New Gambling Games and Software for 2011
June 20,1011 : Online gaming developers have continued to provide customers with diverse and innovative new options to play.
Online gambling game developers have over the last quarter continued to deliver an ever increasing flow of interesting and innovative games and applications to the online gambler.
Online gambling software provider and 3D slots specialist Betsoft released its sixteenth 3D cinematic slot title, featuring a rural Mexican theme replete with roadside stall owner and some bitingly hot farm produce. “Paco and the Popping Peppers”, a 5-reel, 30-payline game, features the first cascading reels Slots3 game and is bursting with a colourful selection of comical chili peppers.
Chartwell Technology, the Canadian gaming developer recently acquired by Amaya Gaming for some $23 million, brought “Ultimate Texas Hold’em” to online casino. The game developed in partnership with ShuffleMaster Incorporated introduces the land-based table game to its online clients and is the first table game to be deployed on Chartwell’s Rapid Game Deployment (RGD) platform.
The company also debuted "Serengeti Diamonds" a month later, an African-themed, 25-line slot that joined Ultimate Texas Hold’em on the RGD platform.
Little known Russian software development company Connective Games LLC released four titles over the review period. “RetroTech”, a 5-reel, 25-payline slot with an ice hockey-theme, the rock concert- themed 5-reel, 20-payline slot “RockoMania” which is super-imposed on a similar set of features to RetroTech, and two 5-reel, 9-payline slots “Corsairs' Treasure” and “Fruity Fiesta”.
Gamesys’ new gaming development team released its first new game to the Jackpot Joy operational website, an online slot branded “Nuts and Bolts”. The new game joins an inventory of unique proprietary games developed by the company under its former production system that includes bingo variants like Family Fortunes Team Bingo and Monopoly Snap and features a brand new feature Winning Streak.
International Game Technology (IGT) released a successor to “Wolf Run”, popular in land-based casinos. The new online slot entitled “Wild Wolf” is a 4×5 multi-line, multi-coin slot game.
Swedish gaming developer Jadestone introduced two popular national Italian card games “Scopa” and “Burraco”. Scopa is an Italian trick-taking card game, and Burraco a Rummy-type card game for two or four players in fixed partnerships.
UK-based land and online games developer, JPM Interactive (JPMi) launched two new online AWP games (amusement with prizes) on internet sports betting site, Bet 365.com. “Full House” and “Casino 5ive Liner” offers players fresh, new content and a change from the Vegas style slots. JPMi has converted its two most popular AWP titles to combine the traditional fruit machine concept with modern media.
Buenos Aires games developer Leander Games developed an interesting slot after securing exclusive worldwide rights to develop branded games featuring heavy metal band Megadeth. The video slot “Megadeth” is a 5-reel by 4-row, 40-line game.
The developer also released “Reely Bingo” in the quarter with a patent pending Slot Bingo Side Game feature – a two-games-in-one, slot plus bingo side game.
“33 Lives”, a slot themed on the real story of the 33 Chilean miners miraculously rescued from underground this year was also released by Leander Games’ studio, a 5-reel, 33-payline slot.
Microgaming continued its blazing release schedule with a number of new releases over the review period, including card games, bingo, video slots, 3D slots and scratchcards.
The Isle of Man-based developer kicked off with “Mayan Bingo” and “Electro Bingo” – two South American-style bingo games with fast game play.
Next up “Asian Beauty” – an addition to the company’s 243 ways-to-win series, a five-reel video slot featuring a mirror bonus, retriggering Free Spins and more.
“Four By Four” is Microgaming’s unique card game release, with four being the lucky number. The game is played on a 4×4 grid that holds 16 symbols.
The company’s scratch card bonanza game entitled “Instant Win” offers an array of scratch card games in a single gaming session. Players can choose from various themes with an assortment of rewards, from Halloweenies to Slam Funk…and they can play various cards simultaneously to increase their chances.
“Multi-Player No Worries” followed Asian Beauty in the slot genre, a five-reel 20-payline video slot based on the company’s Australian-themed DownUnder slot. The game offers a maximum jackpot of 100 000 and was released on the Flash Platform.
“Multiplayer Wheel of Wealth Special Edition”, a community-based game brings players the original game with a twist. Players are offered 5-Reels and 25-Paylines along with the Wheel of Wealth Bonus Round (a community-based opportunity), a Chat Facility where slot-lovers can communicate with each other, along with Wilds and Scatters to increase the chances of winning.
