scott]

Yeah, this game occasionally cheats sometimes. I remember the *_"Jeopardy"_* game on NES being rigged in a similar way.

[@sgillman16]

This game was obviously meant for parents

[@antiquefuturistic]

Looks like a fun game

[@markheying2830]

As far as I remember, the following could be possible Puzzles for the following 2 Categories. Things: Light Switches Lawn Sprinklers White Shirts Snowflakes & Ice Crystals Snow Flurries Glass Slippers Train Tracks Concert Tickets Hotel Reservations Christmas Trees Leather Jackets Spider Webs Shower Curtains Power Cords Sweaters & Mittens Winter Coats Ghosts & Skeletons Tombstones Pinball Machines Strawberries With Whipped Cream Place: Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center The White House The Kennedy Center Buckingham Palace Milwaukee Wisconsin The Great Wall Of China The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier Chinese Restaurant Walt Disney World The Palace Of Versailles Trevi Fountain Charleston West Virginia Seattle Space Needle International Space Station Radio City Music Hall Andrew Carnegie Mansion Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Jewelry Store The Statue Of Liberty Washington Monument The Empire State Building

[@Dorian_Scott]

I never owned this game myself (a couple friends of mine had it), but I think it is a solid adaptation of the TV show. Personally, I'm more of a *_"Family Feud"_* kind of guy. But hey, can't go wrong with a little *_"Wheel of Fortune"_* . 😏Am I right?

[@mycat6029]

What version is the original nes wof has the woman with the weird voice that says “I’ll spin the whhhheel”?

[@BKDBrian2]

Even I have to manually type RSTLNE when the bonus round shows up.

[@ariel78_]

Cant beat this sucker without the moon jump code!

[@DSMTheEditor]

Whoever says they can beat this without the Konami Code is lying

[@petervinogradov7708]

Too you can’t select a character in this game

[@larrylaffer3246]

I'd like to buy a vowel Vanna. I'll Take An A and why don't you throw in a Y as well.

[@NintendoComplete]

Why not also a pack of Lucky Strikes while you're at it?

[@larrylaffer3246]

@@NintendoComplete Everyone knows only Winston 🚬's Taste Good Like A 🚬 Should!

[@Dorian_Scott]

@@rastas_4221 Yeah, I don't condone smoking either.

[@larrylaffer3246]

@@Dorian_Scott I don't either. I just can't help myself sometimes. I'm Ad Crazy! Funny to think that the Flintstones is so old they've been able to advertise both cigarettes and beer "When You're Due For a 🍻, A Busch Does It!" However everyone probably remembers them most fondly these days for their line of Chewable, Shaped Multivitamins from Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Various Flavored Cereals from the Post Company.

[@_Majoras]

@@larrylaffer3246 could you get me some of those flintstones chewable morphine?

[@bardofoc]

...lol..."The wrong side of the tracks." I don't believe you would be able to use that phrase in today's climate. My Gboard won't even suggest it as a phrase while I attempt to type it.

[@JJVUltima]

I feel like as if this is actually a homebrew...

[@varietygamer95]

Would you believe that there’s a version for the Game Boy?

[@johneygd]

The graphics & digital speaches are impressive for a nes BUT playing this game that long wirh all that guessings just getting repetitive and i personally think that this game should,ve only belong to be a show and/or to be a board game to play with families, but not a video game🙁

[@scotthayes4135]

The family edition has different music.

[@afterefects]

epic

[@U-TubeSurfer45]

Lol. Blondie is jacked. Looks like Michelle Obama 😅😂

[@evanallaire2829]

She looks like a Mummy

[@nftking1]

Is this mike Tysons

[@jodymcdougle8810]

Awesome! I actually was going to stream this one sometime soon! Would you ever be interested in playing a two player co-op game? Keep the good streams coming! Also if you would, or anyone else watching this, consider checking out the channel that the kids & i are working on from time to time! We'll gladly return the favor! Let me know about playing a game together!

[@cartoon-studiosieshidofern1177]

Algún dia talvez k a juegue

[@steinravnik8692]

5:23 Vanna claps after landing on the B00 space. Also, is it me or does it look like Vanna has a black beard?

[@AaronSaeteurn]

That's just the shadow under her chin. 😅

[@carmenherlindamerinoprecia3655]

One :3

[@corey6838]

THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS!!!!! YESSS.. I solved it. You guys are too slow

[@DonUpon_]

🥹