Sony Wheel Of Fortune 2 for Windows Review

I think what drew the little one to the game is the wild applause, the satisfying ding when Vanna turns the letters, and the spinning of the wheel.  Even before he could walk, he would clap, shriek, and laugh along with the players on the TV set.   One of his first phrases ever spoken was, "Is there a B?"   I'm not kidding.  

Wheel of Fortune 2 by Sony can be downloaded from Station.com for a free 60-minute trial, and then purchased for $19.99.  The game runs on Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista and requires at least a 900MHz processor, 128MB RAM, and 16-bit graphics & sound.  The graphics and sound of the game are bright and colorful.  The video version looks and feels like the real thing - the letter board, spinning wheel, and puzzles all have an authentic feel.  The only thing missing is Vanna. 

With my grandson sitting on my lap in front of the computer, I quickly downloaded the game and we began to play.  To play the game, I selected an avatar that looked most like me and named her grandma (which my grandson approved of wholeheartedly).  Once you have selected your player, the letter board lights up and displays the puzzle category (such as "Phrase," "Same Name," and "Before & After"). Using the mouse, it's a simple process of clicking on a consonant or buying a vowel and attempting to solve the puzzle.  Of course, as you spin the wheel (again, with the click of a mouse) you hope to avoid "Bankrupt" or "Lose a Turn!".  Then click on "Solve" to answer the puzzle by typing in the missing letters using your keyboard. 

Wheel of Fortune 2 features 2000 puzzles, as well as Mystery, Jackpot and Bonus rounds.  You can play alone, play versus the computer, or play against others on the same keyboard.   It really is a fun, colorful and easy game to play.  More important, it's a chance for me to bond with my grandson over a family-friendly game that we enjoy playing together.