How have solid design principles kept online slots popular?

Slot machines have a long and interesting history, but how have they stayed popular for so long? This is an example of an industry where incorporating some solid design principles has helped it stay on top.

A clear theme

The latest slot games are easily recognizable as being inspired by the classic machines you may have seen in land-based casinos in the past. However, the introduction of fresh new themes has helped to add a new dimension to the online version of this casino game. While some slots are based on retro themes such as fruit and bells, others bring completely new ideas.

When playing online slots for fun, you’ll come across titles like Mustang Gold Megaways, Big Bass Splash, and Luck of the Lamp Cashlink. Each of these games has a distinct theme that’s designed to appeal to the widest possible range of players. The Godfather Megaways and Musketeers Heroic Spins show how famous characters and stories from popular culture have been seamlessly integrated into slots.

Interesting symbols and backgrounds

After deciding on a theme, slot designers need to decide on an image to use as symbols and background. This is a crucial point, as this is where players will be looking most of the time. The main symbols are generally tied to the theme, so once that is agreed upon, most of the symbols should fall into place.

As for the lower paying symbols, they often hark back to the early days of slot machines with fruit, bars, playing cards and bells among the timeless graphics that have been around since the beginning. The background gives designers another chance to get their ideas across. For example, the aforementioned Musketeers slot shows the three swashbuckling heroes created by Alexandre Dumas next to the reels as a flaming torch flickers above them.

Easy to follow gameplay

While the previous points suggest that the slots category is becoming more diverse and complex, there is still an element of design that ensures that these games remain easy to play. That is because the gameplay in most cases continues the simplicity that has always been a big part of the slots world. The Godfather slot is a good example, as it features numerous images from the legendary mafia film, but the gameplay is easy to understand.

Even someone who has never played slots before will probably not need more than a few seconds to get the hang of the basics. These games all have a clearly marked area where you can adjust your bet amount. The next step is to hit the big spin button and wait to see what symbols fall into place. The best slot designers use the theme and on-screen design to make this simple gameplay entertaining and easy on the eye.

The solid design principles we see in online slots have helped them maintain their position as hugely popular casino games that appeal to a wide variety of players. As the genre continues to evolve, we will likely see new themes and features, but these core principles should remain.