Wheel of Fortune (2)/Merchandise

These are the many products/merchandise/goods that were brought to us due to the success of Wheel of Fortune.

Milton Bradley (1975)
Milton Bradley issued two editions as part of their "Key to Fun and Learning" line (strangely, both classified as #4532) each containing as instruction/puzzle book with 168 puzzles, Milton Bradley Bucks (play money in denominations of $5-$10-$20-$50-$100-$500) a 30-space puzzle board, a large supply of cardboard letters, and a spinner representing the Wheel.

Pressman (1985-89,1991)
Pressman originally released five Regular editions, the second and third in 1986 and 1987 respectively. Each contain a 33-space board (referred to as "Conceal-N-Reveal") a wheel spinner card, a used letter board with dry-eraser crayon, and play money in denominations of $50-$100-$200-$500. Free Spin is now represented by a group of tokens which resembles their TV counterparts, and players may keep any accumulated tokens until the game ends.

Deluxe Editions (1986-1987)
Released in 1986 and 1987 respectively; these have more puzzles, a money tray, a replica of the wheel with a single flipper which spins much like on the show, and play money denominations of $50-$100-$500-$1,000. As the game progresses, the host adds new wedges ($500, $900, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 and Bankrupt) to the wheel; while the instructions give suggestions as to their placement, the host can place them in any manner he/she wishes or not use them at all. This allows for many possible layouts, including one with three adjacent four-digit values and a double-width Bankrupt.

Junior Edition (1987)
Released in 1987, the child-friendly tweak uses a unique rainbow-colored puzzle board and play money denominations of $100, $200, and $500. the wheel itself has a blue dollar-sign spinner and values in $100 increments, with a top value of $700; as a result, vowels and the house minimum are both $200.

Travel Editions (1988-1989)
At Least three were released: two regular editions in 1988, then a junior edition in 1989. along with a wipe-off puzzle board, the dollar-sign spinner is extremely large for the wheel size. Also, in the Junior Edition, the values are the same as its regular counterparts.

Tyco (1992-1993)
Tyco released two editions in 1992 with Vanna White on the box, along with a Travel Edition from 1993. Each contains the same contents and rules as the regular Pressman versions, (including a version of the 1986 daytime Round 1 layout), albeit with just 50 puzzle cards. The Wheel resembles the Pressman Deluxe Editions, and the front and side box art features Vanna and the Wheel with Round 4 template (though on the front, the wheel is blurred to look as if spinning). The puzzle board cover is now two seperate pieces instead of one large piece, and the board itself includes a Used Letter Board that is used in the same manner.

Mattel (1998)
Prior to this, Mattel did a reproduction of the game in 1998.

Parker Brothers (1999)
Their rendition also resembles the Pressman games, with 96 puzzles. The box shows the 1997 puzzle board with title and the 1996 bare Round 1 template with the yellow $1,000, however two purple spaces have different colors than the show: $500 is blue, while $600 is peach.

Endless Games (2008)
Released as a Wheel card game as part of the Quick Picks line. The game contains 30 Wheel cards, 100 puzzle cards (each containing three puzzles and a Bonus Round puzzle), five Bonus Round prize cards, a wipe-off puzzle board, a wipe-off scoreboard, a dry-erase marker, and a 10-second sand timer.

Current Era (Pressman 2002-)
Since Pressman re-acquired the board game rights to Wheel, typically using very similar parts to their very first era. so far there have been, three regular editions.

The first two using a 30-space puzzle board; third edition released in 2009.

GameTek (1989)
Gametek was the first company to develop a ticket redemption game in 1989. Playable by one to three players, the gameplay was much like the show except with a few expectations: 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 $900; with all cash values in $100 increments and no Free Spin spaces) 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's no Speed-Up/Final Spin Round. Players were given a set 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). Players’ 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.

Lazer-Tron (Spin To Win/1992)
In 1992, Lazer-Tron, released an arcade game loosely based on the show (although it wasn't "officially" licensed) called Spin To Win. The main feature of the game was a 15-wedge wheel (each with three pegs) that's very closely resembled the show's wheel. A light featured in the back of the game allowed players to easily see which space they landed on when the wheel came to a stop. The player rolled three balls one at a time down a chute that would go into one of the seven slots and whatever he/she accumulated via the wheel at the end of the three rolls is what he/she won.

