As fans of horror movies, it’s always fun to see how our favourite films translate into other forms popular culture. There are plenty of horror-based music bands, ranging from ICP to Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, and of course Rob Zombie. Computer games are another example, from the first Resident Evil games on PlayStation 1, up to games like Outlast in 2017, horror has always been an inspiration for game developers. And with the recent boom of the online gambling industry, developers of online slots have caught on the trend and have started developing video slots specifically for horror lovers. In this article, we will see how horror themed pop culture found its way into the gambling industry.
In the early 2000s, slots were very simple, usually fruit machines with simple symbols, using RNG (Random Number Generator) software to generate a random result. These days these slots have become a bit more sophisticated. Though they still use RNG software to generate random results based purely on chance, the graphics, music and themes have become much more advanced. Though some online slots are still very simple, some have incorporated advanced graphics, video and music. Some game developers have even gotten licence to use film footage, film titles and original music in their slot.
One example of this is the Halloween slot. Now of course there are probably thousands of Halloween themed slots. However, Game developer Microgaming was able to get licence to produce a slot using original footage from the film, in order to appeal to horror fans more deeply. Who can forget the iconic movie by John Carpenter from the 70s. Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P. J. Soles, Nancy Loomis were part of the cast that saw the maniac Michael Myers hack and slash his way into our collective cultural memory. The game itself is rather simple: five reels with fifty paylines. The game uses symbols like a kitchen knife, a telephone, balls of wool, a pistol and a clown’s mask that all look like they are plucked straight from the 1978 classic. The background is a porch from a scene in the classic film. The special symbols are the logo of the film as wild symbol, as well as pictures of the main characters as they appear in the film. Best of all, this slot has the same creepy music as the original film.
Not all game developers are able to get a licence to use original film footage and logos. That doesn’t stop them from jumping on to a hype train when they see one. For example, the Twilight saga was immensely popular, resulting in four films from 2009 to 2012. Several developers of slots saw this success and decided to incorporate it in their game design. The most successful of these is undoubtedly the Immortal Romance slot. Remember when vampires were scary evil creatures on the hunt for blood and carnage? I am sure most horror fans will, from Bela Legosi and Vincent Price, to Interview with a Vampire and Blade. In the early 2010s however, vampires suddenly became nice guys, able to resist their cravings for blood (kind of like modern-day vegans not eating meat?) and fall in love with beautiful young women. This new type of vampire fiction had great appeal, particularly with women who appreciated the romance. It should come as no surprise that game developers chose this popular saga as inspiration. Women are some of the most active gamers on online slots, so game developers chose a topic that would appeal to them. The slot itself has many themes from the film. It features a main character that looks a lot like Kristen Stewart from the saga. She seems to be searching for true love and romance, and maybe a bit of old fashioned cash as well. The music of the slot starts out as mysterious background music and moves over into an emotional duet with a male and a female singer. The symbols have a gothic feel and there are 4 characters to choose from, each with their own game functions.
Another horror classic that made its way from the silver screen to the gambling universe is Nightmare on Elm Street. The classic film that saw Freddy Krueger terrifying kids from their dreams is now terrifying unsuspecting gamblers on various online casinos all over the world. Here game developer 888 was able to get licence from Warner Brothers to use as much content from the film as they wanted. The result is a slot that sees Freddy Krueger himself as a special symbol, and unlike the film, he is actually the symbol you are looking for on your reels as he is the highest paying symbol. If you get him on all five reels, you will get 10,000 your stake. Here you will also see claws and characters like Quentin Smith, Jesse Braun and Nancy Holbrook.
Though the link between gambling and horror may not be obvious, what we really are seeing here is pop culture in its truest form. People like to enjoy various forms of entertainment, buy t-shirts, posters, mugs and much more that is related to their favourite genre or favourite films. Just think of how much Star Wars related products there are on the market. Gambling is no exception. If you would like to find some of the games above, check out https://readyslotsgo.co.uk/ for the best UK casinos that have these online slots.
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