The online casino space constantly expands and delivers new features and entertainment options for players. Amongst all the available games in the industry today, slots are generally considered the most popular choice for punters. These games have dramatically evolved from simple titles to feature-rich products with numerous mechanics and themes. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in the gamification of online casino slots, and in this article, we will discuss how it elevates the gameplay and brings something entirely new to the genre.
What is Gamification in Gambling and Slots?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, gamification refers to any implemented feature in a casino platform or a game that resembles those of console and mobile video games. Software providers and operators can gamify products and brands in several ways, further elevating the user experience.
For example, many casinos nowadays offer players the ability to earn achievements by accomplishing milestone goals with varying degrees of difficulty. Completing achievements is usually awarded with cash prizes and free spins, making them an excellent motivator for punters.
Another example of gamification is quests and missions. While achievements challenge players to achieve milestone goals that can take a lot of time and effort, missions usually revolve around specific game tasks that players need to complete successfully. They incentivize players to explore titles they might not have tried.
Even though gamification is apparent mainly in casinos, it can also be seen in games, especially online slots. Software developers have started implementing numerous mechanics similar to those found in video games, which resonate with the players.
These include progress-based systems that allow players to progress and potentially secure wins without relying on luck 100% of the time. They come in various forms and usually provide punters with unique features, making them a great addition or substitute for standard bonus rounds.
In addition to progression, some gamified slots have been produced with narratives and stories, just like modern video games. This massively enhances immersion, engaging the player with themes and characters. It also gives the product a lot of personality and charm.
As the industry continues to grow, adapt, and expand, we are confident that we will see many other gamified elements being added in the future. These innovations bring more entertainment for the players, as they have virtually no downsides.
Gamified Online Slots You Need To Play
If you’re a slots fan and looking to play titles that involve gamification elements, there are many you ought to try. We’ve listed some of the most popular and exciting one-armed bandits with gamified systems for those unsure where to begin, so make sure to try them out:
Reactoonz
Developed by industry-leading software provider Play’N GO, Reactoonz has been a cult hit since its release in 2017. It still dominates online casinos as one of the most popular titles. The developers later made an exciting sequel reveal, but we highly recommend starting with the first one if you haven’t played it before.
The game features a cluster pay system with cascading reels and numerous mechanics, including the famous charge meter. This gamified element allows players to continually fill a meter by achieving winning combinations, and it can unlock five unique bonus features.
This means players don’t have to rely on scatters to experience the best the title offers. It provides meaningful progression and is guaranteed to provide excitement once the meter reaches specific milestones.
This is complemented by a lovely sci-fi art style inspired by cartoony aliens, with vibrant colors and silly designs. Reactoonz is undoubtedly one of the best slots of the past decade, and its undying popularity proves it will most likely remain a fan favorite.
Gonzo’s Quest
Next, we have Gonzo’s Quest, a thoroughly entertaining slot produced by the legendary studio NetEnt. This title sees Gonzo, a brave explorer, searching for the lost city of El Dorado. While our previous entry brought gamification as a progression meter, this one-armed bandit takes a different approach.
The providers wanted to create a compelling narrative for Gonzo and his quest, which they’ve masterfully achieved by producing a high-quality introduction movie that explains the story and immerses the players in the world. This is enhanced with beautiful graphics and outstanding video effects, making it a real eye-treat.
Even though it’s evident that NetEnt put a lot of effort into giving Gonzo’s Quest a distinctive personality, they’ve also managed to knock it out of the part with implemented mechanics. The game provides players with cascading reels, multipliers, and a free spins bonus round, making this a complete slot experience that will appeal to everyone.
If you’ve thought that narratives don’t belong in slots or don’t add any value, we highly recommend you give this one a shot, as we are sure that it will instantly change your mind upon booting it up.
Vikings Go Berzerk
If you’re in the mood for a heroic adventure filled with fights and excitement, consider playing Vikings Go Berzerk from Yggdrasil Gaming. Although the title features a relatively overused theme for its aesthetics, its true entertainment comes from the gripping mechanics.
Apart from implementing sticky wilds, respins, and “pick objects” features, it also incorporates four progression-style meters. These come in the form of four Vikings, also featured as reel symbols. Every time a player can attain a winning combination with one of the Vikings, their corresponding rage meter rises.