Funhouse (1996)
In 1996, Funhouse released the first non-video Wheel redemption game. Out of seven large boxes spelling out "J_C_P_T". The A, K, and O, had to be lit up via a 12-wedge Wheel. A light traveled around the wheel itself; once a coin traveled down a chute into the machine, the light would stop spinning on a value. Ten wedges had values normally ranging from 2-12 tickets, while the Bankrupt gave the player zero tickets (but the player would not only lose any tickets already earned). The twelfth wedge at the top of the wheel netted the player a lit letter plus the biggest value on the wheel, normally 50 tickets. If the player successfully lit up the last letter, in normal circumstances, 100 tickets would be won. (NOTE: The game's backdrop was similar to Tyco's 1992 Wheel board game, except that the photo was morphed to stretch across the machine. There was a letter turner/toucher at the left side of the machine as well, but it wasn't Vanna.)

ICE (2000, 2004)
In 2000, ICE released a Wheel redemption game that was similar to their popular cyclone games. In order to spin a large, 20-wedge wheel offering bonus values, players needed to stop a light traveling around the game on a blue bulb marked "Spin Zone". Otherwise, a smaller number of tickets were dispensed. (NOTE: This version uses the 1997 rendition of Changing Keys.)

Raw Thrills/Konami (2010)
In 2010, Raw Thrills/Konami announced plans to release their redemption game based on the slot machine version. In it, players can choose between a regular or Double play modes which costs twice as much as the regular mode yet gives out the player twice the ticket potential. A large wheel is spun using a smaller wheel which controls the power of the spin, Whatever the large wheel lands on is the amount the player plays per letter occurrence. The rest of the gameplay works similar to the bonus round on the actual show yet not the same. Random letters are reveled in the puzzle, and the player has to choose three different letters out of various highlighted letters, which can be either consonants and/or vowels all the highlighted letters are in the puzzles. The player has to then solve the puzzle by typing in the missing letters in order to win a bonus ticket value. If the player fails to solve the puzzle correctly, they still win the tickets earned during the puzzle. Again, just like the Funhouse version of the game, Vanna was not in this game.

Slot Machine Games
A series of slot machines (all based on the current version) were manufactured in North American casinos by IGT. The most common machines use a version of the wheel built into the game, with a bonus spin in which the player can win coins and can also win a progressive jackpot by lining up three Wheel of Fortune symbols to win the progressive jackpot. The jackpot can be linked with other Wheel machines throughout one or more states and reaches into the millions of dollars. (Note: The early-mid 1990's versions used the 1994-1997 Changing Keys theme and the 2000's version used the Happy Wheels 2000-2006 theme)

Mattel (1988)
An electronic handheld game allowing players to play puzzles from the unit, or receive invisible signs from the TV show and play along with those puzzles (a March 1988 Variety article states that the interactive element would debut that fall). The back of the box, a sticker on the back of the unit, and several plugs for the game all stated it only worked with the syndicated nighttime show, and lasted until 1990.

Tiger Electronics (1995-2003)
Tiger released eight electronic handheld games since 1995, including Slots (1998),  Deluxe (1999), Junior (2002), Classic (2001), 20th Anniversary (2002) Crossword (2002) and Pocket (2003) respectively. All four games had several expansion cartridges, and use a three-round format. If there are only two players and the computer player is player 2, then Player 1 starts round 3. However, if the computer player has the most money after Round 3, no Bonus Round is played and the game ends.

The Bonus Round on the 1995 and 1999 games uses the W-H-E-E-L format, but the pointer randomly chooses one of the spaces on the wheel, and the prize is 10 times the amount the pointer is on. If the "E" is chosen, the unit will randomly chose one of the two. In addition, when choosing the three consonants and one vowel, consonants must be typed in first before the vowel, as typing the vowel automatically enables the solve mode and the player can no longer refer back to the category. In both cases, the player has 40 seconds to solve the puzzle.

Parker Brothers/Hasbro (2005)
A similar looking handheld game based on Tiger Electronics' classic (2001) and 20th anniversary editions (2002) was released by Parker Brothers/Hasbro in 2005.

