With the amount of game providers on the market, you would think some of them would come up with new, fun themes but for some reason we seem to be stuck with the same ones.
Most games aren’t bad at all. In fact, many are good, some are great even. However, the existing themes are running old but I wanted to take a look at 10 of the more popular ones and just take a look at some of the games under each of them. Just to be clear, they are not listed in any particular order.
Today I will present 5 of them in Part I and I will follow up with Part II soon enough.
Enjoy!
1) Theme – Horror
Dark and creepy horror games are common in slots and it should come as no surprise. If they work in movies, TV and video games, why should casinos be any different.
We’ve seen plenty of successful slots becoming popular over the years. Titles like Circus of Horror (GameArt), Zombie Queen (Kalamba) and Curse of the Werewolf Megaways (Pragmatic Play).
Retro Horror by Retro Gaming
One of the new horror releases comes from Retro Gaming and is called Retro Horror and can be found at BitStarz. It’s not a bad game at all and the darkness, spooky symbols and the mandatory dark voice are all in place to give you the vibe you’re looking for.
Enter the dark world of Retro Horror
Free Spins and Retro Bet
The game has medium/high volatility and an RTP that fluctuates between 95.99-96.13%. It’s far from the highest I’ve come across but definitely playable.
You will find the Retro Bet in the top left corner which I decided to activate right off the bet. What it does is add a static Wild symbol in the middle to help you win.
I managed to get a couple of really nice wins
Big and Mega Wins
I was really surprised by how many Big and Mega Wins I managed to pull off. It was obviously fun to see and some nice wins like that is pretty much all it takes for me to say it’s a good game.
Having a fun experience will always make me come back for more so I recommend you turn off the lights and head into the darkness of Retro Horror. It’s a good time!
2) Theme – Western
You won’t have a problem finding a Western influenced game where you can live out your childhood dreams of being a gunslinger like Billy the Kid.
I’m sure you’ve come across shootouts and a train robbery or two before. Games like Money Train 2 (Relax Gaming), Cowboys Gold (Pragmatic Play) are very popular among players.
True Grit Redemption by Nolimit City
There’s nothing like the cold, harsh winter in the Wild West. I’m glad I didn’t have to endure those back in the day when there were no comfy puffer jackets or electric heating keeping you warm. Let alone having to ride across the Rocky Mountains looking for something to eat with danger lurking around every corner.
Freezing temperatures and trigger happy killers – no thanks!
No Tumbleweed in Sight
Why am I talking about this? Because True Grit Redemption isn’t the classic fight at the saloon or duel on a dusty street with tumbleweed blowing around. This is the not so glamorous side of being a cowboy.
I’m a fan of special features and True Grit Redemption has a lot of them. With a bit of luck you’ll come across Wild Transform, xNudge Wild, xWays & Infectious Ways, Reel Split and Transform ‘em as well as Grit Girl. I thought Grit Girl was Greta Thunberg for a second but that can’t be right.
Buy Feature – Bonus Round
Luckily, Nolimit City is always kind enough to offer the buy feature and obviously I had to try it out. There are two types of Free Spin scenarios, both with very appealing names – Torture Spins and Dead Spins.
Take a shot at Torture Spins
Not a Great Return on Investment
I opted for the cheapest option, Torture Spins, which gave me 8 spins. I was a little disappointed with the feature but I guess it could have something to do with the fact that I wasn’t very lucky and I didn’t even make back the money I spent buying them.
Torture Spins ended up being exactly that
I Won’t See You Anytime Soon
Normally I really like the Western games and Nolimit City has been one of my favorite providers for years. However, I wasn’t impressed by my first gaming session and because of that, I’m not sure I’ll come back to this one regardless of all the features.
I played at 7bit Casino but obviously it’s not their fault that I didn’t win.
3) Theme – Vikings/Norse Mythology
The viking lifestyle has always been a popular theme and the success of the TV-series Vikings wasn’t a surprise. The northern savages have also found a home on the reels and most providers have at least one viking themed game in their portfolio.
Is this North Guardians or Narnia?
