Today our meetings continued as we explored more of what was on offer on the Global Gaming Expo floor. Additional trends jumped out at me during the day’s reviews.
New Twists on Familiar Formats
While it’s standard to see new takes on existing ideas, the creativity felt a bit fresher this time out. The biggest thing we saw was new takes on the multiple prize tier format that games like Huff N’ Puff and Monopoly Express have popularized, where you have different colored prize tiers that can yield different levels of prize ranges.
IGT showed a game where that model met a hold and spin (where landing another symbol reset the counter), while IT showcased a game that blended that concept with a Frankenstein-like board of prizes that can be upgraded..
Cash Collect, popularized by the Mo Mummy series, continued to deliver some new takes within a format that clearly attracts players. Ainsworth showcased a game that had some new types of upgrades such as one that take away one of the needed gems for a given level.
Nested bonuses (Brian Christopher calls these a bonus in a bonus) also continued to show some new evolutions. Ainsworth skipped a separate progressive jackpot altogether on multiple games, making the Major the top prize and giving players something a bit more accesible to swing for in the process.
New Formats Were On Display Too
While we saw a lot of elements that borrowed from the familiar, we also saw some new efforts worth noting too. IGT broke form for Wheel of Fortune Sunny Money, as it wasn’t directly inspired by one of their other popular math models but instead did something new and different. A hold and spin model is the core, but the Wheel of Fortune wheel can be activated by filling reels with balls (opening them up for more in the process) and some additional upgrades along the way, both for the prizes and the wheel.
Ainsworth showcased a new Thunder Cash game that breaks tradition from the past, but offers some serious potential, keeping in line with the name sake’s volatility profile. Instant prize collection is available, and a 10 spin round with multipliers can also be triggered, offering a potent free spins format.
Random Bonus Triggering
We’re seeing more games that can trigger a bonus randomly with one symbol (and oftentimes guarantee it with three). Pinball, a popular IGT format, is one of the latest to see such a scenrio – a five-reel version comingup will see three Pinball symbols on the reels, with all three automatically activating the bonus, but with even one triggering a random bonus. Random bonuses can deliver 1, 2 or 5 shots, adding an additional layer of anticipation.
The aforementioned Wheel of Fortune Sunny Money can trigger a bonus with any one bonus symbol, but can automatically trigger with three. This is a fun update that adds additional suspense even when you don’t get all three bonus symbols.