Tootsietoy (2001)
The odd Toosietoy released is a small battery-operated handheld wheel device, with a separate plastic holder for the 50 puzzle cards containing 200 puzzles. Blank cards allow you to create your own puzzles.

Jakks Pacific (2005, 2007)
Released as a controller which plugs into your TV and plays the game without the use of a console. the controller has a directional pad, A and B buttons (styled like puzzle board monitors displaying said letters), and a spinning Wheel with the 1996-2006 layout. The second edition has the same design though with a new color scheme and a few other minor differences, such as the removal of the directional pad. Instead, the player scrolls through the options using the Wheel, which now spins clockwise and counterclockwise. In the directional pad's place is a picture of the Free Spin disc and (despite not being able to play it in the game) Wild Card. (NOTE: the 1st edition from 2005 was released three times before the 2nd edition in 2007 with sticker labels on the left side of the console with the words "Game Key Ready", although Jakks has never released a "Gamekey" for an expansion of 100 or more puzzles for the console) and one with its own branded "TV Games" logo in the black background, while the remake eliminating the "Gamekey" feature with a gold background with the words "Edition 1" printed was released in the same year.)

Irwin Toys (2007, 2009)
Released two "talking" electronic tabletop games: Deluxe (2007) and Platinum Editions (2009). Both featuring a Wheel with the current color template, but with dollar signs only. when the wheel is spun, the season 24-26 template scrolls upwards on the screen (and with gradual movements of the wheel, can stop anywhere the player wishes). Also both games have a QWERTY keyboard that can only be used with the stylus pen. (NOTE: Both the deluxe and platinum tabletop editions features the voice of the late Charlie O'Donnell.)

Online Games
In 1998, they had their own multiplayer online game on their website to become one of the most popular casual games on the web. ls another version where you had five turns to survive before the game ends, but if you've survived you get a chance to go into the bonus round. (NOTE:the game is available online at their website or at GSN.com)

Facebook Games
In 2010, Sony Entertainment teamed up with GSN digital to release a free games based on the show for Facebook users. as it combines most aspects of the show and allows players to become competing for virtual currency, called "Wheel Bucks" by playing the main round puzzle on their own and a bonus round that will allow them to collaborate with their Facebook friends to increase their winnings.

Mobile Games
Gamelion released various versions for cell phones and mobile devices.

Stern (2007)
A pinball game based on the show, developed by Stern Pinball, was released in the fall of 2007. It was designed by Kevin O'Connor and Margaret Hudson and features the voices of Pat Sajak and the late Charlie O'Donnell. Sadly, no voice-overs from Vanna White (despite her appearance on the glass cover of the machine).

ShareData (1986)
ShareData released the game in 1986.

Sony Imagesoft (1994)
Sony Imagesoft publishes the game from 1994 on the Sega CD and PC.

Tiger (Game.com) (1997-1998)
Tiger released two versions for its own short-lived handheld video game console from 1997-1998, featuring 750 puzzles. (NOTE: Console's touch screen is used to select letters.)

GameTek (Take 2) (1997)
GameTek release the game for the N64 in 1997.

Hasbro Interactive (1998, 2000)
Hasbro Interactive released the game on the PlayStation and PC from 1998 and 2000.

Infogrames/Atari (2002-2003)
For a short period, Infogrames and Atari published the game for the PC and PlayStation 2 from 2002-2003 after acquiring Hasbro Interactive.

Encore (2005, 2007)
Encore released Wheel of Fortune Deluxe for the PC on December 30, 2005 followed by Wheel of Fortune 2 (an update of their 2003 online game on June 1, 2007 and Wheel of Fortune Super Deluxe (a feature-identical update of Deluxe) on May 23, 2008. Although the dollar amount wedges are not in the same style as in the show, the Bankrupt, Lose a Turn wedges as well as the Free Spin token are.

Sony Online Entertainment (2009)
A version was released for PS3 via PSN on March 19, 2009; while being the first to use the Million-Dollar wedge and Season 26 rules, it has two major detriments: not only does it lack the Gift Tags, Prize Wedges, Prize Puzzle and Speed-Up rounds (most likely because they weren't considered as necessary here as they were on the show) but a bug renders the Wild Card unusable unless the player buys a vowel that is in the puzzle.

THQ (2010, 2012)
THQ published a new version of Wheel for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in 2010 while an updated version was later ported for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U in 2012, shortly before THQ went defunct.

