Online Casino Game Trends in 2021: Top Games to Play
Slots are usually at the forefront of swaying online casino trends every year. The games account for a significant percentage of gambling clubs’ portfolios, and free pokies additions are being made continuously from time to time. 2020 hasn’t been the best year due to the global pandemic, but it has seen the online slot realm advance to a new level of entertainment. Out of the many releases that have been made that year, here are some that embody 2021 casino trends perfectly:
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways
2020’s most notable trend has been the reimagination of popular slots with the Megaways engine by Big Time Gaming. Red Tiger gaming took the bait and recreated the iconic Gonzo’s Quest slot machine by NetEnt. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, which was released in July of 2020, follows in the theme footsteps of its predecessor with Gonzo the explorer seeking the treasures of El Dorado.
Visually, the pokie is a masterpiece that is similar to the original but carries upgraded details and animations. The playing grid is also bigger, having six reels with each one capable of displayed two to seven characters. Wins are awarded for up to six-of-a-kind combinations, and they are accompanied by several bonuses, which are;
- Up to 117,649 ways to win
- Cascading wins that continue until no more payout combinations are formed
- Avalanche multipliers that go as high as five times in the base game and fifteen times in the free spins
- Unbreakable wilds that do not exceed the grid even if they are used in a winning combination
- Free Fall bonus that awards nine free spins for three scatters or two scatters and one wild icon
- Earthquake bonus that activates randomly and eliminates all low-value characters leaving in the high-paying ones
Ice Joker
Play’n GO creates a match for its famous Fire Joker slot released in 2016, which is dubbed Ice Joker. The slot machine is a recent launch having been made available on 23rd October 2020. The game offers to cool down players with a smouldering ice joker looking to seduce players with a math model that is more solid than the one found in previous titles by the developer. The game still uses a classic five-reel grid with icy blue details sprinkled all around the playing grid.
The female ice joker plays the wild and only lands on the second through fourth reels. The snowflake, which plays the scatter, is also restricted to the first, third, and fifth columns. When three of these icons appear, they activate the star bonus of the game, which is the inters Wonder Wheel. This feature awards two to seven Ice Joker wilds and up to 51 free spins.
Reactoonz 2
Reactoonz Slot is a cult status title by Play’n GO, and the developer revives the goons in the Reactoonz 2 pokie. The sequel redefines the boundaries of slot development like its older brother, starting with a giant seven by seven playing grid. The look remains almost identical to that of the previous game, and its changes can mainly be seen in the bonus features. The incentives are still based on the enigmatic cosmic realm where the little alien cions hail from, and they are;
- Fluctometer
- Quantumeter
- Electric wilds
- Energoons
- Gargantoon
- Wild pair explosions
- Uncharged wilds
Age of the Gods: Glorious Griffin
Age of the Gods is the most popular slot series by Playtech, and Playtech Origins takes the mantle of adding new titles to it. Age of the Gods: Glorious Griffin is one of the latest additions which was released in May of 2020. The game is themed around the legendary Griffin creature of Greek mythology, and gamblers have the unique opportunity to fly to its next and explore the laid-out treasures. The pokie has a six by four playing grid with brightly coloured characters including helmets, shields, treasure chests, and precious gems. The glorious griffin appears as the most valuable character and pays up to 400 times the line bet. The pokie also has a free spins bonus that activates with three or more scatters.
Hotline 2
2020 has been the year of hot sequels as NetEnt pays fitting tribute to its famous pokie Hotline with a sequel. Hotline 2 online slot sees the crime-fighting detectives of sunny Miami reprise their seats in a hit car pursuit to catch criminals. The chase unfolds on five reels and 243 win ways. With activated features in play, the grid can expand to a 3x6x6x6x3 layout with 1944 ways to win. The game’s betting range lies between 0.30 and 150 credits that can be dropped in both free and real money versions.
Hotline 2 does not differ too much from the first slot with the bonus features, but they are restyled to work with slight alterations. The Hotline feature is reimagined to play out on the three middle reels rather than the game’s rows. With the Double and Triple Bet levels, players can turn the second and fourth reels into Hotlines, and the third reel is a Hotline by default.
Money Train 2
Money Train 2 Slot is another sequel that highlights 2020, and this time it is for the Money Train pokie by Relax Gaming. The set adds a new dimension to its presentation with a cool 3D steampunk theme.
The game is modified with adventurous visuals set in the middle of a dusty old desert town. A train passes by with five reels and forty bet lines and offers gamblers the chance to land up to 50,000 times the placed bet. The game’s attractiveness is amplified by various bonus features including;
- A wild symbol on the form of a skull
- A creative respin bonus that activates any time two bonus icons appear on the grid, and they each receive a multiplier that grows until a win is landed
- A Money Cart bonus that starts with three or more bonus icons and awards three spins and opens additional reels when characters fill one
- Multiplier bonuses of up to 200 times the total wager
Wrap Up
So far, 2020 has set the stage for hardcore slot trends that are sure to keep up in the coming decade. These pokies can be explored in free versions where their potential can be put to the test before playing for real money.