Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune brings the familiar television game show into the computer age, complete with word puzzles, contestants, and the eternal temptation to buy a vowel. The basic idea is wonderfully simple: spin the wheel, guess letters, solve the phrase, and try to avoid landing on something financially disastrous. The computer handles the host duties and keeps track of the money, leaving you free to concentrate on the important question of whether there is actually a second R in the word. Its 1987 presentation is necessarily modest, but the gameplay translates surprisingly well to a home computer. This is not a title that demands complicated strategies or lightning reflexes; it is best enjoyed as a relaxed puzzle game, particularly with friends gathered around the same machine. Sometimes an old-fashioned guessing game is all you need.