The human mind never sleeps, sits, or stands still – that’s not how it was built. The reason requires constant evolution and stimulation from seeing and experiencing new things. Otherwise, it quickly grows bored, discouraged, and, ultimately, unhappy. Slot game developers are well aware of this phenomenon of the mind, so they do their utmost to keep slot players engaged. There’s no better way to achieve this than to keep freshening the slots with new themes. At the same time, different players subscribe to different tastes, so good casinos have to ensure a wide variety of themed games to cater to the divergent needs of their clientele.
The Original Slots
The evolution of slot themes from the time of old – at the time slot games were first invented – to the current sophistication seen on slot machines has been thrilling. Original slots can be described as themes on an ancient slot machine installed at a traditional brick-and-mortar casino or sometimes even out on the street. From a graphical point of view, original slot themes were simplistic. The symbols used would be basic 2D shapes like diamonds, spades, horseshoes, etc., sometimes black and white rather than colored. This, nonetheless, did not hinder the players of the time from being able to enjoy the games, spending hours and hours at the slot machines. Original slot machines include the Gaming Machine of Sittman and Pitt (1891), The Liberty Bell (1895), and Cleopatra.
Fruit Slot Game Themes
In the 1900s, slot machines took on delicious fruit themes. Think of all the savory fruits around – plums, oranges, cherries, lemons, bells, etc. – these were the graphical symbols players would be trying to line up to score prizes. And what prizes were these? If the player lined up three oranges, they would get a delicious orange-flavored chewing gum! It’s no wonder, then, that the slot machines of the time were referred to as fruit machines. Nowadays, slot games are a highly commercial affair, played almost exclusively for cash prizes, but back then, they provided harmless, fruity fun to people of all ages – including children.
Modern Times – Ancient Legends, Sci-Fi Themes & More
In the late 20th century, thanks to advancements in technology (such as color printing and the use of computers), slot themes took an exciting turn. Culture had also evolved by this time, with widespread media – such as movies, music, TV, magazines, etc. – providing plenty of new content around which slot themes could be created. One also can’t overlook the fact that slot games were commercialized correctly during this time, and this would, of course, provide plenty of incentive to casinos and developers to come up with the most enthralling themes to keep gamblers locked. One of the popular themes of the time – even up to today – is ancient legends. Koi Princess, Medusa, Age of the Gods, Dracula, and Aladdin are some mythical figures that would appear on machine slot reels. Sci-Fi slot themes included:
- Mad Scientist
- Transformers
- Perfect Planet
- Supernova
- Space Wars
- The Final Countdown
- Star Trek, etc.
Sci-fi and ancient legends are far from the only themes one might catch on a modern slot machine or online slots. Others include Fantasy, Oriental, Vikings, TV Shows, Celebrity and many more.
