Whether you refer to them as fruit machines, pokies, one armed bandits or slots, they are among the most popular forms of gambling online or off and 2015 was a great year for new game releases. The more bells and whistles included in a Video Slot the more it holds players’ attention in a market with a constant progression in features and innovations. Here’s a look at some of the most popular games to hit the market last year.
NetEnt
NetEnt is a Swedish game developer that had major success with a series of partnership deals leading to its widespread availability at many online casino brands. It even scored a transactional waiver from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to offer its games to players residing within state lines.
The 2016 launch of Guns N’ Roses (January 21, 2016) has been long awaited since the company’s announcement of the project at the ICE Expo in February of last year. Although it marks a great start to the new year, the provider managed to deliver some great additions to its growing portfolio in 2015.
Spinata Grande launched in March 2015 for desktop and mobile. Based on a fun and colorful Mexican fiesta, the release attracted a lot of attention with free spins promotions for players and even a luxury trip to Mexico, partially funded by NetEnt, up for grabs with many casino operators. The game went on to win the EGR award for “Game of the Year”.
Piñatas are a classic fixture at a Mexican party. Traditionally, children hit colorful piñatas with a stick to release its contents, which includes sweet treats and small prizes. The liveliness of this activity is brought to life on the reels of Spinata Grande.
Colossal symbols made their debut and represent a symbol block of 2×2 or 3×3 symbols that can appear at any time during the base game and the free spins bonus. The Mini-Slot feature can award credits, the free spins bonus or another spin on the mini-slot.
Another popular release, Hook’s Heroes, was released in August. The young pirates can award a series of random bonus features with any spin such as the Pirate Feature, Fairy Feature and the Mermaid Feature. The pirate increases your winning possibilities with more ways to win, the fairy sprinkles wilds on the reels and the mermaid awards multipliers. Three scatter symbols trigger free spins and you must select which combination you prefer. Options include 10 free spins with the Mermaid Feature, 15 free spins with Pirate Feature or 7 free spins with the Fairy Feature.
Right at the end of the year, NetEnt threw in yet another smash hit called Koi Princess. With its anime style graphics and various game features, it quickly became a popular option for players. NetEnt appeals to online players not only with its quality but also the betting range. With a minimum bet of $0.20, the Koi Princess will reward players with lucrative mystery bonus possibilities. Three Koi fish will appear prompting the player to select one to trigger one of four random features including 5 Hit, Random Wilds, Wild Reels and a bonus game. It’s the sheer amount of surprise goodies that keep players engaged.
Microgaming
Microgaming is known for a series of branded Slots as well as its own unique themes. August saw the launch of the ever popular 2011 movie Bridesmaids grace the reels of a 40-line Video Slot. Fans of the film, maybe even those that were not even gamblers, anticipated the release of the game based on the iconic and hilarious characters of Annie, Lillian, Megan, Helen, Rita and Becca. Features include the Cupcake Booster, Flying High Free Spins, Boutique Bonus and Magic Moments. Snippets from the movie are displayed during various moments of game play. Bridesmaids may be played for as little as $0.40 per spin, yet another attractive aspect for players.
Real Time Gaming
Real Time Gaming is a popular software among American players because they are so limited when it comes to online gambling opportunities. This software is frequently available at operators that welcome players from the US and the provider frequently launches new games.
RTG debuted Lucha Libre in 2015 and once again a popular Mexican theme takes center stage on the reels. Based on a form of wrestling in Mexico, Lucha Libre puts wrestlers against one another in the Wrestling Ring bonus feature. Taco Malo and Guacamolio serve as grouped wilds on reel three during the base game. If one of the wrestlers covers the entire reel, prizes may be doubled or he may jump onto one or more additional reels. When it’s time to rumble, players choose from three fighting moves, each offering a different number of free spins and multipliers. If your wrestler wins during the fight, your bonus will be even better.