North Guardians by Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play came out with North Guardians quite recently and it’s another winter adventure. There’s almost a Narnia vibe and you’re expecting Mr Tumnus to pop up from around the corner.
A big, bearded brute of a viking wielding an ax is almost a guarantee in viking games and you’ll find one here as well. With Odin as a Wild, you will be on the hunt for scatters and Free Spins. I wasn’t fortunate enough to make it but I just wanted to get a feel for the game anyway.
You can use the Buy Feature on the left when you get tired of waiting for scatters
Use the Buy Feature
There is a Buy Feature available if you feel tempted. It will cost you a pretty penny (100x your bet) and I chose not to use it this time around.
Even after a quick tryout like mine, I wasn’t impressed. There are plenty of viking games available as I mentioned earlier but I can’t remember any that really made a long lasting impression. Perhaps vikings are better suited for the big screens like TV and movies.
Other viking games: Story of Vikings (Spinomenal), Thor: Hammer Time (Nolimit City)
4) Theme – Mining for Gold
Oh, the classic gold mines are needed as slots. Perhaps in a way you feel like you’re doing the actual digging. I do know how it feels landing a big win so I can only imagine the eruption of emotions if you were to discover and dig out an actual gold nugget.
Play’n GO’s Miner Donkey Trouble, Spinomenal’s Mines of Gold and Dwarf Mine from Yggdrasil are a few classic gold mining slots that are worth checking out.
Meet crazy Gus and his explosive personality
Gold Digger Megaways
I visited my old gold-toothed friend Gus in Gold Digger Megaways by iSoftBet at FortuneJack. This old man is as trigger-happy as they come and loves blowing things up using his beloved dynamite.
As you can imagine it’s not safe being in a mine with him but the game is fun and with the Hold & Win feature it’s worth the risk. Fingers crossed I haven’t spoken too soon.
As you can see, there is both a Gold Bet option as well as Bonus Buy. I wanted to explore the game with the Gold Bet activated and it didn’t take all that long to make it to the Hold & Win bonus round.
Hold & Win is a fantastic feature when it goes your way
What a Ride
I got off to a great start and with the help of features like Values Boosted and Reels Boosted things were going my way. The reels opened up one after another and the multipliers arrived like it was Christmas.
In the end I managed to secure a very nice profit and I will definitely come back to visit Uncle Sam. As long as he doesn’t manage to blow himself up down there.
A Mega Win makes the world go around
4) Theme – Luck Clovers & Leprechauns
Anything related to the Luck of the Irish might be one of the most seen themes of all. It’s always good vibes and happiness. Green pastures and lots of gold. The Leprechaun’s undying chase for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow seems to be Ireland’s version of Gonzo’s Quest. Or is it the other way around?
Larry the Leprechaun is a popular character and found in many slots like Larry the Leprechaun Easter. Then there’s also Irish Thunder (Belatra) and Clover Riches (Playson).
Irish Treasures
Leprechauns in the Shire?
Good or Bad Host?
KingBilly Casino and Irish treasures Spinomenal was given the honor of hosting my first attempt at the reels and at first glance I liked the different look. Great graphics and a cozy setting, reminiscent of the Shire. Are Leprechauns related to hobbits perhaps?
Is it worth paying a small fortune for Free Spins?
Mega Symbols
One of the perks of playing Irish themed slots is of course the soundtracks. It’s hard not to get an endorphin boost and feel relaxed.
Mega symbols and stacked Wilds are in play and I felt a need to put the Buy Feature to the test and hit the bonus round. During Free Spins, each spin has a random multiplier attached, which is nice. However, I had higher hopes for the bonus round and I almost felt cheated.
There was no luck of the Irish as far as the eye could see
I wasn’t even close to making my poor DOGE back and I think all players share that feeling whenever it happens. Once you do pay the amount needed to go straight to Free Spins, you at least want to make your money back.
My patience is low and since there was no Irish Treasure in sight, I won’t be back anytime soon.
Until Next Time
So, these were 5 of the most popular themes in the online casino world. I’m looking forward to the next 5 and hopefully I will have better luck trying those games.
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