In the head of a provider : The perfect slot

Lucky7Bonus has been asking itself lately what the perfect slot machine could be. This is a difficult question to answer in just a few words, so let's take the time to break down what a slot is and the questions that providers need to ask themselves during the creation process.

The providers' goal in creating the perfect slot

Not all online slot machine providers aim to make the perfect slot. It takes time and many aspects have to be considered when creating it. Some providers will focus more on quantity than quality and conversely, other providers will try to innovate and push the boundaries further and further to get closer to a perfect slot. This is a risk, because if the slot machine is not as successful as expected, it would be a wasted investment of time and money for the provider.

The objective is clear: to make a mark on the players and to make them come back to the slot machine in question. This first step can be done thanks to several aspects, it can be the theme and graphics, the very high potential jackpot, the bonus features or on their unique and original side.

Defining a slot machine as perfect will also depend on one's subjective opinion. Some players prefer slots with the avalanche feature, others prefer very classic slots with a simple free spins bonus and others will swear by slots with a particular provider or theme.

The steps in creating a slot machine 

When creating a slot machine, providers will ask themselves questions at every stage. For a slot to be perfect, 4 important points cannot be left out. As we will see, some providers tend to focus on 1 or 2 elements while neglecting the others, their slots are good, but far from being considered perfect. Let's review the important elements when creating a slot.

The theme

In which universe will our new slot machine evolve? Do we take a theme that has already worked and reuse it? Or are we starting a brand new universe?

These questions are important, because it will be much easier for a provider to take inspiration from another existing slot machine than to have to create a whole new art direction in a world that has never been visually created.

Take for example The Dog House from the provider Pragmatic Play. Its theme is very simple and anyone can be touched by dogs. However, this is not a very common theme in the slot machine industry, so Pragmatic Play has been able to take advantage of it by offering a very high quality slot with a very basic operation regarding the base game and the bonuses, but the theme is mainstream and the graphics and animations are very neat.

On the other hand, taking a cue from another slot from the provider Pragmatic Play: Juicy Fruit. This one is very interesting in terms of its bonus features and animations. However, the theme is very generic, fruit has been used and reused many times in the market. With Pragmatic Play slots alone, there are already many fruit-themed slots: Fruit Party, Fruit Party 2, Extra Juicy or Chicken Drop symbols.

The theme can of course be more advanced, as with the online slot Wild Heist at Peacock Manor from Swedish provider Thunderkick. The theme is very specific: 4 characters who are going to steal the treasures of a museum in London at the beginning of the 20th century. It is very original, but will it really interest the general public?

Graphics, animation and sound

This is a very important point for a slot machine to be talked about and especially for players to come back to it, even a few years later.

You've probably already had the opportunity to see the Roman Legion slot from provider Gamomat. Very popular at its release in 2017, it is now more difficult for new players to return to this kind of slot with graphics and animations totally outdated. The neophytes will inevitably turn to the latest slot machines, much more beautiful aesthetically and especially in terms of animations.

In contrast, let's take Play'N GO's slot: Book of Dead, released in 2016 and still a classic in online casinos today. Even though the slot's operation is very simple today, its graphics and animations remain enjoyable during a game session, even 5 years later.

Everything is important, the background animations, the symbols and their arrival on the grid, the connection animations, the explosions when a big win is triggered, etc.

The musical atmosphere is not to be overlooked. Many slots offer quiet music during the base game and a sound that speeds up when a win or bonus is unlocked. Sometimes music can be quite annoying, for example slots with the Pop feature from provider Yggdrasil, as soon as a big win is triggered, the music spoils the universe and the excitement by infantilizing the player.

The Basic Game

The base game will be the first thing a player will try when they arrive at our slot machine. It should be simple to understand, especially in terms of the connections. However, the grid can be more original than a classic 5 reels and 4 lines. Will our slot have wild symbols? Will there be small bonuses integrated into the base game?

It is very important that this part of the game does not become boring or too tiresome. The game should live and take the attention of the player at certain moments. For example, baits with music and some suspense about whether or not the third Scatter will arrive on the last reel is a great idea to make the basic game more attractive.

Let's take the Jammin Jars 2 slot from provider Push Gaming as an example. This slot offers features directly related to the base game, the player will be motivated to keep spinning on Jammin Jars 2 to get closer and closer to the bonus features, which he can see the progress of.

The "Mental" slot from the provider No Limit City is very interesting, first of all because of its graphics and animations, the players will be amazed. On the other hand, it is very complicated to understand and a neophyte of online casinos could find himself quickly lost when starting with a slot of this kind. Lucky7Bonus has put together a review of Mental, if you want to understand this slot machine.

A basic game that is simple to understand, yet attractive and entertaining, is very important to have in place for a perfect slot machine.

Bonus Features 

A large majority of players are looking for bonus features as a way to get big wins on a slot machine. There are many different bonus features available today. In 2021, it is best to avoid a simple bonus that gives you free spins without any additional benefits.

Gates of Olympus is a well-known slot from the provider Pragmatic Play. The bonus feature is not complicated and yet players return to it, as the suspense is very present and any player can follow the progress of his bonus, understanding exactly what is going on. With each free spin, connections are made and multipliers can be added to your winnings, and this same multiplier will add up to a total with all the other multipliers you will get during the game.

Players will expect new Scatters to increase their number of spins, hope for a very high multiplier and even be satisfied with small multipliers, as long as they raise the overall multiplier. The principle is very simple and the player is totally wrapped up in it, it's a great bonus. The ability to buy a bonus directly is also a very important point to not frustrate players.

Other slots offer players choices, for example on Hotel Yeti Way from provider Play'N GO, the player can choose between 3 different bonus features with a variation of volatility depending on their choice. Will the player take more risks and possibly hit a very large sum, or will he choose safety by ensuring at least a decent win?

The perfect slot machine would then offer the possibility of purchasing a bonus feature, while still giving players the choice between several different bonuses. These bonuses would be easy to understand and follow, leaving plenty of suspense for the player's emotions to take over. A slot bonus should thrill us.

Finally, what would the perfect slot look like?

The perfect slot would have a mainstream theme, which reaches a lot of people, but which is not already massively used in the online casino world. Its basic gameplay should be accessible, any player should be able to understand what is happening on the screen within 30 seconds, while offering small features, baits with scatters and playing with music and animations to keep the player in suspense.

The bonus feature should offer players a choice with a variation of volatility depending on the bonus chosen. The bonus should also be accessible by offering additional features, such as a global multiplier, sticky wilds or expandable symbols.

Lucky7Bonus imagines the perfect slot:

• A cat-themed slot machine with cozy music, colorful graphics and neat animations 

• A basic game with a dozen symbols, with spools of wool as multipliers, appearing from time to time, to trigger nice wins

• Suspenseful when scatters fall on the grid, the player would then have the choice between 3 different bonuses with a different setting and volatility. The 1st bonus would look like a Gate of Olympus with a global multiplier, the 2nd like Book of Dead with expandable symbols, the 3rd like The Dog House with Sticky Wilds

• The jackpot would be interesting, a very high multiplier like Push Gaming or Nolimit City slots

And you, how would you imagine the perfect slot machine?