2010 (Wii & DS versions)
NOTE: For the Wii and DS versions, this was the last and final WOF video game adaptation to feature the late Charlie O'Donnell as announcer after he passed away a few months later in the same year.

The Great Game Company (1983)
In 1983, The Great Game Company planned to released a version of Wheel, for the Atari 2600 and Mattel's Intellivision. However, these plans were cancelled due to the North American video game crash of 1983. Since many felt that the system was not powerful enough to faithfully reproduce these games, it is believed that if these games had been developed and released, they would have been released as a hybrid video/board game such as Quest for Rings on the Odyssey.

Phillips Interactive Media (1993)
Wheel was planned for the CD-i along with Jeopardy!, The Price is Right, Name That Tune, The Joker's Wild and The Joker's Wild Jr., All were released except for Wheel and TPIR.

GameTek (1990, 1996-1997)
Prior to the DOS port of the Golden Edition, a port for it was also going to be released for the NES as well, but it may somehow turned into the Family Edition later on.

Prior to this, Adaptations were also planned for the Sega Saturn and 3DO to be released on October 1, 1996, but this ended up being pushed back; they were even announced to be coming soon by the late Charlie O'Donnell at the end of its December 18, 1996 episode but no traces of either version appears to exist.

Majesco Entertainment (????)
The company once planned to do an all-new handheld adaptation of Wheel for Game Boy Color, however it was never made.

Tiger Electronics (2004)
In 2004, Tiger Electronics and VEIL Wireless Technologies planned to make a new "TV Play Along" game that was reminiscent to the Mattel version from 1988 which allowed home viewers the opportunity to play along with the actual TV show, entitled as Wheel of Fortune Live Play, was cancelled days before its intended released date due to technical issues. (NOTE: Despite its cancellation, only one unit was sold on eBay in December of 2006 under the Parker Brothers name.)

MGA Entertainment (2008)
Acquired the rights to make DVD games based on Wheel and Jeopardy! in 2006. J! was released in Spring 2007, with Wheel planned as a follow-up for early 2008; Wheel was shelved after the CGI set was completed, but before programming began, due to "numerous converging factors"''. ''(NOTE: Standalone discs with additional content were also planned for both games, even though the "Jeopardy!" ones were never released.)

Encore/Sony Online Entertainment (2010)
A Platinum Edition was slated to be released for the PC in January and was available for pre-order at various online retailer (preferably at Amazon.com). In the end, however, neither the game nor any screenshots were released, leaving the box art (seen at the bottom of the screen) as the only evidence of its existence.

Warner/St. Martin's (1987)
An autobiography based on Wheel's most famous co-host entitled Vanna Speaks was released by Warner in 1987; despite the autobiography as being the subject of many jokes when it was first released, it was a modest hit. Prior to this, a paperback book was written by Marianne Robin-Tani and was released by St. Martin's in the same year.

St. Martin's (1987)
A paperback book based on the show was written by David R. Sams and Robert L. Hook, featuring its stars including the rules and behind the scenes information.

Bantam (1987)
The Official Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Book was introduced by the late Merv Griffin and texted by (then-producer) Nancy Jones features mostly puzzles to solve.

Ryan (1988)
A paperback book called How to Beat the Wheel of Fortune was written by William J. Ryan, and it is full of hints and strategies, with full details known.

BK Enterprises (1995)
A large spiral book originally sold online, offered "tips, tricks and strategies" for the show, as well as over 500 puzzles.

MISC
Various Dolls based on Vanna White were released in the early 90's.

Links
Sony Unplugs Jeopardy, Wheel for WebTV - Net4TV

Sony Pulls Interactive Games from WebTV

WOF (N64 prototype) site

WOF (N64) site

WOF (N64) FAQ page

Sony Pictures Television Puts New Spin on WHEEL OF FORTUNE with New Mobile Game

Wheel of Fortune Golden Edition (NES) listing @ NintendoAge.com

Wheel of Fortune video game artwork @ Joel Mandish Portfolio

Wheel of Fortune video game artwork @ Lynwood Montgomery Portfolio

YouTube Links
Wheel of Fortune TV/VCR Play Along Game (Updated Video)

Wheel of Fortune Mobile Game