SLOT SEASON
Our annual review of the new slot games headed your way in the coming year
By Frank Legato
As longtime readers of this magazine know, every autumn, the world’s slot manufacturers display their new games for the coming year at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the North American casino industry’s main trade show.
As longtime readers also know, every summer, the slot suppliers give advance information to this publication on the games to be rolled out at the big trade show. And every October, we publish a sneak peek at the new games that will arrive at a casino near you over the coming months.
Much of what you see on the following pages is information on new games that is unavailable to players, except for this annual report from Strictly Slots. So here, in alphabetical order by manufacturer, is a sample of the entertainment, fun game features, and innovation in game style coming to you in the near future.
AGS
AGS is going big this year with a new jumbo cabinet, the SL75+ Premium, featuring a massive 75- inch portrait monitor. One of the inaugural themes is Ultra Werewolf Fury & Strike, a successor to the AGS slots Werewolf Fury and Werewolf Strike and the newest entry in a still-growing series. It offers all the features of the original version, with new appearances by the wild Wolf symbol in primary and bonus games.
At its center is a hold-and-spin bonus (branded Hold & Win by AGS) with a unique path to the top Grand jackpot. It is a standard three-spin hold-and-spin cycle, but there are four active reels and a fifth reel that appears locked as cash-on-reels symbols and lower-level jackpot icons fall in place. Filling the four active reels with cash and jackpot symbols unlocks the fifth reel, which spins to award either a multiplier applied to the accumulated credits or the Grand jackpot.
Also featured on the SL75+ Premium will be the Wild Stacks series, with base games Mega Diamond Wild Stacks and Gold Inferno Wild Stacks. Both are three-reel, nine-line video slots in mid to high denominations, and both are based on popular prior three-reel, high-denomination releases.
Both games are styled like classic reel spinners, complete with the pay table appearing above the reels. Each has three different-colored wild symbols, which multiply the win by two when one lands in a winning combination and which quadruple the pay when two land in a win. The top four jackpots are progressives won by lining up three wild symbols on a payline—mixed, pink, blue and purple, the latter triggering the top $10,000- plus prize.
The two new versions add stacking wild symbols to the mix. Three-high stacks of wild symbols enable up to nine jackpots on a single spin.
In addition to the jumbo games, AGS is launching a wealth of core video titles. One of the company’s most successful current three-reel video titles is Straight Cash, which features numbers as the basic reel symbols in a three-reel, single-line format, the numbers forming the pays in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get setup. The top line jackpot is $10,550 for lining up 10-5-50 on the payline.
However, there are a lot of twists to its latest version, Straight Cash 3-Play. Players can wager up to “buy” additional reel sets.
In the dollar version, a $5 wager activates the main reel set, while a $10 wager unlocks a second reel set and a $15 wager unlocks all three.
With all three reel sets active, 2X and 3X multipliers appear on the reels. The multipliers work together in wins—combining a 2X and 3X multiplier in a win multiplies all pays by six. Some of the numbers are red, and with all three reels active, they duplicate on the other two reel sets to increase wins. Other number reel symbols may display a “Spin” symbol. In this instance, they lock in place, and if there are no winning combinations, the other reels respin for a chance to increase the cash awards.
AGS also is launching a mechanical-reel version of the Straight Cash brand, Straight Cash Triple Double Spin and Straight Fire Triple Double Spin, in mid and high denominations, featuring the 2X and 3X multipliers, the respin feature when numbers are marked “spin,” and an added “nudge” feature in Straight Fire Triple Double Spin that can turn losing spins into winners.
AINSWORTH GAME TECHNOLOGY
Ainsworth has adopted a powerful new game development engine called Unity, and is flooding the new Raptor cabinet with a variety of new content. That includes new Raptor versions of established high-denomination hits.
Among the most prominent titles Ainsworth is launching will be in the Triple Troves family, with two new entries to the popular brand. The original Triple Troves, with base games Reigning Rhino and Dragon’s Delight, featured three persistent pots, six variations of the free-spin bonus, and a pick-three feature.
