Stern • October 2007 • Stern S.A.M. • 4 Players

Wheel Of Fortune Solid State Licensed TV Game Show Spinning Wheel

Spin the big mechanical wheel, smack the animated contestants for puzzle letters, and let the mini playfield display guide you like a tiny game-show director. It’s a “one more spin” machine — and the outlanes will absolutely try to steal your prize money on the way out.

Machine Stats

Players: 4

Flippers: 2

Pop bumpers: 3

Multiball: 3-ball

Produced: 0 (set when you’re ready)

System: Stern S.A.M.

Estimated value: $5,400 – $6,500

Signature Toys

Mechanical Spinning Wheel

Three animated bobble-head contestants (Lonnie, Maria, Keith)

Mini playfield DMD • 3 in-line drop target lane • Wide flipper stance + center bumper

Creators

Design: Dennis Nordman

Art: Kevin O’Connor, Margaret Hudson

Software: Keith P. Johnson, Lyman F. Sheats Jr., Lonnie D. Ropp

Music/Sound: David Thiel

Original speech by Pat Sajak + Charlie O’Donnell (per IPDB notes).

Game Feel

Game-show pinball: the playfield DMD pushes you from “spin” → “collect” → “solve” like a mini host.
Wheel risk/reward: you want spins, but the wide stance + center bumper means rebounds can get spicy fast.
Targets with consequences: the 3 in-line drop lane is straightforward… until it isn’t.
Nudge-friendly drama: those dual outlanes aren’t subtle — this game expects you to bump and save.

Overview

Wheel Of Fortune is a licensed game-show layout built around three things you can physically see and feel: the mechanical spinning wheel, the animated contestants that call out puzzle letters when hit, and the mini dot-matrix display on the playfield that tells you what the show wants next.

Why it works: it’s approachable, loud, and “TV readable.” Even casual players understand “spin the wheel” immediately — and then the outlanes remind you this is still pinball.

How to Play (Quick Start)

Start with the Skill Shot: the game has a dedicated skill-shot feature (see the playfield callouts / mini display prompts).
Spin the Wheel: your main toy is the mechanical wheel — use it to trigger “Wheel” moments and advance game-show progress.
Collect letters: smack the animated contestants (Lonnie, Maria, Keith) to call out and build puzzle-letter progress.
Use the in-line drops: the 3 in-line drop target lane is a clear, repeatable objective that can feed progress and points.
Play the outlanes: the dual outlanes are part of the design — be ready to bump and nudge to keep the ball in play.

Rules & Scoring Highlights

Open Rulesheet

Core loop (what you do all game)

Follow the mini playfield DMD: it directs the “show flow” and helps newer players understand what’s next.
Wheel moments: shoot to interact with the mechanical wheel and push your game-show progress forward.
Contestants = letters: the three animated contestants call out puzzle letters when hit — keep them involved.
In-line drops: the 3 in-line drop target lane is a visible, satisfying objective with repeat value.
Survive the drains: the wide stance + dual outlanes mean control and nudging are real scoring tools, not optional style points.

Big scoring (how points actually happen)

“Spin & cash” mindset: your best scoring bursts come from chaining wheel interactions with whatever the game is currently asking you to complete.
Letter/puzzle progress pays: build puzzle progress by working the contestants and the directed shots — don’t just freewheel.
Target lane value: the in-line drop lane is a reliable points/progress source and often a steadier plan under pressure.
Control beats chaos: rebounds toward the outlanes are common — controlled shooting and timely nudges protect your best scoring setups.
Multiball potential: plan your multiball starts as “value conversion” moments — not just flail time.

Quick note

Use the score/instruction cards for the “at a glance” rules, and the service manual for deeper specifics.

Score & Instruction Cards (PDF) Service Game Manual (PDF)

Tournament Tips

Respect the outlanes: the machine is explicitly designed to make you bump and nudge. Play it like you mean it.
Choose “safe progress” shots: when the wheel shot is feeling wild, fall back on repeatable target-lane and controlled feeds.
Keep the contestants involved: they’re not just decoration — they drive letter/puzzle progress and keep your game moving.
Don’t donate rebounds: with a wide stance and center bumper, sloppy shots can turn into side-to-side chaos fast.
Use the mini display as your checklist: it’s easy to get distracted by spinning lights — stay on the current objective.
When ahead, play boring: controlled shots + outlane management win more games than “one more risky spin.”

Media Gallery

Click a tile to open the large image viewer. (Ctrl/Cmd-click opens the JPG/PNG in a new tab.)

Images courtesy of original photographers (via IPDB).

Wheel Of Fortune Solid State Licensed TV Game Show Spinning Wheel

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