If you are well versed in the world of slot machines, and you also happen to be a gamer, the first thing to come to mind would probably be “nothing.” Slot machines and most video games are complete opposites. A brief look at any game listed at playcasino.co.za will seemingly confirm this. Slot machines lack important things that would make them similar to video games, like a story, skill-based elements, and competitive aspects. But if you dig a bit deeper, you’ll find that the two have more in common than meets the eye.
Setting
While slot machines rarely have stories – the nature of the game doesn’t really allow for the progression of events – they do have settings. And their settings can be pretty elaborate at times. There are many video games with similar approaches: think Doom, Minecraft, Sim City, and Factorio, among others.
One of the most successful slot machines of the last two decades is “Gonzo’s Quest” by Net Entertainment. It centers on a character inspired by Gonzalo Pizarro, the brother of the famous conquistador Francisco Pizarro, on his quest to discover the legendary city of gold, El Dorado. It has everything: mystery, intrigue, amazing locations, and legendary prizes at the end of the road.
Graphics
Before we dig into this part, let’s make one thing clear: there are slot machines built for those looking for wins, and there are slot machines built for those who want to play (and maybe win a bit in the process). The second type is the one we’re interested in today.
There are development studios that put countless hours into their slot machines, designing characters, environments, and animations and building settings and mechanics. And these are the ones who usually pocket prizes across the industry – think companies like Yggdrasil Gaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, or Wazdan.
Addictive potential
Video games have been around for decades, and slot machines have been around for more than a century. It’s hard to decide which one learned about “addictiveness” from the other. But the fact remains: both of them can be addictive.
And we’re not talking about gambling addiction – not at all. Casual games like Candy Crush, competitive titles like League of Legends, and MMOs like World of Warcraft can trigger a sort of obsession in their players, just like some of the best slot machines. The perfect combination of struggle, reward, and sense of accomplishment pushes the right buttons to make players return to their favorite games again and again.
In conclusion
While slot machines and video games couldn’t be more different, there are some aspects in which they are very similar – in the way they look, feel, and work. This is why some players do enjoy playing slot machines even if there’s no real-money stake involved.