Old-school game elements are slowly making a comeback in the world of casino gaming. Levelling up, bonus rounds and even designs are all hugely popular in the field, particularly when it comes to slots. The links between the two are strong, and this is evidenced in the types of games being developed for release. In this article, we discuss how old-school game elements are still recognizable to modern players.
The Classic Casino Slot Symbols
One of the old-school elements found in today’s slot games is the symbols themselves. While many titles try to reinvent the slot game, using exciting imagery and themes, many players still want to tap into the vein of nostalgia and go back to the slot games of old.
Generally, these involve using the classic slot symbols. Many of them came about in the very early days of slots when cash payouts were banned. Players would instead get fruit symbols that corresponded to a flavor of candy, which would then be dispensed or handed out by the arcade owner. As cash games came back into play, the symbolism remained.
While they may not be the ones splashed on the advertising and front pages, most quality casino operators will still have classic slot titles in their catalogs. Games such as Reel Rush and Reel King are great examples.
Retro Games and Slot Licenses
Fully understanding the appeal that retro gaming has to consumers, many developers have even used graphics and imagery that deliberately hark back to the golden eras. Arcader is one slot title that has managed to make itself look timeless by employing eighties-style, CRT screen, pixel images to make its slot title stand out.
Some developers have even gone one step further and licensed actual games. Space Invaders has its own themed slot created by Bell-Fruit Games. It has everything that made it such an enduring pop-culture phenomenon. Even classic beat ’em up Street Fighter II: The World Warrior has a casino title. In this, you level up and move to different stages, fighting the eight main characters and eventually taking on M. Bison.
Classic Slot Console Titles
Casino games were always a staple of retro gaming. Most early consoles had a few casino games. Even during the home computer boom, these titles were often cheap and affordable ones that people could buy and play without breaking the bank.
The Atari 2600 was the first popular game console. When it launched, it had eight titles, one of which was blackjack. A follow-up soon expanded on this named casino, which had more games available, including poker. They would set the scene for casino and slot games for many more years to come.
Playing a casino game, particularly a slot title, is a form of escapism. In that way, it is no different from the nostalgia of retro gaming. Allowing the mind to drift away from life and hark back to a simpler time. With the strong links between them, there are sure to be even more retro themes in slot titles in the near future.
