Of the $11 billion earned from Casinos in Nevada last year, 61% was from slots. This big business has translated online where players are turning more and more to slot machine games. With improved technology the quality of online and mobile slot game experiences has become much better in the last three to five years, offering increasingly immersive experiences which are popular with players.
There are many types of online slot games and a new trend towards skill-based games has emerged to attract millennials who are used to skill-based games and want to try and better their odds. There are some skill-based slot machines where you can win more spins and increase your chances of winning by playing an element which has some skill factored in. In reality, most game developers aren’t going to give players a positive EV bet no matter how much skill they bring, but they may be willing to let them increase their chances to attract a new type of gamer.
Some of the best skill based games are in online slots which have evolved from popular arcade games. Arcade themed slots are popular – probably due to the nostalgia and familiarity – so they’ve become big business. Many different online gaming operators are also offering incentives to play, just check out this post: Casumo free spins at Casumo bonus.
Space Invaders
Space Invaders is one of the all-time classic arcade games and has been used in the slot machine market for a long time. It was created in 1978 by Tomohiro Nishikado and is widely considered one of the forerunners for video gaming.
Playtech have developed a slot game where you’re able to shoot targets and earn rewards whilst the slot game is live. It mixes the best of both worlds nicely, retains the look and feel of Space Invaders, and the element of skill adds a little bit extra to the gameplay and the feeling of control the player has.
Tetris
This popular tile matching title was designed by Alexey Pajitnov and released in 1984. Since then it has featured on many different platforms and has remained consistently popular.
Tetris Mania is one incarnation of this arcade classic in the online slot machine world. Tetris Mania comes with three reels, four rows and nine fixed pay lines. There are free spins and mystery prizes: when you get a winning line it will explode like in the original Tetris game. It’s a great trip down memory lane.
Frogger
Released by Konami in 1981, it was initially licensed to SEGA in North America and then worldwide. The premise was to guide a frog safely across a river and highway. The online game Frogged is a tribute to this arcade classic, with the river, road and split screen elements all incorporated into the game. The music and visuals are nice and engaging. Everything nods to the arcade game but has been brought up to date.
It’s an accessible game with small minimum bets; the frog symbol can jump between reels making and giving bonus winnings. Overall it’s a really fun game to play with some nice nostalgia thrown in.
Asteroids
Designed by Pariplay this is a throwback to the Atari in the 1980’s. It’s been modernised as an online 5 reel slot game and with plenty of recognisable space symbols and icons. The 5 reels give players 720 winning combinations and at prices between 50p and £50 per spin, it’s affordable. The graphics have been updated whilst keeping the original arcade feel.
There are plenty of opportunities for free spins and multipliers and the game has a really fun and playful feel to it. Overall, the look and feel is a big winner for the game. Combined with the cool 1980s soundtrack this game has really delivered.
Super Mario Bros
A staple title from Nintendo the first version Mario Bros was released in 1983 and then Super Mario Bros followed in 1985. With 32 levels of running and jumping in the Mushroom Kingdom this game was a huge success right from the start and it has proven a winner when translated into the world of online slots.
Mario’s Gold is one such online version which was developed by Proprietary Games. The game is built around lots of small pay-outs. There are some scatter symbols and free spins to mix up the gameplay. It’s a 5 reel slot with all the classic characters; Princesses and turtles and even the Mushroom Kingdom all feature and the soundtrack is very similar. As with the original Mario it’s a simple game to pick up and start playing. There are some big wins available with 5 matching symbols awarding a line bet multiplier of 750x and a scatter icon awards bonus points.
Overall, it’s a good slot experience which immediately reminds players of the old Mario characters, worlds and sounds.