Beloved by grandchildren, Wheel of Fortune Slot triggers new slot machines based on game shows of old.
In the North American casino scene, there is one slot machine that reigns supreme above all others. It is the iconic Wheel of Fortune, developed in the 1990s by IGT. It’s not a single slot machine, but rather a complete series of games they’ve been pumping out for more than two decades. Networking their progressives together, the game pays life-altering jackpots on a regular basis.
What is it that makes this game so incredibly popular? You might be surprised. A few years ago, IGT’s marketing and development crews wanted to know the answer to that very question, so they sent out a group of surveyors to ask players in casinos from all over…
Wheel of Fortune Slot Reminds Players of their Grandparents
As kids, most of us had a special relationship with our grandparents. They were the go-to babysitters when mom and dad needed a night out, and were always there to say “Yes” to all the things our parents would never agree to, like chocolate for breakfast, or buying us that toy we were supposed to be saving our allowance for.
Grandparents are a special breed of relatives, and apparently the most common attraction to the Wheel of Fortune among today’s generation of players. An overwhelmingly large number of respondents confirmed it, saying that they love it because it reminds them of their grandparents. They remember sitting on the sofa with grandma and/or grandpa, watching Pat and Vanna do their thing on prime-time television.
Mimicking the phenomenal success of the Wheel of Fortune series has been the goal of every slot manufacturer in the business, and understanding what draws players has been helpful. However, no game show slots have ever been able to match the appeal. It’s one reason IGT keeps spinning out new editions of the same networked jackpot game. More than a dozen Wheel of Fortune Slots have been released over the years.
Continuous Release of New Game Show Slot Machines
Year after year, we see new slot machines themed around popular TV game shows hitting the live and virtual gambling shelves. Some of them don’t fit the Wheel of Fortune profile, being based on more recently popularized game shows like Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, but for the most part, game designers are catching on to the “Classic is Classy” formula.
The online casino realm is teaming with old school game show slots. Titles like Jeopardy!, The Price is Right, Family Feud and Press Your Luck are finding their way into the hearts of more and more players. The key for designers is to make these slot machines mimic their original TV show counterparts as closely as possible.
Still, no game has ever come anywhere near the popularity ranking of the original Wheel of Fortune Slot. And odds are, no game ever will. It’s a combination of factors – the memories, the impressive mimicry, the ultimately entertaining game play, and of course those massive multi-million dollar progressive jackpots that have been changing the lives of the luckiest players for nearly a quarter of a century.
