(Topic ID: 39774)

Tell Me About Wheel Of Fortune

By jalpert

11 years ago


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There are 64 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 2.
#1 11 years ago

So, I have a Wheel Of Fortune, haven't even lifted the head yet. What do I need to know rules wise? This game takes a lot of crap for having incomplete software, but from videos I've seen there is a lot more to it than it looks.

For example, you actually play and accumulate point per game show contestant. You can select which contestant solves the puzzle thereby accumulating their points and prizes like extra balls, multiball etc.

Apparently, spelling bonus is the way to go as well.

Any WoF experts want to chime in with strategy or advanced ways to play this game?

#2 11 years ago

Glad to hear you got your WOF. I haven't really figured mine out yet but it is fun and very underrated. Enjoy!

#3 11 years ago

yeah would be good to know the strat for this game since I have only played it once

#4 11 years ago
Quoted from jalpert:

Apparently, spelling bonus is the way to go as well.

Any WoF experts want to chime in with strategy or advanced ways to play this game?

I'd give up on the POS and sell it dirt cheap to someone in Colorado(northern Colorado preferably).

#5 11 years ago

HAHA, screw that. The more I read about this game, the more it seems like there is a LOT more to it than it seems. There seems to be lots of tidbits of info scattered around, but not all in one place.

You know where I live, it's on free play

Quoted from bemmett:

I'd give up on the POS and sell it dirt cheap to someone in Colorado(northern Colorado preferably).

#6 11 years ago

It's fun. The things that are unfinished don't really affect the ability to enjoy it. The Wizard Bonus inserts don't do anything. The Multiball totals aren't displayed correctly. EB has no sound FX. Prob a few other things but there's plenty of unique gameplay, rules, and depth to enjoy.

#7 11 years ago

A few of my strategies:

- Always go for the free spin drop target when available - those become invaluable as wide open as the outlanes are. Learn how to nudge to keep the ball from getting over to the outlanes in the first place!
- Learn when / when not to flip. I can't count the number of times I've slapped myself in the forehead as the ball bounces off the center post and underneath the flipper.
- When the left inlane is lit for Super Bumpers, send the ball up the right orbit into the bumpers. They increase in value with each hit and that can really start adding up.
- Try to focus on one contestant per round to maximize score. Tough to hit a specific person from that distance and especially not easy to do with Lonnie as he can only be hit with the right flipper (or a well placed ricochet from the left). Of course, if somebody gets an extra ball or trip in their prize bank, I say forget the points and try to collect that instead.
- The multiballs can be stacked - I believe some of the bonus modes can be going on at the same time too.

That being said, these well thought out plans usually don't do me any good as this game kicks my ass like no other. I'm a pretty decent player but after a game or two I want to throw it off the f**king roof! Don't get me wrong, I love its crazy lower playfield and all the shaking and nudging that goes along with it, but man this game has my number.

#8 11 years ago

WOF is a great game. If you're looking for some fast points, there's pretty much one way to do it. At the start of the game, one of the four puzzle lights will be lit for a Prize Puzzle. Get to the prize puzzle, then light a bonus wheel mode by spelling bonus, light "Wheel of Fortune Multiball" by shooting the 9 targets, then enjoy your ridiculous three way stack by shooting the lock. This will simultaneously solve the puzzle, start a bonus wheel mode, start Wheel of Fortune multiball, and start your Prize Puzzle Trip multiball. If you get lucky and start Ramp Rampage or Wheel Frenzy as your bonus mode you'll find yourself racking up some huge points in no time at all.

Any more tips would be appreciated in case I've been missing out on something the entire time I've played this game!

#9 11 years ago

Awesome, underrated, deep game.

Congratulations!

#10 11 years ago
Quoted from blizzak:

- Learn when / when not to flip. I can't count the number of times I've slapped myself in the forehead as the ball bounces off the center post and underneath the flipper.

So true... I do this every single game even though I swear I wont...

Bought mine out of a bar in Vegas... had it shopped with colored LEDs. A terrific, albeit, frustrating game.

#11 11 years ago

With only 1000 made that makes it a little special too!

#12 11 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

It's fun. The things that are unfinished don't really affect the ability to enjoy it. The Wizard Bonus inserts don't do anything. The Multiball totals aren't displayed correctly. EB has no sound FX. Prob a few other things but there's plenty of unique gameplay, rules, and depth to enjoy.

Is the game easy enough where we will be seeing the wizard mode?

