Online slot gaming is rather different from traditional video games in that video games can win over fans with a story and the gameplay style even if graphics and animation are lacking. You only need to look as far as the global phenomenon Minecraft to see that animation doesn’t have to be a standout feature in video games
In slot gaming, however, with the physical gameplay very much the same across the board – pressing spin to play – and not as much opportunity to guide players through a story, animation takes precedent as a key component to the experience.
There are shiny brand new slot games released every week to add to the increasingly competitive and expansive pool of games. But the games that manage to stick around are the ones that boast innovative animations alongside rewarding gameplay mechanics. The right use of exciting animations makes the game memorable. Online slot developers know this, so the most innovative creators have been hard at work to make animations that are both enticing from the start but also add a new level of enjoyment to the gameplay experience. These are the games that boast some of the most innovative uses of animation across the gaming platform, making them much more memorable and enjoyable than your run of the mill fruity.
Laser Fruit
Many of the new developers on the block have barged their way to the top of the rankings by using incredible animations in the pursuit of making the most thrilling games possible. Red Tiger Gaming is one such developer, and they love to experiment with their animations and special features. The one which managed to grab all of the headlines last year, though, was Laser Fruit.
A mere month before winning the prestigious RNG Casino Supplier and Mobile Supplier of the year awards at the 2018 EGR B2B Awards, Red Tiger unleashed their multi-million payline slot. Starting with 243 paylines, Laser Fruit can expand through its free spins feature to boast up to 60,466,176 ways to win.
While it’s all well and good unlocking more and more paylines, it’s the neon-fuelled flashes of animation which make the huge potential of the slot even more exhilarating as each new block appears. In the free spins feature, whenever nudge arrows appear on any symbol, the row or column is expanded by one place in that direction. The animation features wild zaps to keep the game high-tempo as it causes adrenaline to course through players’ veins.
Dead or Alive 2
If there’s one online slot game that the audience has been clamouring to see a sequel to, it’s Dead or Alive. So, a lot was riding on Dead or Alive II when it was announced. Luckily for the developers, Dead or Alive II proved to be a smash hit, even more so than its predecessor, with NetEnt’s director of games, Bryan Upton, citing its lofty ranking on SlotCatalog as a strong indicator of the game’s success.
SlotCatalog has become the go-to website for slot gamers to find the most popular games as well as information about RTP, variance, jackpots, and everything else that has seldom been revealed in the past. As the page shows, the majority of top-ranking games tend to boast intriguing or innovative animation. So, if the algorithms at SlotCatalog see Dead or Alive II as a high-ranking game, it’s certainly an achievement. Even now, as can be seen with its latest ranking, the cowboy game is held in high regard.
While its RTP and variance help it to remain popular, the animation is also very well used to captivate its audience with the thrills of the Old West. Each of its three special features boasts innovative animations to pump up the excitement, but during the Train Heist, pulling in characters and seeing their symbols bulge and boost the multiplier makes the experience even more satisfying and enticing.
Book of Dead
Book of Dead is one of the most popular slot games in the world and has been able to hold onto its lofty standing for many years. The slot game follows quite an exciting story with Rich Wilde – a well-known character across many Play’n Go games – venturing deep into an ancient Egyptian pyramid.
It is within the walls of the tomb that players find the slot game laden with iconic images of the time, including the Book of Dead. When three of these symbols land on the reels, the paylines gradually start to tick in the wins before combining all of the Book of Dead symbols into the centre with a flash. Then, the book opens, revealing how many free spins the player has won. The suspense built by the gradual win confirmations as well as the pages of the book opening ramps up the excitement, making a game with plenty of win potential even more titillating.
Animation is a vital tool for slot game developers. When game designers make use of innovative animations to drum in the excitement, players appreciate the game much more and want to continue to play.
