The Art of Games Slots

Slots Worth Playing

It used to be the case that fruit machines (aka IRL slots) required not only luck but also a modicum of skill. At least that was the perception that players got from spinning the reels, mashing buttons and feverishly hitting hold. Then video slots took over and somewhere along the way the skill element was dissolved. Now The Art of Games are on a mission to change all that; to make slots great again, if you like. It’s not that their 5-reel efforts are revolutionary. Indeed, most of their titles, while attractive, don’t look anything out of the ordinary.

What is different – albeit not quite unique – is the fact that the Dutch developers’ bonus games involve true skill. It may not sound like much, but when you’ve been spinning reels for God knows how long only to finally access the bonus game and lose at the first hurdle, it’s encouraging to know there’s a better way.

While the RTP offered by The Art of Games’ slots will ultimately be no different from that of its competitors, such as Bally slots, or AGS slots, it’s reassuring to know that the skill element of playing slots has been reinstated on a small but not inconsequential scale.

Reels of Fun

For as long as casinos populate the web, it seems likely that slots will feature left right and centre. The team behind The Art of Games appreciate the rich history of slots and it’s one they’re eager to perpetuate as they draw their inspiration from the classic games of yore.

The firm offers both 3 and 5-reel slots, the former operating on anywhere from 1 to 5 paylines. While the gameplay with the 3-reel slots isn’t as immersive, it’s highly entertaining nonetheless and for sheer nostalgia and old-skool feels, The Art of Games’ 3-reel slots are hard to fault.

The 5-reel slots naturally cram in a lot more features, bonuses and paylines – up to 30 in all. There’s typically more at stake in these games, with the ability to set some pretty high maximum bets, but the potential returns are higher still.

The Art of Games’ 5-reel slots are crammed with wild, scatter and bonus symbols, with titles including Stars n’ Stripes and Hard Cash. The Dutch team also have a category devoted solely to fruit slots, a genre they reserve a lot of affection for.

Fruit slots may seem derivative, but they mine a rich gambling heritage, one that can be traced back to the very first slots which were released in the early 20th century. For those who are partial to cherries, lemons and grapes, The Art of Games’ fruit slots present an authentic take on a much-loved genre.

Table Games

It’s harder to innovate with table games; a blackjack table is a blackjack table is a blackjack table. That’s not to say all table games are created equal however. Subtle differences in the sound effects, graphics and animations can make a big difference to how the game is perceived by players.

The Art of Games have lavished a lot of detail on their table games, and are proud of the highly customisable options they can provide. Operators are at liberty to be as pernickety as they like here, specifying everything from the colour of the felt to the style of the card decks that are used. User interface; chip set; logo – you name it, The Art of Games can customise it to suit the demands of the client it’s destined for.

Video Poker

Most slots developers end up making a foray into video poker at some point. For some reason, however, many of the video poker builds to be found on the web look atrocious, even if the gameplay works just fine. You’d think it wouldn’t be hard to represent a deck of cards in a lifelike manner, but for whatever reason it’s a challenge that many software developers seem to struggle with. That or poker players are less demanding than slots players and are less fussed by graphics. Either way, it’s pleasing to see The Art of Games bucking the trend and coming up with video poker titles that look awesome.

Scratch Games

Scratch games – based on scratch cards that require players to reveal 3 matching symbols – are easy to develop. Any gaming company worth their salt should have no trouble rustling up a scratch game at short notice. Not all companies are capable of devising games whose graphics and sound are up to par however.

Design is one area where The Art of Games never seem to struggle and their scratch games are little beauties. As a case in point, check out Heart Attack with its morbid theme, foreboding music and mandate to match 4 beating hearts. Other scratch titles from the Dutch software company include Scratch Match, Silver Star and Candy Coins.

The Art of Games aren’t one of the better known games developers, but the quality of their work suggests they’re destined for greater things. They’re not reinventing the wheel but what they are doing is coming up with consistently feature-rich and rewarding games that look sublime. Skill-based bonus features are just one way in which the company has stamped its mark on its releases and shown that it’s not afraid to innovate.

Throw in a vast array of customisable options coupled with detailed analytics and it would fair to say that The Art of Games aren’t just rooting for the players – they’re rooting for the casino operators too. As the company have repeatedly shown, it’s possible to please both of these groups, with their seemingly opposing aims, increasing the entertainment factor while also boosting player retention and revenue at their client sites, which includes many online casinos that welcome Bitcoin payments.