Attending G2E is one of my career highlights any given year. I appreciate being able to take a break from my daily life and head back to Vegas to catch up with friends, check out that latest innovations in the field, and, of course, check out what slot machines are coming down the pipeline next.
I am as much a player as I am an operator, meaning checking out the games is always a top priority at the annual conference. With so many games to see and manufacturers to visit, I made sure to jot down my favorites from the week to share with you!
Read on below to see which slots from some of the top manufacturers from across the gaming industry caught my eye. To avoid playing the favorites of the favorites, the list is in alphabetical order.
Ainsworth
The Ainsworth booth introduced me to my favorite game of the entire expo. Shrine of The Guardian Anubis features an adorable dog and tons of bonus action for you to enjoy. I am a huge dog lover, especially of large breeds like the crew I have at home, so as soon as I saw the title, I was locked in.
The titular character of this Ainsworth creation is a cute, egyptian style dog that is incredibly expressive and just downright adorable. I was delighted to see that the game designers made it a point to make the Anubis dog react when you touch him on the top of the cabinet. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again- it is one of my pet peeves when featured characters do not react when you touch them. In Shrine of The Guardian Anubis, when you tap on him, he will react and offer up a variety of cute animations.
Additional animations are on full display during any one of the bonus games. Anubis is eager to help you win as much as possible, ready to zap credits, flood the reels with prizes, and/or expand your playing area.
Aristocrat Gaming
I have been a big fan of the Spooky Link series by Aristocrat Gaming since they first hit the scene a few years back. This year, I was delighted to see that the series is going to be expanded once again with “So Scary” featuring a vampire, “Wo Wolfie” featuring a werewolf, and “Mo Magic” which features a witch.
While I feel a little offended that they gave the witch red hair, I welcome the additions to the series and was actually surprised to find all three already out on the floor at The Plaza Hotel & Casino, where I was staying for one night after the conference. The game plays very similarly to “Go Ghost,” “Mo Mummy,” and “Yo Yeti,” something that I find comforting as opposed to learning a whole new structure. I took Wo Wolfie for a spin on a $5 (real) bet and was delighted to get a shaky shaky that turned my $5 into something north of $500. We know results are never guaranteed, but it doesn’t hurt when I get a big win on a new title.
Bluberi
We’ve talked about it throughout our coverage of this year’s G2E- one of the biggest trends we saw going from booth to booth was a resurgence of all things “spooky.” One of the spooky titles that caught my eye was Bluberi’s Monster Manor Blue Moon.
This is one of the games that we were able to demo, and let’s just say the game brings all the haunted action. Monster Manor Blue Moon not only features a cast of spooky characters but a gorgeous gothic feel overall, complete with a featured stone window that plays a pivotal part of the plot (Monster Jackpot Spin) if you are lucky enough to unlock it during one of the bonus games. If like a haunted theme that leans into spooky characters while offering up delicious bonus action, be sure to try it out when it lands on your casino’s floor.
Eclipse Gaming Systems
Eclipse Gaming Systems has really gone all in, or should I say “bananas,” over their Banana Bash series. At G2E this year, the team was showing off the second title in the series, “Banana Bash Sunrise Stacks.” In this game, the main character is headed off for vacation and ready to enjoy some tasty treats. Banana Bash Sunrise Stacks features four different feature options, compared to the three in Banana Bash, that can be combined into a one action packed bonus offering.
Gaming Arts
The surprise of the week game from Gaming Arts. While I never know what slots will be headed to the expo, I was not expecting to run into a blast from the past. Growing up, I loved watching The Jetsons. To my delight, I was shocked to see Gaming Arts bringing a reimagined Jetsons slot to casinos.
The nostalgic subject matter is complemented by a beautiful cabinet and graphics. I enjoyed seeing familiar characters including Rosie the robot maid featured as the wild. I really like the animation that Rosie does when she is included in a paying line as well.
