Casino's have been a hub for games new and old long before the world went online. The first casino established itself during the 17th century in Venice, though we can trace the first ever gambling game as far back as 200 BC. Since then, they have delighted millions of players worldwide with entertainment, games, and a unique social atmosphere that you can't find elsewhere. To say that casinos are a novel experience is an understatement.
Online casinos were able to mimic the joys of an in-person casino and bring them to the mobile audience. It was a hard transition at first, but now the online world revels in the ease of access and playability of online casinos and their games. Yet, how can an industry so old continue to stay fresh and capture consumer attention?
Online casinos and their counterparts take the formulas behind popular casino games and remake them for modern audiences. For example, online roulette remains one of the most popular games among online casino games and has seen many iterations that add new graphics, boosted odds, or twists to keep gameplay modern.
Whether it's a slot or online roulette, the core mechanics of these games stay static. What changes is how they present themselves to the audiences, the stories they tell, and the game statistics behind the screen. Here, we’ll explore some of the classics of the online casino industry and see how they cemented themselves in history.
What is a Classic Casino Game
When discussing classic online casino games, we can define them in two ways. The first is often used to explain vintage slots like the Mega Joker. These slots feature light, consisting of only three to five reels with minimal bells and whistles.
Audiences love these slots for their simplicity and nostalgia. They became popular long before online casinos came into being. This means some players could have spent literal decades looking for a specific slot.
Making these rare Vegas classics available online lets players enjoy their past without booking a flight to the casino strip.
The second definition is the more modernized classic casino game. This is any title or game that has remained popular and heavily played years after its release, otherwise considered a cult classic. Gonzo's Quest, Cleopatra and Book of Dead are perfect examples.
These titles aren't old enough to be vintage. Yet, they received years of praise, popularity, remakes and spin offs due to their fame.
The difference between the two styles of classics depends on the gamer. For some, nostalgia is remembering the old penny fruit slots with metal cranks. Others feel nostalgia in old-school graphics and a memorable soundtrack.
Whether your classic is Mega Joker or Gonzo's Quest, online casinos are a great way to replay your favourites and explore their spinoffs.
Keeping Classics Relevant
They're more than 4.93k casinos currently operating worldwide. While some small casinos manage a one-of-a-kind unique library of in-house games, most will share a few popular games between them. Big name providers like NetEnt or Play'n Go are quick to fill big casinos, but original classic titles don't always make the final list.
A newer online casino may stray from vintage slots due to their limited features. However, they keep the spirit alive through ‘reimagined' fruit slots or spin off titles. Often, the casino will take a well-known slot, like Cleopatra, and create a new slot with the same feel, like A Night With Cleopatra.
Whether they are spinoffs or knockoffs depends on who's playing, but the result is the same. It keeps the original and well-loved spirit of the game relevant while keeping it playable for mobile and niche casinos. Yet, many prefer the original title to its spinoff counterpart.
Other reinventions are true sequels to the classics. A good example of this is IGT's famous 1989 slot Double Diamond, which reigned as one of the software developers' best slots for years. More than 20 years later, IGT created Tripple Diamond.
This remastered sequel kept everything that made the original popular and modernized it. It became an instant hit, receiving endless praise for its gameplay and style.
Yet not all sequels release as gracefully as Tripple Diamond. The Rich Wilde series has seen many new additions, some even featuring his daughter instead of him. Yet even after more than eight sequels, no title remained as highly rated and beloved as Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead.
Beyond remakes and sequels are classic casino providers who deal only in vintage slot and casino games. The only changes they make are mobile compatibility and graphics optimization to a smaller screen. Otherwise, everything from the sounds to the animations remains perfectly preserved for all to play.
There's also the category of ‘new vintage' games. These are recent releases made specifically to mimic the old fruit slot classic playstyle. The games either stay true to the originals' spirit with simple backgrounds and icons or keep the core classic mechanic of limited reels and features while adding animated icons, bright lights, and a loud soundtrack.
What all these styles have in common is a love for nostalgia. Many generations make up the online gambling community, and game developers give them all something to enjoy. Whether you want a true classic or an updated sequel, an online casino is ready to suit your needs.
Closing the Classics
It's hard to pinpoint the exact draw of classic games to modern audiences. Some suggest older games had better RTPs and were easier to win, while others like the familiarity of it. Sometimes, they make a reliable play experience when you don't know what else to do.
Whatever the reason, the market for classic online casino games is still a large one. As the history of the online casino industry grows, more games will earn the heroic classic title and cement themselves in history alongside the giants. No one knows what the next popular classic will be, but with providers constantly upping their game, we're sure it'll be spectacular.