#13 11 years ago
Quoted from jalpert:

So, I have a Wheel of Fortune, haven't even lifted the head yet. What do I need to know rules wise? This game takes a lot of crap for having incomplete software, but from videos I've seen there is a lot more to it than it looks.
For example, you actually play and accumulate point per Game Show contestant. You can select which contestant solves the puzzle thereby accumulating their points and prizes like extra balls, multiball etc.
Apparently, spelling bonus is the way to go as well.
Any WoF experts want to chime in with strategy or advanced ways to play this game?

For points, it is all about stacking BONUS and a multiball. Always hit a drop at the start of the ball to light free spins. If you have a multiball on the horizon, don't knock down all 3 because a drop target hit is a super easy jackpot in multiball. Multiplier can be big as well. Once you have solved a couple puzzles, getting a 10x bonus from a Wild Card award can be huge. Don't get too attached to solving all the puzzles and doing all the bonus modes to get to a wizard mode, cause there is nothing there, you just start over.

#14 11 years ago

Is Vampire White in the game?

#15 11 years ago

OK. The first thing to do is to change the multiball setting for the WOF multiball that gets lit by hitting the green targets. On default, hitting ANY green target will give you credit for an unlit green target that you still need. That places too much emphasis on the WOF multiball. Use the next hardest setting which forces you to have to hit each specific unlit green target once to light that specific target. This will make the effort to get to WOF multiball more balanced with Trip multiball and with spelling BONUS. Note that it will get even harder to start WOF multiball a second time (have to hit each green target twice - once to get it flashing, second time to get it lit solid).

First rule of play: Practice that skill shot - can be a big payoff if you make the skill shot and follow it up with a quick shot to the puzzle hole to score the hurry up. Hard to do, but payoff increases each time you do this in a game.

Second rule of play: Get those under ramp in-line targets every time. First target awards the free spin and this is essential to longer ball times and this should be your focus on each ball until you get that target down. Second target lights the center drains to spin the wheel and this can be big points or even an extra ball, so nice to have these lights and nice to get something besides the regular bonus at drain. Third target lights the wild card shot and I believe you can stack wild cards, so hitting the target down is fine even if the wild card is currently lit.

Third Rule of Play: always go for spelling BONUS and then starting the BONUS mode. it's only five shots plus the puzzle hole shot to do this and much lower risk shots than going for the contestants. In general, these modes can be pretty lucrative. Learn the Bonus modes and how to score big in each one (for example, use the bumpers to get the wheel really flying fast in SPIN THE WHEEL). These modes can be loads of fun and with big payoffs, but some are tricky to figure out how to maximize points.

Fourth: try to light the WOF multiball and a BONUS mode so that you can start both simultaneously. I don't believe you can do the same with TRIP multiball when it is lit at the same time as a BONUS mode. I dont' think it starts them both, I believe it just starts trip Multiball. Maybe this varies by settings? Things get really crazy when you get both multiballs at once as you need to keep track of the TRIP multiball shots you need to get to Super Jackpot and also keep track of how many times you've made the WOF multiball shots to take that to Super Jackpot as well.

Fifth: As you get close to solving a puzzle, use the puzzle hole shot to collect vowels. Much lower risk way to light solve the puzzle then the high risk contestant target shots. And a great way to solve to collect the points and awards for the lit contestant without risking hitting the wrong contestant target (collecting vowels keeps the same contestant lit as prior to the shot).

Sixth: Another lesser known trick is the 2X and 3X ramp shot payoffs you can collect. You may have noticed the 2X and 3X decals near the flippers. When you shoot a ramp, the 2X light will come on - this signals that the next shot made will score 2X. If you shoot a ramp and follow it up with a shot to the other ramp - the 3X ramp shot payoff will be lit. So, make sure you monitor the possible awards on the Wheel and at other places at all times. When you see a big amount payoff on a contestant space, for example, lets say 500,000 for a contestant target, consider shooting the ramp shot or shots first and then going for the contestant target after that. You can get 1 or 1.5 million from that one contestant target shot. Also a great strategy during multiballs as the ramp shots lead to 2X or 3X the jackpot payoffs. Yes, it's tough to manage this trick, but most of the tricks in WOF are tough to perform and that's why I like it! And making the ramp shots adds the additional payoff of lighting the extra ball when you make enough ramp shots depending on the setting.

In-Lanes: As mentioned before, the left inlane lights the bumpers for super points. Practice this loop shot into the bumpers from the left flipper as you can extend the length of this bumper payoff by continually hitting the ball back into the bumpers before the mode times out. I've found the right in-lane that lights the left loop just doesn't have near as lucrative a payoff as the left inlane to bumpers shot does.

