We’re looking at the most popular slot machine themes. Maybe you can extract a new narrative or angle amongst a popular theme for your own slot machine. Maybe you simply want to see what you’re missing out on as a player elsewhere or you’re looking for something new. We’re studying the most popular slot machine themes for some insights into the industry.
Aladdin
The Aladdin slot machine theme doesn’t have to necessarily mean Aladdin in itself, but more the aesthetic and atmosphere, the setting and the characters. You can get the 1,001 Nights stories in an Aladdin-themed slot machine, the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in an Aladdin-themed slot machine, and even generic stories of sultans and sorcerers. The Aladdin theme allows slot developers to delve into themes of gold in the sand, of nobly finding your fortune or having your wishes granted.
Chinese
We’re quickly going to find, going through these slot machine themes, that there is a theme of gaining riches running through them. For the sake of not getting things wrong culturally, Chinese-themed slots tend to be put under “Asian” but you can tell the distinction between the other popular theme there: Japanese. The traditional Chinese slot machines are fiery red and gold with dragons and temples in the graphics, whereas the Japanese-themed slots stick to pastels and cherry blossoms. But the reason the Chinese theme is so popular is that it has inherent luck to it, whereas other Asian cultures don’t. Luck and fortune are baked into the stereotype, which makes for a great combination in gambling, and might well be why Chinese culture is so integral to gambling too.
Egyptian
The Egyptian theme might be obvious when first glancing at it. The royal family, the luxury, and the presence of gold everywhere definitely make it an appealing choice for a slot machine. And that’s all without mentioning the interest western culture has in the ancient Egyptians, from being the sole wonder of the world left to the mythological status of people like Cleopatra. But there is an additional character who shows up often in the Egyptian category: Indiana Jones. A lot of these slots place you as the famous archaeologist daring to enter Pharaoh’s tomb for your riches.
Fruit
The fruit machines, unlike most of the other themes on this list, aren’t playing into your love of prizes, but your nostalgia. Sometimes they are the same concept with upgraded graphics, but the older games with their shoddier graphics can actually play in their favour. The player is really trying to relive some time in the real-world casino rather than focus on what they physically get out of it. There are lots of fruit slot machines to try out there. Visit 10Bet (https://www.10bet.co.za) for a chance to play this theme.
Fantasy
Fantasy, on the other hand, can cover a lot of different worlds and circumstances. It can be a catch-all term for everything from Greek gods to more obscure myths like giants and sirens. But when you think fantasy, you think Lord of the Rings. You think of elves, fairies, orcs, and things that are hiding in the woods, making for a more rustic world to gain your riches in. The narrative instead follows that the riches are hidden and you and a few magical friends can find it if you look hard enough.
Horror
Again, we’ve got a catch-all term here. If something simply seems dark, either in its graphics or narrative, it comes here. Vampires, werewolves, Ghostbusters: they’re all found in the horror category. However, this also means that this is the most creative category where you don’t have the problem of looking at the games and deciding they’re all basically the same. There are zombies, there are fun takes on spooky scenes, there are Freddy Krueger games, there are romances in dark situations, there are ancient myths brought to life, and there are allusions to Day of the Dead: no two games will give you the same experience.
Irish
The Irish theme takes the love the world has for St Paddy’s Day and dials it up to 11. Leprechauns are plentiful in this theme, as are shamrocks for luck, and pots of gold at the end of rainbows. There isn’t too much variation in the narrative here. You spin to reach the end of the rainbow and gain that pot of gold with the help of your new leprechaun friend. Not a theme to pursue if green isn’t your favourite colour.