The Evolution of Graphics in Online Slots

All of the best slot sites these days feature a plethora of quality games. They are created by some of the top-rated providers in the world and come in many shapes. You can diversify them based on their theme, paylines, jackpot, bonus features, number of reels, etc.

Their gameplay is as unique as you can think and one stand-out feature in slots is their graphics. The visual effects are simply breathtaking and they contribute towards more quality gameplay.

Of course, though, online slots didn’t always have fantastic visuals. In their inception period, they were nothing like what they look like today. That’s what we are going to talk about in this article. We’ll take a look at the evolution of graphics in slots online and see how they’ve progressed over the years.

Classic Slots Were the Beginning

One interesting fact about slot sites is that Microgaming created the first software for these platforms back in 1994. A majority of slots that hit the market back then were classic slots. They didn’t have any special graphics.

In most cases, they just featured a one-coloured background and the slot’s grid was in the middle of the screen. There were no bonus features; the main focus was on the gameplay. There are slots of this type to this very day.

All you had to do was set your bet and spin the reels. The outcome of the game was revealed right away. The biggest benefit of these games is the fact that they are easy to understand.

That is why they are a popular choice, especially for novices, to this day. Not only that, but in most cases, these games have decent RTPs, meaning that you can expect good rewards from them.

Modern Video Slots Hit the Market

Even though the best slot sites started operating in the mid-2000s, it wasn’t until 2015 that these platforms caught the eye of the public. One of the reasons why online slots weren’t as popular back then was that their concept was ahead of its time.

The Internet wasn’t as available as it is now and online security was a major concern. Once things started to change, providers were on a mission to become as popular as possible. The best way to do that is to make unique slots – games with fantastic bonuses and breathtaking graphics.

To do so, they started inventing new themes, and new mechanics and started featuring visual effects with every win or every bonus feature that players trigger.

A few notable inventions over the years include the Megaways mechanic (2017), Cluster Pays (2016) and Infinity Reels (2020). Let’s take Megaways as an example. With this feature, the graphics became far more dynamic. A counter, which is usually located at the right side of the screen was calculating the number of paylines each time you hit the spin button.

Additionally, slots with this mechanic have a unique horizontal reel, located at the top of the grid. Infinity Reels generates new reels with each winning combination that you hit and the Cluster Pays system makes winning symbols disappear. New ones drop down from the top and in doing so, they allow players to form consecutive wins.

Moreover, many providers became fond of including an intro video in each slot. In doing so, they revolutionized graphics even more.

Online Slots These Days

These days, online slot sites have ground-breaking graphics. Each game has numerous visual effects when you form a win, when you trigger a bonus feature, etc. Not only that, but the themes have evolved and there are countless of them to choose from. Some of the most popular themes are:

• Ancient Egypt
• Nordic mythology
• Greek mythology
• Space-inspired themes
• Wild West
• Nature themes
• Horror
• Music/movie
• Adventure

To make things even better, a majority of the top slot sites utilize the latest HTML5 technology. That means that you can enjoy their games on pretty much any desktop or mobile device. Graphics do not change and you will have the same experience, regardless of the chosen device.

What the Future Holds?

So far, many experts believe that we’ve hit the peak when it comes to online slot graphics on desktop and mobile devices. That is why a new form of gaming is needed. This new form goes by the name VR and AR gaming.

There’s no denying the fact that by using VR, we’ll unlock a new concept of gaming. What’s even better, is the fact that some providers are already making progress in this area. NetEnt, for example, created a VR version of Gonzo’s Quest and is set to set the standard for future releases.

By using VR sets, players will enjoy 3D graphics and will have a feeling like they are playing in an actual casino or like they are in the wild, searching for treasures.