Wild Card Shot: Practice this shot as well. The awards can often be REAL nice (e.g., solving the puzzle, lighting the trip multiball for all contestants, lighting all the awards for a particular contestant, etc.)

That's probably enough to keep you busy for a long, long time.

#16 11 years ago
Quoted from iluvak9:

Fourth: try to light the WOF multiball and a BONUS mode so that you can start both simultaneously. I don't believe you can do the same with TRIP multiball when it is lit at the same time as a BONUS mode.

Sure you can. Light bonus mode and solve a prize puzzle at the mini ramp and you have a trip mutiball and bonus mode stacked. You can also stack WOF MB, a trip MB and a bonus wheel mode, but you can't start them all with one shot. Start WOF MB and a bonus mode, then solve puzzle to add in the trip mutiball.

I try to balance my prize pool, whenever possible. Lonnie awards more, but he's a harder shot.

#17 11 years ago

Underrated game for sure. I like its retro flavour! Played it at a bar (now gone...), rules seemed deep to me - and are actually according to comments above. Enjoy!

#18 11 years ago

Great hints and tips everyone! I wish that I still had a WOF in my collection. It is a very underrated game.

Despite the software not being finished it still plays really well, and is a great game to practice your nudging skills on.

#19 11 years ago

Another little known trick to get points is that while the wheel is still spinning after hitting a contestant, a shot to any contestant will score the value of the last wheel hit. So let's say you hit Lonnie for 750,000 points. After the letter is called out the wheel will spin to land on new values. During this spin a shot to Lonnie, Maria or Keith will award another 750,000.

iluvak9's strategy of the ramp multipliers is key, especially during multiball jackpots. I think the ramps are 2x then 4x, though.

Also, if anyone knows of a WoF for sale I would definitely be interested

#20 11 years ago

Great game. Definitely a game I will own again one day. It was a huge hit with guests.

I sold mine to make room for a POTC.

It was destroyed by RGP'rs because of the theme.

My daughter below still talks about it all of the time.

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#21 11 years ago

I had enough time last night to raise the head, and play the obligatory 3 or 4 games that never finished because I had to tweak something.

Tons of different strategies it seems, stacking looks like the way to go. I'm not sure how I feel about the mode you start being random. It's different, and I think in this game it works, but I'm not sure I'd want all my games like that.

Thanks for this info. The wheel would spin, I hit the contestants and I was frustrated that I wasn't "getting credit" for it. At least I was getting the points, even if I wasn't advancing the puzzle.

Quoted from Buckaroo65:

nother little known trick to get points is that while the wheel is still spinning after hitting a contestant, a shot to any contestant will score the value of the last wheel hit.

#22 11 years ago
Quoted from jalpert:

Thanks for this info. The wheel would spin, I hit the contestants and I was frustrated that I wasn't "getting credit" for it. At least I was getting the points, even if I wasn't advancing the puzzle.

Sounds like you are probably burned out on it now. Time to pass it along to another, preferably in state.

#23 11 years ago
Quoted from gearheaddropping:

Great game. Definitely a game I will own again one day. It was a huge hit with guests.
I sold mine to make room for a POTC.
It was destroyed by RGP'rs because of the theme.
My daughter below still talks about it all of the time.

I bought one of these NIB on closeout a few years ago. Owned for a few years and moved on. I loved the game but wanted to try others and space was at a premium. My wife and (now 5 year old) son REALLY missed the game even though they didn't play that much. Fast forward a few years and now another is in the lineup and not going anywhere (It sits next to POTC)....

The game really plays like no other modern game, I have watched it destroy good players over and over because the feel and strategy is so different than other newer titles.

#24 11 years ago
Quoted from jalpert:

I had enough time last night to raise the head, and play the obligatory 3 or 4 games that never finished because I had to tweak something.
Tons of different strategies it seems, stacking looks like the way to go. I'm not sure how I feel about the mode you start being random. It's different, and I think in this game it works, but I'm not sure I'd want all my games like that.
Thanks for this info. The wheel would spin, I hit the contestants and I was frustrated that I wasn't "getting credit" for it. At least I was getting the points, even if I wasn't advancing the puzzle.

And of course the biggest fun (in my meager understanding of the rules) was to make sure you answered the puzzle with the contestant that had the best prizes (extra ball or trip)

#25 11 years ago
Quoted from ralphwiggum:

The game really plays like no other modern game, I have watched it destroy good players over and over because the feel and strategy is so different than other newer titles.

Yes, truly a "one of a kind" game. Sad I sold mine.

