Modern slot machines come in all shapes and sizes, unlike one-armed bandits of the past. Even though we should consider ourselves lucky to be able to enjoy so much variety in our favourite casino games, somehow we still manage to get bored once in a while. Fun as they are, slots are the simplest of gambling categories. Limited by their own purpose, when it comes to design styles, types of mechanics, and winning patterns, there is only so much novelty developers can infuse into a game to make it feel new. Faced with the growing appetites of a contemporary audience, major software providers turn to blockbuster movies when all out of ideas for the next great theme.
WMS Gaming Lord of the Rings
Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy is the highest-grossing series of all times, a visual and storytelling masterpiece that has yet to meet its cinematic match. Released in 2001, the franchise left a lasting impact on popular culture, spawning numerous multi-media products inspired by the adventures of the Fellowship and their quest to save Middle Earth.
Among the most popular slot versions is the July 2010 WMS Gaming release, a branded game featuring Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and other main protagonists. The developers did a great job converting such a long and complicated plot into elaborate mechanics of the slot, truly giving the story justice and making the gameplay all the more interesting.
The game is envisioned as a journey to Mordor, during which players can unlock a total of 8 bonus rounds, all based on significant events from the movie and corresponding to one of the leading characters. An emphasis is placed on interactive features so that gamblers can experience deeper immersion through a sense of personal accomplishment.
IGT The Dark Knight
This industry giant was among the first to start the trend of licensed slots, and snatching the rights to develop a title inspired by the greatest Batman movie was a decisive business move for the provider. Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight blockbuster, is considered a leading talent on the global cinematic scene, and his view on the hero of Gotham is the exemplary image for younger generations today.
As is always the case with IGT, this game too has amazing graphics and breathtaking scenery. The gloomy atmosphere of the film is perfectly translated onto the reels, which should give every true fan one more reason to try the game’s many features. With four progressive jackpots, 243 ways to win, and a whole variety of bonuses, free spins and cash prizes, the slot has an enormous winning potential to offer to just about any type of player.
NetEnt Aliens
It’s been over 30 years since the first Alien film hit the theatres, and Xenomorphs can still strike fear into our hearts. Directed by James Cameron, the 1986 sequel served as an inspiration for the Net Entertainment slot of the same name. Known for their many licensed games, this famous software studio stayed true to the movie, creating a quick-paced, goal driven gameplay in which players must track down and kill the menacing Alien Queen.
Fighting your way through hordes of enemies, you will travel through three main levels, The Search, The Encounter and The Hive, collecting multipliers, collecting multiplier symbols and boosting Alien Activity Meter to earn your right of passage. If you manage to destroy the Queen and her hive, the game will award you a worthy prize of 240 times the bet.
Microgaming Jurassic Park
T-Rex strikes again in this elaborate Microgaming release, featuring 5 reels and 243 ways to win. Bringing dinosaurs to life with expert direction, CGI and animatronic effects, Jurassic Park is loved by kids and adults alike. Microgaming made a great choice to adapt this particular movie to slot play, as its exciting story and visual delights lend qualities desired by gambling audiences.
Dinosaur eggs fittingly trigger the free spins feature, in which you can get one of five possible variants, each with a different setting, characters and rewards. Whichever you manage to activate, there will be lots of multipliers, wilds and mystery symbols to explore, but the ones with the highest balance boosting ability are Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops bonus rounds.
This game is all about wilds – you’ll find lots of different types like split and running wilds, as well as combinations of these for increased winning potential. The best thing about the mechanics is the fact that the highest paying combo can land in the base game, any of the free spins rounds, and in the special T-Rex Alert mode feature.
