As with video games, developers of casino games can have a certain way of doing things. More aptly, they may have a signature style, a calling card that lets you know a specific developing team is behind the game. Playtech, for example, seems to love creating slots that tie into popular action movies, with everything from Robocop to Justice League getting the casino game treatment. Playtech makes other titles, of course, but if you see a game based on a popular movie there is a fair chance that Playtech is behind it.
In a similar vein, we have NetEnt, one of the biggest names in casino games, which focuses mainly on slots and live dealer software. NetEnt has often ignored the trend of shoe-horning in movies and tv shows into its slots. They have some ‘branded’ titles, such as Jimi Hendrix or South Park, but when players think of the vast library of NetEnt games, they think of innovative gameplay achieved without a reliance on cross-over branding.
NetEnt changed rules around some slots
In a way, NetEnt resembles Nintendo, in the sense that there is something unique about its games, traits not shared with the other big-name developers. For a start, NetEnt has effectively written the book on slots that do not follow the standard script, especially when it comes to ways to win, such as with its trademarked Cluster Pays and Avalanche Feature.
But there is also a focus on animation that recalls Nintendo, a push towards softer colour schemes that would fit in with the worlds of Mario or Pokémon. It’s almost as if NetEnt wants to make many of its slots cute, using mascots to guide players through the games, as evidenced with Gonzo’s Quest or The Legend of Shangri-La.
Games given prominence on casino sites
The bottom line, however, is that NetEnt’s business model has worked. In almost every online casino that has NetEnt games (the vast majority do), there is often at least one of its classic titles given prominence as the casino’s signature game. Indeed, online casinos will often use titles like Starburst or Gonzo’s Quest to offer free spins as part of their welcome bonus for new players. If you want to find out how that all works, check out the guide to the top casino bonuses from ReadySlotsGo.co.uk for more info.
NetEnt – like Nintendo – isn’t perfect. The pros that we have mentioned, such as gameplay, innovative ways to win and cool animations, are joined by other positive characteristics, like high RTP (Return to Player, a rate that is effectively like house-edge) and availability of low volatility games. However, one (slight) criticism levelled at the company could be the fact that NetEnt games don’t offer the same level of mega jackpot games in the same manner as rivals like Playtech. There are some, to be sure, such as Mega Fortune, which boasts one of the biggest jackpots around. But there is nothing on the same level as, say, the interconnected jackpots offered by Playtech’s Age of the Gods Series.
In the end though, it’s all a matter of taste. While some gamers will prefer PlayStation and Xbox, there is still room in the market for Nintendo. While it would do a disservice to NetEnt to suggest that all its games are cute and colourful, it nevertheless has carved itself a niche in the market and, at the same time, released some of the most popular slots of the last couple of decades. One of the best – and most unique – developers around.
You must be logged in to post a comment.