THE TOP 10
My annual subjective ranking of the best slot games launched at the big trade show
By Frank Legato
As you may have seen, for the October issue of our sister publication Strictly Slots, I wrote an objective piece on the slot games that were launched at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the casino industry’s primary annual trade show. Because I’ve been writing about slot machines for 40 years, many people consider me an expert on the subject, and consequently, every year, several people ask me what my favorite games were among those introduced at the trade show.
That’s why, every year, I note my favorites from the show in a very subjective article, my personal “Top 10” among the games displayed at the show. Mind you, this ranking is my personal opinion as someone who has seen all the games over four decades. It doesn’t mean they’re better, or will make more money than other slot games out there. Additionally, after my choice for the best of the show, the other nine are pretty much interchangeable.
So here are my picks for the Top 10 slots coming to a casino near you in the coming months.
Dracula, Light & Wonder
A few years ago, Light & Wonder launched the first game in what it calls the “Universal Monster Series,” the magnificent Frankenstein. We’ve been waiting eagerly for the next game in the series, and it finally came this year. Dracula gets my vote for the “best of show” at G2E.
As with Frankenstein, the graphics and animation on Dracula are beautiful. Because the Universal Monster series portrays the monsters as seen in the original Universal films, this features the vampire as portrayed by Bela Lugosi. Featured on the large-format Mural and Cosmic cabinets, the game uses the large monitors to great effect in screen-wide animation.
Lugosi-as-Dracula nods menacingly at the player to initiate enhancements to a bonus wheel to add jackpot slices and additional wheel spins. The bonus wheel is initiated by a wheel symbol plus one, two or three Dracula “heads”—the number of heads determines the number of spins on the wheel.
Merging Fu Pots, Zitro
Zitro is a Spain-based slot manufacturer that recently began developing games for the U.S. market. This one, a follow-up to last year’s popular Fu Pots, adds a feature that I’m guessing is going to be much copied by other suppliers. There are three standard collection “pots,” each of which adds a particular enhancement to a hold-and-spin feature. However, for an ante wager of 25 credits per spin, the three collection pots are merged into one, meaning that every time the hold-and-spin feature is triggered, the feature is guaranteed to have all three pot enhancements.
The enhancements are multipliers on the cash-on-reels symbols— an extra spin to continue the feature after three spins without a coin symbol, and a Double feature, which expands the screen to two independent reel sets for the hold-and-spin feature. With the extra bet to merge the pots, all hold-and-spin rounds are played out on two independent reel sets.
Wheel of Fortune Cash Link, IGT
You’ve got to experience this latest grand version of IGT’s storied game franchise. It is presented on the Wheel of Fortune Trio, a 12- foot display featuring three cabinets in front of a giant wheel, filled with credits, multipliers and jackpots—including the top life-changing progressive. It
is ringed by five arrows indicating paying slices. There is a two-pot collection feature, one triggering free games and the other triggering a “Big Money” feature linked to spinning the big wheel, for as many as five prizes marked by the pointers.
Wizard of Oz: I’ll Get You My Pretty, Light & Wonder
Players have flocked to every new version of this game family based on the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. This new version stands up unashamedly to the best the series has ever offered. Featured on the two large-format L&W cabinets, it uses typically compelling animation to convey a darker theme than others in the series, with the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West providing a spooky screen backdrop. Flying orbs on the screen land as cash-on-reels symbols. During the hold-and- spin bonus, orbs progress toward unlocking mini-bonuses related to the film’s four main characters.
Neon’s Bonus Blast, Ainsworth Game Technology
This is a highly entertaining three-title game family that uses funny animation in an alien spacecraft theme. The collection pots are fuel pods in the spacecraft, which burst to trigger an enhanced free-game feature. There is also a friendly robot named “DB7” that expands the reels up to six rows high for one 60-line spin.
At the center of it all is “Neon,” a little green alien who lands in the center reel in the primary game to award all cash-on-reels credits on the screen. In the free games, Neon is parked in the center, so cash-on-reels symbols pay off on every spin.
House of the Dragon, Aristocrat Gaming
Aristocrat’s game series based on the Game of Thrones HBO fantasy drama series was one of the supplier’s biggest hit franchises of recent years. House of the Dragon, begun in 2022, is the prequel to Game of Thrones, set 200 years before the events depicted in the first series.
Featured on the large-format King Max cabinet, House of the Dragon is anticipated to be released this winter. As with the Game of Thrones slot series, Aristocrat has collaborated with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment to build out the House of the Dragon franchise with games based on chapters of the show. Like the Game of Thrones game, the fantasy theme is captured with brilliant artwork and animation.
Lucky 6 Bonus, Bluberi
Everyone loves a bonus within a bonus. This features a special symbol during a hold-and-spin round that opens up a separate six-chamber display. During the course of the hold-and-spin event, if coins fill up all six chambers, it triggers the extra “Lucky 6 Progressive.” This all happens to the backdrop of a song Bluberi licensed for the bonus—ZZ Top’s “La Grange.” Great stuff.
Cash Machine Lock, Everi
This mechanical reel-spinner is a sequel to one of our favorite games, Cash Machine. It applies a true-persistence feature to the familiar “what- you-see- is-what-you-get” win mechanic. As with the original, reel results spell out the awards in numbers, with 10-0-00 triggering the top $10,000 prize. On this version, when “0” or “00” lands on the third reel, the reel locks in place for subsequent spins, remaining in place until the next winning combination, which is usually a big one.
Piggy Prizes: Wand of Witches, Novomatic
This game has a great pot-collection feature, with its two “pig pots” (“pop a pig to win six free games”), and a central mustachioed character resembling Snidely Whiplash that awards all cash-on-reels symbols when it lands in the center reel spot (it remains in place on the free games). But the real appeal of this game is the cabinet—the V.I.P. Galaxy.
“Cabinet” is not really the right word to describe the hardware. “Living room” may be more appropriate. The V.I.P. Galaxy is basically a leather recliner in front of a flat-screen TV disguised as a monitor. There’s a button to recline the seat, and another to raise the foot rest to full- relaxation mode. There are dual bash buttons at the player’s fingertips, right next to the drink holders. It is quite possibly the most comfortable slot hardware ever manufactured.
5 Card Plus 2 Poker, IGT
IGT launched a collection of new specialty video poker games at G2E, including a great Wheel of Fortune Poker that uses dealt wins to trigger letters on the TV show’s famous word puzzle. However, my favorite video poker entry is 5 Card Plus 2. There is a five-card pay table and a seven-card pay table. With an extra five-credit bet made per hand, every winning hand has a one-in-three chance of adding two extra cards to pay off on the seven-card table as well. If you love seven-card stud as well as draw poker (I do), don’t miss this one.