The new version of the game, built on the Unity platform and set to release this month, adds a bonus wheel to the mix of features. Triple Troves Panda and Triple Troves Koala feature free games with expanding reels and multipliers added to the top symbols. Cash- on-reels symbols pay off instantly in the free games.
The pots award extra free games, Jackpot Free Games (jackpots are added to the reels) and “Ultimate Free Games,” on an expanded reel set.
The wheel bonus, triggered by five wheel symbols, is available in primary-game or free spins. The player is granted multiple spins on the wheel. When it lands on credits or a jackpot award, that slice transforms into “Collect.” The spins continue until a Collect slice lands.
Also launching soon will be a new version of Triple Troves set to release in Q2 2026. Triple Troves BUBBLE UP! features three colorful fish characters floating inside glass tubes. Special symbols fly up to the tubes that “bubble” the fish levels up until they reach the top and escape, triggering free spins with one, two or all three enhancement features: The gold fish turns poker symbols into higher-paying symbols for free spins, the purple fish adds multipliers to winning spins, and the red fish adds wild symbols to the reels. There is also a “Bubble” pick bonus that appears at the end of each feature, where the player can win progressives and credit prizes.
More brand extensions to be launched at G2E include Five Fortunes: Duck & Cover, a follow-up to the Five Fortunes Emperor and Panda sister games released earlier this year.
This game displays the next-level animation made possible by the Unity platform. In this case, it is used to animate funny duck characters in five pots that lead to enhancements to the Lock & respin hold-and-spin feature. Different-colored firecrackers trigger the Cash Boost, Power Burst and Cash Blast pots at the top of the screen, which increase cash-on- reels values and add more coins to the screen in the hold-and-spin feature.
Particularly funny animation triggers the other two enhancements, Power Boost and Power Blast, represented by bombs held by the two very nervous duck characters until they burst to add cash-on-reels coins or increase values to spots surrounding the spot where they land during the hold-and-spin bonus.
The brand extensions from Ainsworth are accompanied by several new games on the Raptor Premium cabinet. One standout slated for release by the end of the year is Atomic Gold, a funny homage to the 1950s “Atomic Age” and the flying saucer craze of the same period. It features a single collection pot—a dog in a rocket ship that comes alive in hilarious animation.
During the primary game—available in “Mars” and “Venus” versions—“Atomic Wilds” can appear on the middle reel that burst and fire wild symbols around the reel array. If a wild lands on an existing wild symbol, it adds a multiplier. This action can occur up to three times.
Six coins can activate a main hold-and-spin feature, or alternatively, at any time, a mystery trigger will occur, and the dog will throw a shower of coins across the reels to activate the feature. The dog’s rocket ship launches into the sky and the screen displays the hold-and- spin reels, with five 1950s TV sets above the reel array. It’s a standard three-spin cycle, with a clever twist: Every time a reel fills with cash-on-reels coins and/or one of the three lower-level jackpot symbols, they are instantly awarded, and the TV above that reel displays a letter. The top Grand jackpot, a progressive resetting at $5,000, is awarded by spelling out G-R-A-N-D on the TV screens.
Another premium game to be released at G2E is Train Heist, a Western-themed game featuring beautiful artwork and graphics. The three-pot game is slated for release in 2026.
Another standout is Fa Cai Lightning, which includes a hold-and-spin bonus plus free games for which the player chooses the volatility, from five free games with 10X, 15X and 20X multipliers to 13 free games with 2X, 3X and 5X multipliers.
Finally, Ainsworth will launch new versions of San Fa Fortune and The Enforcer on the new Raptor A-STAR 32 cabinet. San Fa Fortune is a three-pot game featuring enhancers. One of the enhancers will double the reels in the free-spin rounds, a first for Ainsworth, and the other will give players 12 free spins to start the round, instead of eight. The three pots offer Sticky Free Games, in which wild symbols stick for the entire feature; Jackpot Free Games, which accumulates symbols leading to one of the five jackpots; and Retrigger Free Games, which extends the feature.