Of course, we were able to take a look at the demo bonus and it was amazing! The music of the show has been (respectfully) sliced up to match what is happening in the feature. When various characters are dropped off by their floating car, you will hear the familiar theme voice sing lines like “meet George Jetson” and “his boy Elroy.”
IGT
Wheel of Fortune Sunny Money is a new addition to the deep catalog of IGT slots that the iconic TV show has lent its name to. I was drawn to this title because I have always had a soft spot for the Wheel of Fortune games…. Ok, maybe not the 4D cabinet.
In addition to the familiarity of the title, I also really like the bright graphics of Wheel of Fortune Sunny Money. While taking a tour of the booth during the week, one of the game designers shared a little bit of the back story of the title.The idea was that the prize wedges you see on the gameshow deserved a tropical vacation of their own, including sun, sand, and pool floaties. Unlike other Wheel of Fortune games, Wheel of Fortune Sunny Money embraces more of a colorful cartoon vibe that makes it stand out on the floor.
The title includes three different accumulators above the reels that can be combined into a giant sized feature. Keep an eye out for this game on a casino floor near you, and hope for a triple pop!
Incredible Technologies
When I am hunting for new favorite games to play, something I look for is cute characters. I play slots for fun and like to look at things that bring me joy. One game that we found in the Incredible Technologies booth brought the fun and cute animals- my ideal combination.
In “Happy Cats,” you have the chance to trigger a bonus represented by the cats at the top of your reel set. Each cat has their own name and their own twist that they can bring to a feature. I really enjoyed the playful nature of Happy Cats and was particularly drawn to the cat named “Bill” while the others were named “Whiskers,” “Muffin,” and “Mittens.”
During our visit, I learned that Bill was actually named in homage to a game designer that recently retired. I greatly enjoyed that fun fact. I like when teams and their company can come together to celebrate someone that clearly had an impact. Way to go, Bill the Happy Cat!
Interblock Gaming
Interblock Gaming is hands down one of my favorite stops of the convention every year. Their team is welcoming and the booth feels more like an exclusive party, complete with freebie swag, than a traditional convention booth.
When it comes to the games, there is always something to explore and new games to demo. This year, I locked in on a few including “Frog Treasure.” In Frog Treasure, you play as a cute little frog trying to hop your way along lilypads.
The journey along lilypads may sound like a good idea at first, but if you take a look at the dice that you will use to dictate your hops, you’ll notice three issues. These issues are predators, a snake, bird, and fish, and that will stop your journey if they appear. If you are able to dodge the predators, your initial bet can grow depending on which lilypad you land on. The options include 1.1X, 1.2X, 1.3X, 1.4X, 1.5X, and 2X. If you have had enough hopping, you can elect to cash out after capturing some lilypads!
This is kind of like a cute take on the “crash games” that have begun to surface. Instead of crashing, the predators gobble you up.
Konami Gaming
After a week of seeing A LOT of new games featuring an entire new roster of characters, it is incredibly refreshing to see a familiar face. In this case, I am talking about my favorite game from the Konami Gaming booth- Bull Blitz Rampage.
The OG Bull Blitz is one of my favorite games to play at the casino. I love how easy it is to understand, the wide variety of bets available, and the more than satisfying “bull blitz” that rings out during the bonus feature. We were busy demoing other games in the Konami booth so I am unsure exactly what the new game brings to the table, but I am willing to bet it will be great.
So much so that at the end of our visit, I declared the game my favorite from the booth during a filming session that the manufacturer was holding at the end of our tour.
Light & Wonder
I have a confession to make, I have never seen “The Gremlins.” I know, I know, it is one that I would probably like – it is on my list. Even though I have not seen the popular movie, this doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the subject matter. In this case, the subject matter is a group of adorable, yet mischievous, hamster like Gremlins.
As soon as I saw the game with the cute little critters at the Light & Wonder booth, I meandered over to give it some spins. Within a couple spins, the various Germlins started offering up various bonus features and mini activations. I absolutely loved the one that was connecting wires together until he got zapped. After watching the gremlins create some magical wins, I think I will both make it a point to watch the movie and play the title when it hits casino floors.