Microgaming’s first ever 3D online slot game, “Sterling Silver 3D” is based on the popular slot title Sterling Silver and offers the player a host of features, along with a betting range from $0.01 to $0.25 a line, delivering achievable wins up to $40,000.
Steaming ahead, “Sonic 7s”, a 5-reel, 9-payline video slot was released in June 2011. The slot presents sharp, clear graphics, including bells, sevens, bars and blue cherries and features Wilds, Scatters and Power Spins.
Wealth, opulence, elegance and luxury themed its next June release "Riviera Riches". The 5-reel, 15-payline slot has a top jackpot of 30 000 coins in the base game and a free spins feature with a possible win of a generous 190 000 coins.
Keeping with the opulent feel "Gold Factory”, a 50-payline slot themed in gold from Microgaming features gold coins, gold submarines, gold hot air balloons and the like. A bonus feature called the Boiler Room Bonus is triggered when three or more scattered Bonus symbols appear on screen. An option to choose four from twelve items reveals hidden prizes.
Ending off Microgaming’s newest releases in the review period was an addition to its Reel Play Reels series the new “Reel Play Poker – Jacks or Better”. This new style of internet casino gaming combines the popularity of video slots with the speed and skill of multi-hand video poker.
An interesting technology crossover release from Microsoft Game Studios was released this past quarter. “Full House Poker” is a technology crossover between Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. The game on the Windows Phone 7 platform is the first to feature avatar support and players are able to build up in-game bankrolls which are automatically and wirelessly integrated into their Xbox console once the player boots up.
Launching its one hundredth interactive, flash-based game, online scratchcard specialist NeoGames introduced a new multi-scratch card entitled “Royal Wedding”.
In the first deal of its kind, Neogames has sub-licenced International Game Technology’s top game brands for the creation of online instant win and scratch card games. The first instant win game release stemming from the deal is “Monopoly Riches”.
Net Entertainment certainly provided some competition in the pure number of new game releases with the first up “Fruit Case” a 5-reel, 3-line video slot where fresh fruit moves along conveyor belts until it is crushed to yield juicy winnings. Fruit Case is one of the first games in Net Entertainment’s Smart Range™ offering, delivering the rich player experience you expect from Net Entertainment packaged in a reduced game download size.
The company also debuted the much anticipated "Alien Robots", 30-bet line offering with 243 ways to bet, offering players the opportunity to win up to fifty free spins. The game features scatters, free spins and expanding sticky wilds.
Dallas, the iconic 1980’s soap opera hit TV Show themed Net Entertainment’s next release “Dallas”. A five-reel, 3-row video slot featuring all the elements that fans of Dallas and J.R. Ewing would expect.
April 2011 saw the release of "Flowers", a 30-payline video slot exuding double flower power featuring Free Spins, a x3 multiplier and stacked Wilds.
The internet gaming developer debuted a new innovation in its new video slot "Frankenstein". The game is the first release in a series of games in association with Universal. The classic horror tale of Frankenstein sets the scene in a 5-reel, 20-line video slot with a Burning Mill Free Spins feature, and what is claimed to be the first ever use of Linked Wild™ wins in a game.
Net Entertainment ended off the review period with its newest release “Dragon Island™”. The game debuts a new feature “Win Both Ways” which gives players the opportunity to win on symbol combinations from both left to right and right to left. The 5-reel, 3-row, 15 bet line video slot offers three different Wild substitution variations presenting the Golden Wild that appears when Win Both Ways is activated and possibly increases the wins up to x8.
Popular UK online bingo provider Costa Bingo launched two new instant play side games developed by the NextGen Gaming studios, branded “Dolphin Reef” and “Cool Bananas” – both very differently themed but feature-rich slots. Cool Bananas is a 5-reel, 25-payline hot summer slot with a theme loosely styled on King Kong. Dolphin Reef, another 5 –reel, 25-payline slot game has a range of entertaining features.
Swedish provider NYX Interactive’s two new offerings have disparate themes of Fun and Horror and are both available as mini and standard size versions catering for Bingo, Sports, Poker and Casino operators. “Funland Festival” is a 5-reel 20-payline video slot game sporting graphics of roller coasters and other components of the funfair, whilst its 5-reel 20-payline, “Haunting Harry” features an unfortunate official bearing an eviction notice to a haunted mansion who suffers the scary consequences of upsetting the resident monsters.
Online gambling software developer Playtech nicely timed a slot release for the Easter season branded “Easter Surprise” in which players go after bonus gifts from the Easter Bunny. The 5-reel, 20 pay line video slot and a three by three matrix scratch card game of the same name were simultaneously released at Playtech online casinos.
