The Wheel of Fortune Board Game is a family game enjoyed by many and delivers a great board game experience. First released in 1975, this board game has been designed by several publishers and in various editions.
One of the most successful publishers of this game is Pressman, which released 5 “regular” editions.
Wheel of Fortune Pressman Editions (1985-89,1991)
Second and Third Edition
After releasing the Second and Third edition in 1986 and 1987 respectively, each box contained a 33-puzzle board, a wheel spinner card, a used letter board with dry-erase crayon and play money with denominations ranging from $50 to $500.
Very similar looking to that of the TV show, the wheel spinner came with a red-dollar sign with top dollar of $750. The back of the box showed a prototype with a generic spinner, plainer-looking money and white on-back puzzle cards.
The layout consists of –
- Bankrupt- $750-250-300-200-100-500-400-300-200
- Free Spin- $100-200-150-450
- Lose A Turn- $400-250-200-150-400-600-250-300
- $350 is missing
- House minimum is $200
Deluxe Editions
Pressman’s Deluxe Editions which release in 1986-1987, have various puzzles, more than the previous editions, a money tray, a replica of the Wheel with a single flipper which spins much like on the show and money denominations of $50-$1000.
This time the layout was a little different to that of the TV show. Instead of yellow, lime or blue, the $1000 space was cyan, $2500 was lavender and $5000 was white instead of silver.
Other Changes-
- Cover has a small photo of Wheel replica with the text “Featuring an Authentic Replica of the Wheel”
- Back and sides show prototype with regular-edition play money
- Extra Wheel wedges of-
- $1000, yellow
- $1500, green
- $2000, blue
- $2500 magenta
Junior Edition
Introduced in 1987, this was a child-friendly version with rainbow-colored puzzle board and denominations of $100, $200 and $500. The Wheel contains a blue-dollar sign spinner, and values starting from $100 increments to $700, vowels and house minimums both being $200.
The layout is-
- Bankrupt- $700-100-300-200-100-500-400-300-200
- Free Spin- $100-200-300-500
- Lose a Turn- $400-300-200-100-400-600-400-300
- Few wedges are recolored
Travel Editions
At least three Travel Editions were released in 1988.
It contained a wipe-off puzzle board, dollar-sign spinner as the size of the Wheel size. Apart from that it was pretty similar to the regular counterparts.
Wheel of Fortune Board Game at a Glance
Game Type– Word
Play Time– 60 mins
Skill/Complexity– Easy
Age– 8+ years
Publisher(s)- Pressman and others
Categories– Classic/ Word/ Family
Players– 2-4
Rating– 7/10
Cost– $19.99
Likes of Wheel of Fortune Board Game
- It is a good representation of the show.
- It is easy to learn and teach
- It is an interactive board game.
- It is a simple family entertainment
Dislikes of Wheel of Fortune Board Game
- The Replay Value is not great
- It consists of cheaply made components
How to Win
The players goal in the game of Wheel of Fortune is to collect most cash and prizes by the end of three rounds and then finally solve the Bonus Round Puzzle to become the “Big Winner” of the board game.
Final Thoughts
Clearly, Wheel of Fortune Board Game represents a family game which has high educational value. It can be played by children and adults both and is the perfect way to keep a family occupied and together.
Once, you have played it quite a few times, it becomes repetitive but it is still worth playing because it is simple to play yet a lot of fun at the same time.
The price point is cheap enough at $19.99 and is worth adding to your game collection.
