Exploring the Most Creative Slot Machine Designs

Whether the theme is Greek and Roman mythology, pop-culture fantasy, or something in-between, themed slot machines promise to take players on an exciting adventure.

Most themed slots feature symbols and music based on a movie or a tv show, to make the player feel the game’s authentic vibe. For example, Rabcat’s Nordic-inspired North Storm slot uses authentic footage from the show, and IGT’s Jurassic Park relies heavily on its original music and uses video clips, too.

Music

And music – its production, intellectual, artistic, mythological, exotic – is a vital component in pieces that encourage players to explore the fictional worlds embodied in gambling machines, whether they envision a Sin City glamour or an ancient adventure (‘the main function of music in slot games is to put the player in a state of mind to play’, Loban says): Game sounds may take you on a fierce western gunfight, a magical forest or a tomb from an Aegyptian adventure.

Slot designers take pride in staying abreast of pop culture trends, so players around the world can spin player favourites from around the world, casino websites say. Country music-themed slots offer fans of earlier legends like Elvis a dose of down-home kitsch with a dash of casino excitement.

Sound designers may use timbre to invoke feelings of happiness or anger, pitch to create excitement or disappointment, and volume to indicate loss or victory. Bright, major-key arpeggios, in other words, may play when a player wins, while deep, ominous bass may be deep-breathed before a long, drawn-out gameplay build where no payment ever comes. This means that slot sound design is crucial, because selecting appropriate sounds keeps players engrossed over the course of prolonged playback sessions.

Fairytales

Using popular themes in slot games could encourage and retain customers more than ordinary slots. They also use themes that players could be acquainted with, taking examples from fairytales, movies and TV shows that may cross multiple generations of audiences.

And who doesn’t want to play a slot game based on a cartoon character, whose songs she hummed to as a child or whose adventures she followed with rapt fascination and glee, whose name she yelled out to while jumping high in the air – the ultimate escape from reality that also turns into hours of mindless entertainment.

Other slot games based on cultural themes draw upon history or mythology. Fairy Tale Down Under, for example, takes Canada Aboriginal folklore and combines it with fairy tales for a history and culture lesson in the form of entertainment.

Sports

Modern players demand gameplay that goes beyond pure luck, and that’s why developers offer themed games to keep them entertained.

Clean-design game development allows manufacturers to distinguish their game from the competition with other ‘spicy’ themes. Fantasy, history and sport themes appeal to a wide interest group – fantasy slots will have images of wizards and unicorns, and history slots can take you into a treasure hunt of bygone years.

Movie and television-show-themed slot games are also hugely popular with players, as they give them a chance to feel like their favourite movie or TV character while playing. Some of the most successful are based on TV shows, as re-working clips or music from the show in the game structure ensures that the players will be entertained.

Nature

A game’s theme is the element that gives meaning to everything you see on your screen and everything you hear in your headphones, taking players to ancient worlds or distant fantasies, or fulfilling pop culture desires through artistic symbols and background imagery, or even just pointed sonic cues.

For music buffs, slots based on music offer an artistic and glamorous experience with their favourite pop divas and rock legends. For film fans, movie themes introduce an innovative and exciting way to experience their favourite stories as they interact with the reels, while cultural or theme slots give players the chance to travel back to Ancient Egyptian times or immerse themselves in Far Eastern legends or Viking mythology. Nature gives slots players the opportunity to get even closer to our planet through nature-themed games.

Mythology

Slot game theme developers tend to draw inspiration from close to home – whether that’s an event in pop history, a blockbuster film or TV show, key celebrity, hero or even time-honoured myth.

The stories of Greek and Norse gods, creatures and adventures provide rich material for themed slots that invite players into wonderlands. But game development can be an art, and there are often blind spots to be discovered.

It’s important to combine familiar elements and innovative gameplay. The ideal is to mix familiar characters and worlds with elements that are unexpected, such as godpower or power-ups.