Skill or luck? That’s the question that has always surrounded casino games, and there is no simple binary answer. The truth is that games lie somewhere on a skill/luck scale. Poker certainly demands skill, and the very best players compete for thousands of dollars in the WSOP, but there is still the element of luck that is inherent in the turn of a card. In keno or roulette, on the other hand, it is all down to what numbers come up and a beginner is as likely to win as someone with years of playing experience.
Slot games have traditionally been positioned close to the “luck” end of the scale. After all, the reels spin, the symbols appear, and the player can’t influence that. But the advent of bonus games has forced us to change our view of slot games. In particular, a senate bill signed into law removed the requirement for game outcomes to be “entirely random” and thereby opened the door to more skill-based slots in Las Vegas.
That was all the encouragement the developers needed, and since then, more sophisticated bonus games have been appearing in slots. They are a particularly common sight in the Bitcoin casinos, perhaps because this new generation of platforms tends to favor the most innovative games. NoDepositHero, which offers Bitcoin bonuses to play these skill slots, is one of the top 10 visited sites since Bitcoin screamed past $40,000. But exactly what games are we talking about? Here are some of the most popular. How many of them have you tried?
Arkanoid
One of the most exciting implications of skill-based slots has always been the possibility to incorporate aspects of arcade classics into the games and the reward structure. Few achieve that as well as Next Gaming’s Arkanoid. Also known as Brick Breaker, this 80s favorite found a new audience at the turn of the millennium when it was installed on millions of Blackberry handsets. Now it’s been reinvented again, and you can win real money by smashing up those bricks. The game also incorporates bonuses within bonuses, where you can proceed on to different screens by hitting special colored bricks.
Beat Square
Released in October 2017, this Konami creation was truly innovative and could be a clue as to how real money gaming will evolve over the coming decade. It uses the kind of technology and gameplay that we have seen in arcade games like Jubeat or similar creations on the Wii. The player is faced with a 4×4 grid and 16 buttons. These light up in time with the beat of a dance track and by hitting the right buttons at the right moment, you can crank up the prize money. To add yet one more dimension, multiple players can take part in tournaments to earn a share of the prize pot.
Wrecking Ball
This game from Crazy Tooth Studio in Reno looks and plays a lot more like a conventional slot. The reels spin as usual and matching symbols mean financial rewards. However, get a bonus symbol on reels one and four, and you will trigger the Bonus Smash feature. It places you at the controls of a crane complete with – you guessed it – a wrecking ball. Use the joystick control to cause maximum destruction and you will be paid handsomely for your achievements.
Seinfeld
Here’s a slot game that really dares to be different. Based on the award-winning TV series, it features actual footage from the show, and that alone will transport you straight back to those halcyon days of the 1990s. The game itself starts out like any other slot, but the four bonuses, each of which is based on a different character, are a different matter. The one that demands the most skill is, of course, related to the eponymous lead character and is called Festivus. If you remember the Christmas special, you will know what is coming. That’s right, shake the virtual pole and watch the cash fall straight into your winnings.
Safari Match
Synergy Blue is a developer that has gradually started to make a name for itself as a pioneer in skill-based money games. First, there was the magnificent ZOMBIE$, which we will discuss another time. This was soon followed by Safari Match, a more traditionally styled slot game with cascading reels. Quick mental and physical reflexes are rewarded if you are able to match up the colored tiles that appear on the 8×8 reel grid. The ability to move the symbols around to match them makes this game an intriguing hybrid between two classic genres, slots and jewel matches. In case you need any more reason to give it a try, there’s also the small matter of a 250x award to be won on a separate bonus wheel.
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