Slot Machines and slot games are the most popular forms of entertainment at land-based and online casino. These gambling games have come a long way since their inception in the 1800s and have evolved from simple spring-and-lever mechanisms through more complicated mechanical iterations and into the high-tech entertainment wonders we love today.
One of the biggest developments in slots technology was the addition of video tech to the ubiquitous reels. This allowed developers to go far beyond just matching up symbols for a win and start introducing elements like multiple paylines in unique formats, bonus games and even mini games. And, obviously, far more engaging graphics.
Video slots are a multi-billion-dollar nest egg for developers and new games are continuously being designed and released. Games that feature gods and monsters from the past, legends and epics, treasure hunters and popular music and movies are everywhere.
The CasinoPlay crew were curious as to which of these online video slots were the most popular. Was it the ones with the most intricate storyline? Was it the ones with the best graphics? Was it the ones with the biggest payouts? And do classic style slots even feature?
What has changed quite drastically from previous years is the loss of some of the most popular video slots like Goblin’s Cave from Playtech and Avalon II from Microgaming. With the demise of Adobe Flash, a lot of developers will need to reformat or relook their most popular video slot games and bring them into a new programming language.
Our visit to the video slots world turned out to be quite interesting. Our search turned up the most popular online video slots from around the world, but we also discovered that not all our most popular South African online casinos offer all these video slots games (sad face emoji).
A well-known online slots game for South African players, Gonzo’s Quest remains one of the most popular and searched for video slots games worldwide.
The cartoonish and seemingly bumbling conquistador struck gold with his entertaining antics, regular wins and great graphics. There is an updated version and even a Megaways version available for even more thrilling fun.
5 reels, 20 paylines, cascading symbols, free spins and some of the fastest gameplay on any online video slot will keep players glued to the screen and the cute little adventure story adds a little extra to the playing experience. The RTG Megaways version is also super-fun to play!
Book of Ra has always been popular and Book of Ra Deluxe ups the ante with updated graphics and sound. But the treasure-hunting Egyptologist theme stays and still provides all the thrills that made the original such a hit.
5-reels, 10 paylines, scatters, wilds and free spins seem to make up for the lack of bonus games and relatively low RTP.
A video slot for the rockers at heart, Guns n Roses was released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this legendary and iconic band and, to be honest, is one of our favourite video slots games. Packed with an incredible sound thanks to a soundtrack selection of some of their biggest hits, full of instantly recognisable pics of the band and even a bunch of videos from music videos and live performances, Guns n Roses is an ode to the last of the great rockers.
5 reels, 20 paylines, scatters, wilds and some really rockin’ bonus games and features, this game started quietly but has since grown quite the cult following.
The latest in the Rich Wilde series brings a spooky, Lovecraftian feel to the ‘Books’ tales. While initially seen as a bit of a follower of the Book of Ra and similar Egyptian-themed adventurer video slots, the Rich Wilde series has begun overtaking the others in terms of gameplay, style and quality. The series has seen our eponymous hero travel to some of the most mysterious places on the planet – from Egypt to South America to India – but Tome of Madness really ups the suspense and deserves its place on the most popular list. Creepy!
Also, keep an eye out for Cat Wilde, Rich’s daughter and the protagonist of a new series of Play’n GO video slots.
The Rich Wilde series features 5-reel, 9-payline gameplay with wilds and scatters and some truly epic graphics and sound.
Age of the Gods is one of those epic, mythology-inspired online video slot games that is difficult to pin down. There are a bunch of different version in the series, most celebrating ancient Greek mythology. While there are ‘better’ mythology games out there, Age of the Gods makes the most popular lists, especially for South Africans, because it is one of the richest progressive slots games available to us.
The jackpots across the entire range are mind-boggling.
While we have very (VERY) limited access to the famous Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune progressive slots games, Age of the Gods is stepping up to allow us South Africans the chance to hit it spectacularly big.
The CasinoPlay crew have done their best to find popular games that are available at online casinos that welcome South African players – popular and trusted gambling partners like Play.co.za, Betfred and YesPlay, to name a few.
However, with the shutting down of Adobe Flash (and the restrictions from Microgaming – one of the biggest players on the market) we are seeing a lot of popular international video slots being unavailable. Mega Moolah is one example (Microgaming AND Flash-based!). Immortal Romance is another (and just before Valentine’s Day, too) as is Goblin’s Cave (SUPER fun but hard to find).
But the news is not bad. What it does show is that the developers like NetEnt, Play’n GO, Playtech, Novomatic, Red Tiger and Yggdrasil (keep an eye on this company, they are doing amazing things with online slots) are seeing how passionate Saffer players are and actively working to bring us the best and most popular games on the market.
As always, we urge you to play responsibly. Set budgets, take breaks and walk away to play another day, But, most importantly, have fun!
See you at the slots!