A celebrity-studded slot followed in March 2011 dubbed “Top Trumps”, depicting the glitz and glamour of showbiz greats like Britney Spears, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
June 2011 saw Playtech’s latest offering go live – a 40-payline slot titled “Tennis Stars”. The new game offers entertaining features like wilds, scatters, multipliers, free spins and a bonus round, with the tennis theme carried through in symbols depicting tennis players and accessories such as shoes, balls, rackets and trophies.
Developer Quicksilver Games latest multi-line “Slots in the City” title is now operational on its online casino at QuicksilverGames.co.uk. Slots in the City brings together the glitz and glam of Las Vegas with the style of New York and joins a portfolio of proprietary online games that includes titles such as Top Banana, Maxamillion, Le Posh Nosh and Kasharoo.
RealTime Gaming (RTG) billed its release as “good things do come in small, furry sizes! Welcome to the cheesiest venue in town.” “Mice Dice” includes a patented Feature Guarantee system that the company claims ensures that free games will trigger within 100 paid spins if not won randomly; as well as its patented Win-Win Feature.
Another feature-rich online video slot from RTG’s studio, “Coat of Arms”, has a medieval theme showcasing knights in armour and their chargers, castle keeps, crowns and colourful shields. In common with other RTG games, this slot has a major and a minor jackpot, both awarded randomly by the software.
“White Rhino” is RTG’s newest release – a 5-reel, 25-payline online slot machine with an African safari theme providing the backdrop for a wide range of features that include Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, Multipliers, Random Jackpots and Bonus features, with achievable wins for five-of-a-kind of 30 000x the line bet.
“Gusher’s Gold” ,a new 5-reel, 20-payline i-slot from Rival Gaming was released late March 2011. Themed around a Texas oil field depicting longhorn-adorned cars, expensive cigars, hard hats, land title deeds, bundles of greenbacks, oil barrels and hard drinkin' Texas tycoons.
The developer also presented a single-line, three-reeler slot branded “Heroes' Realm” featuring knights of yore in a medieval setting in June 2011.
Slotland.com launched another two proprietary releases, its first “Jewels of the Ancients” is a 5-reel, 19-payline slot ghoulishly-themed around vampires, bats, vampire-slaying garlic, mystical goblets, treasure maps, gargoyles and the like. The game marks its twentieth proprietary release.
Its twenty-first proprietary release titled “Tikal Treasure” is a new Mayan-themed 5-reel, 25-payline offering with a variety of features and a six-figure jackpot.
Angling is the obvious theme in “Lucky Fishing”, a new 5-reel, 20 pay-line video slot from online gambling software provider Topgame. Cartoon-style graphics illustrate a variety of fishing tackle and angler symbols through which players can access Wilds, Scatters, up to 100 Free Spins, Multipliers and a second screen bonus. The game has a very wide wagering range of between 1c and $5 on which a max bet can win as high as x10.000 bet.
An interesting deal between GTechG2 and UnionJackpots saw a quartet of new fully featured fruit machine titles developed. Four games, including “Mad Money Monster”, a traditional UK pub-style fruit machine with five knockout levels offering scaling value prizes and interactive features, and “Treasure Hunter”, a quest for the Holy Grail with a Hi Lo bonus game built into it, will be added initially with scope for more in the future.
Vegas Technology’s “Kanga Cash” is a new 25-payline video slot game with a gold prospecting theme set in the Australian outback, followed by “Down Under”, a 5-reel 25-payline offering with a range of features that includes an achievable 100x gold-panning bonus, triggered by three or more Scatters, and Wild kangaroos.
April 2011 saw the company release another 5-reel, 25-payline video slot titled "Fairies Forest". A magical fairy forest-themed game offering an array of winning combinations and features including expanding wilds, scatters, multipliers, free spins as well as its signature high value card symbols.
“Hot Roller” rounded-off Vegas Technology’s offerings over the review period. Themed around Las Vegas at night, the game is craps and centers around a high rolling woman and a pair of dice.
Viaden Gaming debuted "Catch Anna Chapman", a 50-line espionage-themed video slot with 5 reels and 4 symbols on each reel, it is fully HD and resizeable.
"Fair Tycoon" from WinADayCasino.com, marked the company’s twenty-fourth "one-of-a-kind" proprietary release in April 2011. Players are challenged to build their own amusement park replete with hot dogs, cotton candy, ferris wheels and the like. The slot is a 5-reel, 17-payline slot tied to the site's progressive jackpot and comes with a premium game where participants can become an entertainment magnate.