The outlines with free spin combined with dual center trains were the highlight for me.. nudging was never as important as this it is for this game.

#26 11 years ago

I've owned WoF since I bought it NIB in 2007. Unique layout, great rules, refreshingly different theme. WAY too much hype on the unfinished code. Lots of depth and strategy, with reasonably short ball times.

#27 11 years ago
Quoted from DrJoe:

I've owned WoF since I bought it NIB in 2007. Unique layout, great rules, refreshingly different theme. WAY too much hype on the unfinished code. Lots of depth and strategy, with reasonably short ball times.

Agreed...in 5 years i only made it there twice...

#28 11 years ago
Quoted from markmon:

Is the game easy enough where we will be seeing the wizard mode?

That's the thing, no one would likely get there anyway! It's a pretty difficult game..you've got all the Wheel modes to get through, tons of puzzles. It's still enjoyable on the merits of what's included. Honestly if the "Wizard Bonus" inserts weren't there, no one would have known the game was unfinished (aside from the EB sounds & Multiball tally). I think that's why Stern started to be a bit more vague with their insert text after that. Inserts could be something simple or complex...but if they didn't have time for a planned feature, at least people wouldn't know the difference.

Sometimes I miss mine cuz it's so unique...and I love the Chicago Multiball music. The "contestant interviews" can be pretty funny, and one of the puzzle categories is "Pinball Terms" (I remember one of the puzzles was WEDGEHEAD). On the otherhand, the main theme "porn" music got annoying, and the Nashville Multiball music is the worst country tune ever (and I like Roadshow and Fishtales lol). At the end of the day I wanted to make room for other stuff...but it's still pretty neat.

#29 11 years ago

Does the multiball tally just not display correctly but award corretly? Or, does it not award correctly at all?

Quoted from Rarehero:

no one would have known the game was unfinished (aside from the EB sounds & Multiball tally)

Yup, not yet. Probably not anytime soon I haven't really started playing it. Give me the heads up next time you're around, we'll play.

Quoted from bemmett:

Sounds like you are probably burned out on it now. Time to pass it along to another, preferably in state.

#30 11 years ago
Quoted from sfish:

With only 1000 made that makes it a little special too!

I have a machine that's more of an "LE" than WoZ or TH. Who knew?!?!?!?

#31 11 years ago
Quoted from jalpert:

Does the multiball tally just not display correctly but award corretly? Or, does it not award correctly at all?

Yeah, it racks up your points as you play - but then when it's over it just shows "Nashville Multiball 00"

#32 11 years ago

Okay. Not so bad, but annoying. It would be pretty unacceptable if you didn't get points for the play.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Yeah, it racks up your points as you play - but then when it's over it just shows "Nashville Multiball 00"

#33 11 years ago

The other major bug that came up in regular play was that there was no Extra Ball sound. If you didn't notice it on the DMD or through the lit insert, you had no idea. At the time, these bugs were huge, but when compared to the current Stern's, they would be extremely minor.

I am pretty sure Keith played guitar on most of the multiball songs as well.

#34 11 years ago
Quoted from gearheaddropping:

The other major bug that came up in regular play was that there was no Extra Ball sound.

Hardly a major bug. It's lit at the mini ramp and once you collect it, it's lit on the playfield.

There is a scoring bug though. SR discovered that trip jackpots don't reset unless power is cycled.

Quoted from gearheaddropping:

I am pretty sure Keith played guitar on most of the multiball songs as well.

No. Joe Blackwell played guitar on trip to Chicago. Keith did a big interview about WOF in Pingame Journal I believe. Learned a lot from reading that.

#35 11 years ago

I agree with most of what's being said. It's a surprisingly fun game. Yes the lack of finished code does get overblown, but I think it had the potential to be a great game if it had been finished.

#36 11 years ago
Quoted from sturner:

I agree with most of what's being said. It's a surprisingly fun game. Yes the lack of finished code does get overblown, but I think it had the potential to be a great game if it had been finished.

I guess this begs the question: Why hasn't Stern finished the code? They have had plenty of time to do so. Perhaps someone from Stern would like to reply to this? (Yeah. Like that's going to happen.)

#37 11 years ago

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Quoted from Pinmeister:

Why hasn't Stern finished the code?

#38 11 years ago
Quoted from Pinmeister:

I guess this begs the question: Why hasn't Stern finished the code? They have had plenty of time to do so. Perhaps someone from Stern would like to reply to this? (Yeah. Like that's going to happen.)

Probably because the game really didn't sell well.

