How Has the Design of Casino Slots Propelled Their Growth?
By Jo Phillips
The online slots industry is one of the most interesting success stories of recent years, with numerous players deciding to try these casino games for the first time. The design of these slots has been crucial in their success, so what are the key aspects that have allowed them to become so popular?
The Use of Flexible Reel Layouts
The original land-based slots were mechanically operated and were created with a set of fixed reels due to the physical limitations involved in making this kind of machine. This industry began with the three-reel Liberty Bell slot which had a single payline, but five-reel games also became widespread by using the same format of one or more paylines strung across the screen.
With the arrival of online casinos, slot creators could add a lot more flexibility, as we can see by looking at the range of Paddy Power Megaways™ Slots. These games have a flexible layout in which the reels randomly change on every spin, which means that the number of ways of winning is different each time and giant symbols can appear if two or more reels merge. The Megaways™ mechanism has been applied to many varied slots and is sometimes used as a way of refreshing a game that’s already popular.
The Introduction of Numerous Themed Designs
If we go back again to the early days of slots like Liberty Bell, these games were mainly based on everyday images such as bells and fruits. The classic fruit symbols were used to represent the different flavours of chewing gum that could be won on the game, and it’s remained as a popular symbol found on many slots.
The creators of these games have also realised that adding themes to them can help to increase their appeal. This is why you’ll find a lot of online slots with their design based on historical characters, such as the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, or ancient cultures from Rome to the Aztec Empire. By adding in hobbies like fishing and slots based on TV shows, they’ve made sure that the list of games appeals to more people all the time.