The company’s twenty-fifth proprietary release followed in May 2011 titled “Fruitful 7s”. Billed as going back to the basics, a traditional pub-style fruit machine slot featuring classic symbols and generous payouts.
Land and online games developer, WMS Gaming delighted Trekkie fans with Episode 3 and Episode 4 in the Star Trek series. Episode 3: “The Trouble with Tribbles” is based on a single program in the Star Trek television series and features a one of a kind pin ball feature round triggered when three or more Scatters appear on the reels along with Win Warps, Spock Multipliers, Scotty’s Wild Reel Changer and Captain Kirk’s Wild Green Alien. Players collect medals throughout the game, which can then be used to unlock new content and bonuses.
Episode 4: “Trap a Tribble” features dancing female aliens and gives players further opportunity to collect medals for new content and bonuses. The latest episodes in the series join “Red Alert” and “Explore New Worlds”.
The company also developed a dramatic Moneyburst-style game “Fortunes of the Caribbean” where players collect gold shell Scatter symbols which trigger other features.
Jackpot Party.com, WMS Gaming’s subsidiary, launched the company’s newest online slot “Blue Lagoon”, a tropical island themed game in its Hot Hot Penny series. The game features hot hot penny mode, Wild, Scatter, Multiplier, Free Spins and Bonus features, along with a re-spin facility.
Games releases have not always been through conventional channels and are being increasingly supplemented by a wide selection of apps incorporating both functions and games.
Mobile application releases continue to predicate the future potential of the mobile market with the advent of disposable applications developed for specific events and integration with social media.
On the games side:
Code Redman, an independent UK online games developer, launched a new iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch video poker application branded “Poker88” as a free download. Previous mobile games released by the developer include “Pontoon88” and “Blackjack88” which the company says has proved popular with the mobile community.
Better known for its bingo activities, Cozy Games released “Multi Hand Blackjack” for the iPhone. Players have an option of playing three hand and five hand blackjack on a single screen. Multi Hand Blackjack joins a stable of forty plus games from this developer.
Full Tilt Poker has augmented its android offering with a non-download version of its “Rush Poker Mobile” for Apple devices. Available to existing Full Tilt account holders, the app can be played on iPhone, iPad and IPodTouch devices.
Hands-On-Entertainment delivered its latest mobile application “World Poker Tour Hold ‘Em Showdown” for download on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch during this review period. Featuring 3D graphics, avatar customisation and stat-tracking amongst other features.
“Mermaids Millions” from Spin3 gives Android users the opportunity to play for real money on the move with this 5-reel, 15-payline video slot.
With a flurry of new offerings, online gambling software developer Viaden Gaming’s new Mac applications offer mobile customers “Roulette 3D” and “Craps 3D”. Roulette 3D offers European and French roulette tables with customizable dealers commenting throughout the game. Craps 3D features simple controls and 3D animation along with other features. Both applications use virtual dollars and no real money is required during play once the initial purchase of approximately $4.99 has been made.
The company released a further five new applications in the poker genre – “Poker Three”, “Casino Holdem”, “Caribbean Poker”, “Texas Holdem” and “5 Card Draw”. Complete with a virtual dealer the firm touts the product as a social networking tool with the ability to log on from FaceBook accounts or the Game Center and play four or eight live player games via WiFi.
Functional app’s this quarter included:
“Bet Tracker” a mobile betting and tracking application allows customers to monitor and track the performance of their bets in-play from any smartphone or tablet and has proved popular with online gambling firms OpenBet and GTech G2 signing supply agreements with the company.
The application has social gaming capabilities with the ability of being able to set up social gambling competitions. Sports betting customers connected to Bet Tracker can set up a social betting league and invite their friends to join.
Betting exchange Betfair released an interactive football betting app on the video-on-demand platform FetchTV. The app was created by TV platform developer IP Vision.
bwin.party has developed an android version of its betting application, “bwinlive”.
Mobile application developer Mfuse partnered with Ladbrokes to launch a “disposable” mobile app titled “Easy Bet”. The application was developed specifically for the Grand National horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in the UK with an estimated 600 million viewers.
The application was conceived, developed and released within eight weeks demonstrating Mfuse’s intent towards developing “disposable” apps focused on particular events. The application additionally allows punters who have placed a minimum GBP 1 bet to watch the race live on their mobile.