#39 11 years ago
Quoted from Pinmeister:

I guess this begs the question: Why hasn't Stern finished the code? They have had plenty of time to do so. Perhaps someone from Stern would like to reply to this? (Yeah. Like that's going to happen.)

It costs money to finish. There is no incentive now as the game is out of production. It was not a great selling pin that was sold at blow out prices to get rid of them in the first place. Not saying that someone else couldn't do it, but Keith is not there to finish the code anymore. It's a shame because the game is a neat deviation from the norm.

#40 11 years ago
Quoted from Pinmeister:

I guess this begs the question: Why hasn't Stern finished the code? They have had plenty of time to do so. Perhaps someone from Stern would like to reply to this? (Yeah. Like that's going to happen.)

Keith was the programmer of WOF. He was laid off. End of story...that's the reason.

#41 11 years ago
Quoted from gearheaddropping:

Probably because the game really didn't sell well.

LMAO!

That and the fact that Keith works for the competition.

#42 11 years ago

Doesn't mean the man doesn't take pride in his work. It's still his name on the game. I'm not sure if he wants to finish it or not, or if he is even able to or not.

Quoted from bmunn1:

That and the fact that Keith works for the competition.

#43 11 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

Keith was the programmer of WOF. He was laid off. End of story...that's the reason.

I work for a development company and have programmers come and go. Anybody could have picked up this code with the source and finished it at Stern. Heck, they still can.

#44 11 years ago

With all the new programmers they have on staff (is this accurate?), this could be an excellent project for them to learn on. And, if they jack it up, we will always have version 5.0.

Quoted from gearheaddropping:

I work for a development company and have programmers come and go. Anybody could have picked up this code with the source and finished it at Stern. Heck, they still can.

#45 11 years ago

I try not to listen to the pinball snobs. I love my TRS and would love to play a wof. maybe I'm partial to the lights, sounds and art of the newer sterns because I will play TRS, avatar and BBH over any of the 90's titles that are A listers. except for addams family. I know I'm in the minority but I just don't get AFM, MM and TZ...

#46 11 years ago

I've been trying to buy a WoF for over a year. Made some very generous offers a year ago for more than I paid for this one to a couple very good nationally ranked players. They refused to sell. Even contacted one a couple months ago, he said he plays it almost every night. "The players" are playing this game, there must be something good about it.

Quoted from edwinpblue:

I try not to listen to the pinball snobs.

#47 11 years ago
Quoted from Buckaroo65:

I think the ramps are 2x then 4x, though.

Yes. You are correct. There is a 2X decal for each ramp shot that flashes when made. If you make both ramps consecutively and both decals are flashing, the next shot is worth 4X. Sorry about that. I wrote my email with the rule-set totally from memory because I was too darn lazy to get up and walk downstairs and look at the game!

#48 11 years ago
Quoted from gearheaddropping:

I work for a development company and have programmers come and go. Anybody could have picked up this code with the source and finished it at Stern. Heck, they still can.

Yeah, you're right...it's not really "Keith's Game" but Stern Pinball Inc's game, and if someone REAAAAALLLY wanted it finished, someone could have finished it. But again - keep in mind the timeframe. The only programmer at Stern for a while was Lonnie. He was busy just getting out games in production...there was no time to go back and add more to WOF, BDK, IJ4 (not sure if CSI and 24 need tweaks & updates). I mean - they could STILL do it now I suppose as a goodwill gesture...but those guys are still busy as hell w/ current games and other stuff.

#49 11 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

That's the thing, no one would likely get there anyway! It's a pretty difficult game..you've got all the Wheel modes to get through, tons of puzzles. It's still enjoyable on the merits of what's included. Honestly if the "Wizard Bonus" inserts weren't there, no one would have known the game was unfinished (aside from the EB sounds & Multiball tally). I think that's why Stern started to be a bit more vague with their insert text after that. Inserts could be something simple or complex...but if they didn't have time for a planned feature, at least people wouldn't know the difference.
Sometimes I miss mine cuz it's so unique...and I love the Chicago Multiball music. The "contestant interviews" can be pretty funny, and one of the puzzle categories is "Pinball Terms" (I remember one of the puzzles was WEDGEHEAD). On the otherhand, the main theme "porn" music got annoying, and the Nashville Multiball music is the worst country tune ever (and I like roadshow and Fishtales lol). At the end of the day I wanted to make room for other stuff...but it's still pretty neat.

Dammit, Greg, I have been agreeing with you WAY too much lately!

#50 11 years ago

What's a fair value for a clean and nice WOF?

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