Fantasy is a genre that has finally broken through to the mainstream. For decades, fantasy novels and adaptations weren’t taken seriously – they were frequently seen as something for children or adults who refused to grow up. The wider population has at last figured out what fans of the genre have always known: adding a bit of magic, swordplay or dragons to a plot doesn’t make it juvenile, it just makes the story more interesting.
The recent television adaptations of The Witcher and The Wheel of Time series have shown just how big the audience for fantasy content is. Other industries have realized this and have begun to create more content that caters to this audience.
Online casinos are among those industries. Online casinos such as SkyCity offer a wide range of games to appeal to fantasy fans. Looking through a list of their newest games shows that this trend is growing, giving fans more games than ever to enjoy – many of which are inspired by their favorite series.
Here are our top picks for the best fantasy-themed slot games:
Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings slot machine is an obvious choice for inclusion on this list. Not only is the book series an enduring fantasy classic, the film adaptation played an essential role in making audiences take fantasy seriously. It has created iconic characters that helped make the careers of actors like Andy Serkis. The Lord of the Rings slot machine game is based on the first book and movie in the series – The Fellowship of the Ring.
The game is licensed, so the characters closely resemble those in the films. Other symbols include the One Ring and even the traditional playing card symbols include the Elven Rings of Power and Sting the sword. One of the unique features of the game is that different bonus rounds are triggered depending on how far the player has “journeyed”. This makes the game more immersive than the usual slot game.
Thunderstruck II
While the name might make you think of AC/DC’s hit song, this game is actually Viking-themed. Fans of the genre should recognize this game as the sequel to Thunderstruck. This sequel takes everything that was great about the original and improves upon it – there are better graphics, more special features and free spins.
This is a five-reel, three-row slot that has four free spin options, each one with bonuses inspired by a Norse god. The Odin option, for example, has a Wild Raven feature. The Wildstorm bonus feature sees Thor, god of thunder, appear on screen and send all the reels wild.
Thunderstruck II is a great game for anyone who loved The Avengers movies but wishes they had spent more time in Asgard and less time battling in New York.
Finn and the Swirly Spin
Fantasy doesn’t always have to be intense and serious. Finn and the Swirly Spin is a game that embraces the playful side of folklore and fantasy. It is also one of the most innovative games we’ve seen in a long time. Finn is a playful leprechaun who plays his pipe and summons the symbols on the standing stone where the reels are placed.
What makes this game so pioneering, however, is that there aren’t exactly reels and rows. The name gives a hint about the game play. Instead of spinning in the traditional manner, the symbols swirl around the board in a spiral pattern.
If you’re looking for a game that breaks the traditional slot machine game mold, then this is the one for you. It also has an RTP of 96.61%, which just adds to the appeal.
Rise of Merlin
Merlin is a popular character in fantasy and in slot machine games. The mysterious wizard who guided a young King Arthur to power has appeared in numerous retellings of the legend, and even some of his own origin story movies and series.
Rise of Merlin is the best of the Merlin-themed slots. Not only does it involve the titular wizard, there are also dragons. Other symbols include the owl of wisdom and the crystal ball. The crystal ball acts as both the wild symbol and the scatter symbol. You can also win extra bonuses when you trigger the ability to gaze into the crystal ball.
This is a high volatility game, so keep that in mind when playing – the wins will be less frequent but when they do happen, they will generally be magically big.