Filling only one rage meter will automatically place you in the free spins bonus round. You can also enter the same bonus round by landing at least three scatter symbols, just like in regular slots. The free spins can also include random mechanics such as the Ragnarok Free Spins, sticky wild symbols, reels, extra free spins, or treasure chests.
Yggdrasil is well known for its innovative releases openness to experimentation, so we are not surprised that it frequently implements gamification elements in its titles.
Book of Dead
Besides the Nordic mythology theme, “Book of” slots are another extremely overused group of titles with an Egyptian theme. Be that as it may, you shouldn’t miss out on Book of Dead because of that, as it successfully manages to differentiate itself from the rest of the bunch by implementing storytelling.
This is yet another title on our list developed by Play’N GO, one of the oldest and longest-standing names in the casino software provider industry. Instead of dedicating themselves to creating fun features, they’ve focused primarily on the narrative aspect of this title.
The team achieved this solely with its mesmerizing presentation. It doesn’t have an introduction video with an expository monologue. Instead, it builds the lore and atmosphere through the game and the characters. Simply put, the game feels alive, and we must commend the developers for presenting ancient Egypt and its mysteries.
Even if you are a seasoned player tired of the repeated aesthetic, we urge you to make an exception again with Book of Dead. It’s a unique product in a genre filled with copycats and low-effort results, so it deserves your attention.
Dungeon Quest
For our final recommendation, consider playing Dungeon Quest. Provided by Nolimit City, this slot takes inspiration from popular fantasy video games as its theme, resulting in a game brimming with adventure and exploration while having a top-notch atmosphere and exceptional presentation.
Upgrading symbols and progressively unlockable features are just some of the major selling points this one-armed bandit boasts, along with standard mechanics like free spins and sticky wilds. Furthermore, Dungeon Quest features bothway winning combinations for an added level of excitement.
Do you consider yourself a fan of the role-playing video game genre, or do you simply enjoy medieval fantasy in other forms of media? In that case, you will love spending your time with Dungeon Quest. Many would agree it’s a criminally underrated hidden gem that deserves much more attention, and we wholeheartedly agree.
What About Gamified Online Casinos?
Regarding casino gamification, many brands have started implementing various systems to provide players with additional layers of entertainment. Whether talking about achievements, missions, leaderboards, PVP battles, or account leveling, gamified platforms are incredibly popular with Canadian punters. If you’d like to experience some of these systems but are not sure where then consider looking into these 3 brands:
Casoo
The first gamified platform we’re mentioning is Casoo. This brand is a perfect choice for punters and fans of science fiction and exploration video games, as it masterfully encapsulates both genres.
The standout feature of Casoo is its loyalty program, which you begin participating in as soon as you open an account. Every level is portrayed as a different planet you need to explore by playing games, with the next planet never being revealed until you reach it, raising anticipation and excitement.
Of course, progression is also acknowledged with rewards like free spins, super spins, and cashback. Leveling up will also reward you with glimmer, which is Casoo’s virtual currency players use to purchase various benefits and features.
Wazamba
If planetary exploration isn’t your cup of tea, then a better option for you might be an exotic jungle island that also happens to be an online casino filled with exciting gamification elements. Wazamba is a platform that quickly draws attention with colorful art direction and fantastic design choices.
Bomani, Chimola, and Advair are the main three characters, and you’ll need to choose one to guide you through the exotic environment. This type of choice allows for two players to have entirely different impressions, as all three characters have their personalities.
The core gamified mechanic here is the loyalty program, which grants players coins based on their progression. The coins can be used to receive bonus features in games and cash rewards or to purchase unique masks. Wazamba has many masks in different shapes and colors that players can buy to expand their collection. Lastly, an achievement system is tied to mask collection and other goals in the casino’s games.
PlayFrank Casino
Lastly, we’d like to mention PlayFrank Casino, a brand that took the missions and tasks gamified elements and transformed them into something completely original. Their daily challenges are unique, as you can choose between one or three tasks you need to complete to fill the challenge bar and receive rewards.
The missions reset every 24 hours, so if you don’t like the challenges on a particular day, you can enjoy different ones before you know it. Players who complete all three challenges in less than 24 hours will be rewarded with substantial prizes.
Even though many Canadian players love the short-timed nature of these challenges, punters who don’t have much time to dedicate every time might feel at a disadvantage, which is why a long-term progression system may be a better choice.
