with a group, but still just basic Wheel of Fortune, minus the hosts.
I'd like to see a tally of every Wheel of Fortune game ever made for every system; I can imagine it'd be quite a list. I can remember playing Wheel on the NES, SNES and so on, and I'm guessing it's been on every console at least until the last gen cycle. I suppose creating a full-fledged HD title might be asking for a bit much, but at least we're getting an iteration on the PSN store for the PS3.
This version of Wheel of Fortune is pretty identical to the show, minus Pat, Vanna, the announcer, and voices in general. Granted, it's been a while since I've watched the show, so certain mechanics were somewhat new to me, like the quick money puzzles that open up the game where the letters are automatically revealed one by one and whoever buzzes in first to guess gets a certain amount of cash. Also, it seemed like a lot of puzzles were focused on music, or music and lyrics, so maybe things aren't quite as randomized as I would like to see, but for the most part if you enjoy Wheel of Fortune, you'll most likely get into this.
You can pick from about 5 or 6 pre-created characters, or opt to make your own. The options for character creation are a bit limited, and they feel like they've almost been ripped out of Home, which I suppose is intentional. Still, they also look a little creepy and lifeless, and I would have liked to have seen a bit more design work put into making these guys stand out, but then again there's not much for them to do other than spin, clap, and make some awkward raise the roof signs every so often. If you've played the PSN version of Jeopardy you'll know what to expect, they look nearly identical (or they are identical) to the way the contestants look on that game.
Once you get past the character creation, you can then pick a local or online game, and then pick to play a single round (basically a full game of Wheel), or to go on Tour, which takes you to various cities. I can't imagine trying to complete a game of Tour online, since the game wants you to do it all in a row, and each game takes about 15-20 minutes to finish, but playing tour offline is pretty fun. I had no issues playing online or locating people to play with, and if there was any lag issues they didn't pop up for me.
I will say that navigating words available when trying to solve puzzles is a little problematic, and if you end up accidentally misspelling something chances are you'll run out of time, because you can't cycle through each individual letter you've inputted without deleting them or retyping them in. This would be far easier with keyboard support, but I didn't see that option included. Also, it does seem like the game gives players a bit too much time when it comes to simply spinning the wheel or choosing letters, and games will often play out a little longer than I would like. You typically have four rounds that actually involve spinning the wheel; three of the quick solve variety, and then the bonus round, assuming you've won the grand total for the night.
There's really not a whole lot to complain about here though, as it is Wheel of Fortune, and most of us know what to expect out of it. The core game is represented well enough, and it's certainly fun to play a game or two, but there's nothing in the way of extra content or any surprises you wouldn't normally find on the show. It's a pretty bare release for PSN, but one that can be a lot of fun with a small group of players at home or online. If you've got a few friends that feel like playing, then pick it up; it's a pretty solid time waster. However, if you're playing alone, $15 might be a little steep for the asking price, and I'm not sure I'd suggest giving this one a go.
