Modern Slot Machines
(special feature published May 2008 in the Indianapolis Star)
Among Hoosiers with a taste for the fun and excitement of gaming, slot machines are clearly a big favorite, with most of the major resorts and casinos in Indiana boasting up to four or five times as many slot machines as table games.
The popularity of slot machines is partly due to "to innovation, graphics and technological advances that have improved service levels over the past decade," according to Ryan Hammer, Vice President of Slot Operations at Caesars Indiana, an establishment that offers 2,000 slot game options, as compared to 110 table games.
Brian Marsh, Vice President of Casino Operations at French Lick Resort Casino, confirmed the popularity of slots, estimating that 80% of game play revenue comes from slot games. There is a constant drive to improve upon game design, and "manufacturers are always trying to revitalize the gaming experience, and understand what the customer wants," he said. A lot of research goes into determining what game features are the most popular, and what themes and elements will keep players coming back for more.
One element that draws players back again and again is a sense of familiarity, whether that means iconic visual symbols like cherries, bells, and diamonds, or cultural elements, as with the well-liked slot versions of television shows and games like Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly.
Modern slot machines have come a long way since 1877, when the first slot machine-like device was patented. Springs and levers inside small counter-top devices evolved into electrical and computer-driven parts running freestanding consoles.
The cultural influence of increasingly sophisticated video games has prompted slot machine designers to up the bar, and today's games offer a fuller sensory experience including surround sound and immersive, interactive play. Marsh explained that " a lot of manufacturers have begun to include a lot of sophisticated animation into the bonus rounds. You get to a certain level and another level pops up and you play through with new characters, interacting with them and choosing certain spins or boxes."
One of the most popular video game-like slot machines at French Lick is one called Gold Fish, made by popular manufacturer WMS. The game involves a lower screen and upper screen, and the player interacts by touching the screens, with the goldfish swimming around and reacting to choices made by the player.
Another improvement to modern games is the fact that today's slots work with tickets instead of tokens, which eliminates interruptions in play. Hammer explained that "The ability to download credits at the slot machine provides a more seamless experience for guests."
Another exciting element that players seem to enjoy is progressive play technology, which Marsh explained means "taking a portion of the coins going into the machine and playing them back up to the meter, so you are playing for a progressive amount." Some well-liked games that use progressive play technology include Double Diamonds and Triple Double Diamonds. The concept is fairly simple but very enjoyable, especially when players are pulling for stakes as high as $100,000.
Monopoly slot machines, manufactured by WMS, are very well-liked games in many casinos in Indiana. Players are attracted to the familiar elements from the classic board game. In one version of the game, Monopoly Jackpot Station, the familiar top-hatted and bespectacled Mr. Monopoly (formerly known as Rich Uncle Pennybags) and Scotty the Dog direct a train full of passengers through various terrains in search of Jackpot Station.
Free spins and credit awards keep the excitement level high as the characters chug down the train tracks toward cash prizes. Hidden bonus symbols pop up, triggering the free bonus spins. Players are allowed to choose the well-known board game's characters, and further spins of the reel determine whether each play will be multiplied by a value of 2, 3, 5, or 10. The Community Chest of the traditional game is also present here, modifying the game play and offering the chance for more free bonus spins.
Another version of Monopoly slots is Monopoly Up, Up, and Away, featuring engaging real time 3D graphics and exciting features like the Cannon Bonus, the Plane Bonus, and the Jetpack Bonus, in which the player guides Mr. Monopoly's flight path for a chance to win between 25 and 2500 credits.
Wheel of Fortune is manufactured by IGT, and attracts the demographic that faithfully watches the long-running television program of the same name. Their popularity is so widespread, you could walk into any casino in the United States and expect to see several of the games Wheel of Fortune blinking and beeping on the gaming floor.
There are dozens of versions of this game, including 5-Reel Bingo, Classic Bingo, Extra Spin Bingo, Multi-Win Slots, Triple Dollars, Ten Times Pay, Red White & Blue, Triple Double Wild Cherry Instant Bingo, and many, many more. If offers 3-Reel, 3-Reel+Bonus Reel, and 5-Reel varieties. One of the newest versions, released in the last few months, is Sizzling 7, which allows play in denominations of $1, and allows progressive play up to a million dollars.
The biggest and most visually striking Wheel of Fortune game is the Special Edition Super Spin, which consists of nine video slots around one giant wheel, which allows for multi-player bonus games. It is a linked-progressive game that looks something like a glittering carousel, with backlit side panels between players. Music and flashing signs increase the drama and excitement as up to nine players engage in a single game for big prizes.
Wizard of Oz, manufactured by WMS, lets players jump into the well-loved fantasy world of the classic book and movie in a game that uses "Sensory Immersion Gaming" technology, including 3D surround sound stereo.
Hop down the Yellow Brick Road for a journey with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, battling witches and flying monkeys on the way to the Emerald City. Credit awards, progressives and free spins keep the game enticing as players select emeralds that determine credit amounts and allow destination choices within the game. Players who choose to visit the Emerald City come face to face with the formidable Wizard of Oz for a chance at a special character award.
The Flying Monkey Bonus awards 8 free spins and players who hit the Flying Monkey Wild symbol on the third reel are awarded the Flying Monkey Wild Feature. In this section, flying monkeys swoop into view and randomly turn 2-15 symbols on the reels into Wild symbols. Also in the Flying Monkey Bonus portion of the game, meerkats fly from trees, bounce off a crocodile's nose, and hide in random burrows, doling out varying credit amounts. Flying Monkeys that pop up randomly on the first, third, and fifth reels also award additional spins.
Gold Fish, made by WMS, is a prime example of a modern slot machine that incorporates elements of today's more sophisticated video games. Two screens allow players to interact with the fish on the upper touchscreen, prompting the fish to swim about and respond to choices made by the player. Players collect credits with the various movements of the fish, some of which are directed by the player's choices.
In the Bubble bonus, a player can bet an extra 10 credits to make 5 fish flit around an aquarium in the top screen. A fish bowl will then appear in a random location on the bottom screen, and depending on which of the 5 fish jumps into the bowl below, various bonuses are awarded.
In another part of the game, known as the Fish Food bonus, randomly placed fish food symbols initiate the bonus, during which players choose from assorted fish food jars. Players who are able to match three kinds of food are then able to feed the fish, and are awarded a credit amount. Matching a fourth identical kind of fish food doubles that credit.
Turtles appear if the player is able to find three turtle foods, which also means a final credit award.
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