Closer to the new year, like many other online projects, casinos take stock. Virtual casinosnotongamstopuk.co.uk/online-slots-not-on-gamstop/has also provided statistics on which slot machines were most often chosen by players in the past year 2022. According to the changes in demand, you can not only assess the prospects of the industry, but also predict what slots will be presented in the next season by the manufacturers – they are obliged to get acquainted and take into account the preferences of users.
Express slot machines have been a trend for the past three years
The fact that the vector of attention has shifted towards speed draws has been noted around the world. The losers are the developers who paid a lot of attention to the graphical side of the projects – introducing sophisticated animation and graphics in general. As with a good soundtrack, these techniques are rarely in demand – users simply turn them off during the game.
Attention to graphics has also weakened the popularity of mobile devices. The latter, even if they are powerful and have large amounts of RAM, are often used on the road or in places with public wi-fi. It tends not to allow large downloads. The beauty of the graphics causes the machine to freeze, blurring the impression of the game. As a result, players who play from their mobiles eschew complex and beautiful designs in favour of simple, sometimes even retro machines that “fly” in all conditions.
Such a trend has given way to a number of interesting trends:
- Three-reel machines have become popular again. In America, their popularity did not diminish, but Europe almost forgot about them for a while, replacing them with colourful video simulators. Now the famous three-reel card machines or classic 777 with cherries are back in trend, as are their modern variations. In the latter from the retro slots have remained only the mechanics and imitation of throwing coins into the coin slot. The graphics, as well as the theme itself, can already be modern.
- Risk or all-or-nothing slots. The classic slots of this type include a simplified roulette – a reel with only two types of sectors. According to the same principle played “guessing”, which should call the colour of the inverted map or side of a coin. The bottom line in all cases is the same – for a correct choice of 1 out of 2 the user receives up to 1.9 bets. 5% is taken by the casino. A lot of games of this type appeared in 2022. Some developers have provided new designs. Others simply trimmed some of the code from already running games, making risk games, where the income from the spin was put on the line, a separate attraction.
- Bonus buying games are a symbiosis of the classic slot and the same risk game. The player can pay at any time to skip the long game series and go straight to the risk round. In most cases, even the payout statistics are not knocked down, although the game becomes more dynamic and volatile.
Games that are more of a puzzle game, such as Mafia Syndicate or Courier Sweeper, are not yet in top demand. But experts have noted their rapid rise to hit lists. Perhaps the unfamiliar interface and the complexity of the rules are stopping players, but the demand from certain categories of players is clearly ensured for these projects.
Tabletop and parlour games
The second trend, highlighted by demand statistics, is the complete opposite of the first. Apparently, if users choose to play games at home and on the sofa, they are willing to spend hours playing it and get the most out of the atmosphere. This alone can explain the increase in the number of Live Roulette fans. In this game, especially with a large number of users at the table, you have to wait for everyone to place their bets. Also, some time is spent on the dealer’s monologues, while the ball runs around in real time. Unlike in single-player mode, you can’t stop this graphic and get the outcome of the spin immediately. As a result, it takes up to 3 minutes for each spin, in single-player slot instantaneous. And that doesn’t stop players. The number of rooms with live dealers, and especially with American roulette, is growing precisely because of the demand.
The breakthrough of the year was Mafia. Playing for money in an online format is not much different from real saloon entertainment. Only the players don’t see each other and have to literally guess the roles. But that’s what’s made it possible to transfer salon entertainment to casino format – reducing guessing to chance also evens out the winnings.
Top 3 most popular slots of 2022
Unfortunately, not all of the slots that were promised by manufacturers at the start of the season actually saw the light of day. Some novelties, however, have disappointed. Noteworthy:
- Patrick’s Collection from Spinomenal, a six-reel slot machine that UK residents couldn’t miss because of its literal native theme;
- Kim’s Wild Journey – Booming Gaming’s attempt to repeat the success of the iconic Gonzo’s Quest;
- Gladiator Legends from the little-known Hacksaw Gaming, with bonus feature add-ons.
UK players only need to keep in mind that some of the bonus-purchase slot machine features don’t work at Gamestop casinos. Even so, the machine is worth a look – and while it won’t top the charts in 2022, it’ll be in contention for the top spot in 2023.
