Slots and Arcade Games...A shared history

Slot machines and arcade games share a rich history in which the two seemingly different types of games have become intertwined with one another. In their game play, design, themes, and even branding, slots and arcade games have a lot in common.

While it was Charles Fey who invented a basic version of the slots machine back in 1887, it is Bally Technologies who has become the ultimate bricks and mortar slots brand. Back in 1968, 94% of all slot machines sold in Nevada were Bally Technologies branded, and this figure has not changed much since.

Bally, along with other slots companies, is looking to target a wider gaming audience and has realized, in the words of Rob Bone, marketing director for WMS Gaming, "[they] can’t just make slots thinking about the 55-year-old lady who comes to the casino a few times a month." Slots companies have realized that there is a younger market, specifically those aged 21-40, who will not play slots because they find them tedious. And their solution? Create slots that are more like arcade games. In 2007 Bally announced the launch of slot games based on Pong and Breakout – the hit arcade games from the 1970’s created by Atari. This launch could also be seen as a return to Bally’s video gaming roots, as Bally is the creator of the 1978 megahit Space Invaders -- one of the most popular video games of all time.

While bricks and mortar slots companies may just be venturing into this territory, creators of online slots have been slowly integrating all the best elements of arcade game fun into their prize-winning slots for awhile now. Online casino software company Cryptologic has developed video slots that feature themes and characters that you would find in an old arcade. While Street Fighter was a huge success in the arcade, this has now been equaled in the casino, where gamers who grew up with the likes of Ryu can now thrash their opponents during slots bonus rounds and win prizes as the reels spin.

And it's not just the look of the slots games that is changing; the actual gameplay of online slots is now beginning to mirror that of arcade games in an attempt to attract a younger audience. For example, Rival’s ‘As the Reels Turn’ slots now feature thrilling bonus rounds that imitate the gameplay found in arcade games. In fact, many online slots now resemble a video game far more than a traditional slot machine.

Online slots are quickly becoming popular with gamers who loved and continue to love arcade games, but are looking to have a different type of fun and win prizes. With many great games available, like Marvel Hero Slots, featuring the likes of X-Men, Spider-Man and The Hulk, as well as a whole host of other expansive slots, it appears that this is just the beginning of online slot developers looking to the success and popularity of arcade games in an attempt to create more enthralling and entertaining slot games.