Photo by Aysha Begum on Unsplash

Retro

Throwback to the first IGT Slots Games

Photo by Aysha Begum on Unsplash

IGT may face stiff competition from other games developers for casinos and other commercial operators, out there to topple them from their throne, but they’re still industry leaders. Many operators have called on IGT casino software to help them run their casinos and serve their customers online and offline. The company have been making slots since the early 1980s and have established a solid reputation for themselves in the field. This post takes a look at some of their earlier slots and, by looking at some of their most recent slots, how they’ve progressed.

Cleopatra

Cleopatra was (and is) IGT’s flagship slot machine, and you’ll still see it in many brick-and-mortar casinos today. This ancient Egyptian themed slot is something of a classic and features queen Cleopatra as the Wild symbol in both the online and land-based versions. It’s a simple game to play and is arguably one of IGT’s most famous games.

It was only in 2004 that IGT ventured into the online space with the game, again to much success…. So much so that it released a sequel to the game which, likewise, entertained fans. The online slot offers 5 reels, 3 rows and 20 paylines. You can win free spins on the game, but ultimately, the game follows the old principle of “less is more”, so there are fewer bonus features on the game.

Wheel of Fortune

Another early IGT slot which has enjoyed massive international success was the “Wheel of Fortune” slot, a three-reeler based on the TV gameshow. Today, there are numerous variations of the slot. Some you can play online, but others — including the Extreme Spin, Double Diamond, Hollywood Edition and Triple Action Frenzy — require you to trek to the casinos to play. The game is tidily animated, featuring the same colors and looking almost as if the designers have lifted it straight from the set. It’s generous, too, and pays out regularly. Fans of the TV show will love it, even if the game doesn’t offer free spins.

Elvis

Perhaps the slots scene wouldn’t be complete without one dedicated to the king himself, Elvis Presley. The “Elvis the King” slot is an IGT-powered video slot from the days when the company was still finding its feet a little.  The game features a “Burning Love” Mystery Wild reels feature. This is triggered randomly and turns all one, two or three center reels fully wild, which has tremendous rewards. There’s a “Viva Las Vegas” Roaming Wild which gives you six free spins, and the Heartbreak Hotel Multipicker with Increasing Awards feature and you check in with 3, 4 or 5 hearts all intact i.e. unbroken. The soundtrack includes hits from three different decades of Elvis, keeping you entertained while you play.

A look at some of the new games from IGT

Games like the above come from further back in IGT’s trajectory, but the company has never stopped working on new games. Here are some of the new ones IGT has released from under its sleeve in 2020:

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

There was already a version of this based on this most excellent film with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as two slacker, metalhead cool dudes and best buds. The IGT one is bigger and better, however. The images are much improved and, just like some of IGT’s other games such as Wheel of Fortune, the company has kept the layout and general design of the game simple. There are 3 rows, 5 reels and 20 paylines, and the game rewards fans new and old with classic phrases from the awesome twosome when they land specific winning combo.

Cleopatra Gold

The original “Cleopatra” slot, to be honest, isn’t quite as clear as you’d imagine, despite its popularity. You’d have recognized the symbols as Egyptian, but you probably wouldn’t have recognized much else unless you were well-up on your Egyptian history. As a result, you might not have understood the value of the symbols, with the “Eye of Ra” being one of the lowest value symbols on the reels.

IGT have given the game a revamp, however, with “Cleopatra Gold”, and the graphics are simply gorgeous. They’re crisper and fresher, and they still manage to retain the hint of nostalgia that fans of the original may be seeking from the game when they play it. The symbols are clearer, and both the Cleopatra and the Cleopatra symbols act as wild symbols, replacing every symbol on the reels except the scatter. There’s also a new, “Golden Respin” feature which you can make the most of if three Cleopatra Gold symbols stack up 3 symbols high.

IGT have come a long way since its early days in the 1980s, and they’ve worked hard to establish a solid reputation as a games developer for casinos and other commercial operators. The company manages to create games that still have IGT’s classic touch but, at the same time, are also modern. It’s this winning formula, amongst other reasons, that has helped them to become the leader in their industry.