The Enforcer Reloaded is a low-denomination version of one of Ainsworth’s most popular high-denom games. Each revolver symbol fills one of the bullets spelling the word “BONUS,” causing a revolver chamber to spin up to five times in a mini-hold-and-spin feature. Filling all six chambers with bonus credits awards the “Reloaded” jackpot of $1,500.
Free games feature sticky wild symbols, and the bottom two jackpots are “Must Hit By” progressives.
ARISTOCRAT GAMING
Aristocrat is pumping out new games on The Baron Portrait cabinet, in several proprietary game themes. A monster hit, Spooky Link, is already out—it is an addition to the Mo’ Mummy game family. An October launch is slated for the latest addition to the Whisker Wheels family, Whisker Wheels: Triple Karma and Triple Tricky on The Baron Portrait.
The new version adds a fourth pot to the original three. Instead of only triggering an enhanced free-game or Hold & Spin feature, the pots also enhance spins on the bonus wheels that are central to the game.
The original pots survive from the first Whisker Wheels game: Wheel Boost increases the credit prizes on the Cheddar Spins wheel and the number of free games awarded on the Triple Kash wheel. Cheddar Spins unlocks the middle wheel with larger credit prizes and jackpots. Extra Pointers triggers a picking bonus that adds pointers to the Cheddar Spins and Triple Kash wheels.
The new pot triggers the Triple Kash Wheel, which determines how many free spins occur, during which three additional reel sets can be unlocked, with a reel set that awards additional free games, a reel set that has stacks of cash-on-reels values, and another that multiplies the cash-on-reels values awarded.
In another highlight, Aristocrat is bringing Firecracker Fortunes from the MarsX cabinet to The Baron Portrait. Three collection pots are strings of firecrackers, each enhancing Aristocrat’s trademark Hold & Spin bonus feature.
The Hold & Spin feature unlocks up to three additional reel sets when the Strike feature is triggered. There also is a feature within the feature called the Fortune Express Hold & Spin, on a three-by- three grid with higher cash symbols than the main feature.
Also on The Baron Portrait is the hilarious Crazy Chickens in Space, a brand extension of the popular Crazy Chickens. The three pots are represented by different-colored cartoon chickens, each in its own flying saucer. As the cashon- reels symbols land in the primary game, stacks of eggs pile up underneath each chicken’s spaceship. When one or more pots bursts, an enhanced Hold & Spin bonus is triggered.
The green chicken triggers Instant Win, which pays the sum of cash-on-reels symbols on the grid instantly. The red chicken triggers Boosters, which increases the value of the cash-on-reels symbols. The purple chicken triggers Multipliers, applying multipliers to the cash values on the screen.
Aristocrat also is launching new titles on The Baron Upright in the Bao Zhu Zhao Fu and Buffalo game families.
Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Ignite, Jade & Purple presents the popular game with new features active in the Hold & Spin round. Two of the four Hold & Spin features are replaced by “Strike” and “Split.” Strike boosts the credit values of Strike symbols on the reels. Split is just that—it splits cash-on-reels symbols to create up to four awards in a single Hold & Spin position.
The Buffalo and Timber Wolf game families come together in Buffalo Mega Power and Timber Wolf Mega Power. Here, the classic themes are enhanced by a new “Flame” feature that allows the player to upgrade reel positions to pay the winning combinations that landed and substitute as Buffalo or Timber Wolf symbols for large Buffalo and Timber Wolf wins.
Among premium slots, Aristocrat is bringing back the classic Millioni$er brand, which took the industry by storm in 2001 with its million-dollar-plus multi-site progressive. This new version places the familiar theme in a modern format, with the most popular game mechanics of the day.
The new Millioni$er is a multi-game product, with a choice of three base games— Buffalo, Louie’s Gold and Outback Jack, all popular Aristocrat home-grown brands featuring three metamorphic pots that trigger an enhanced free-spin round. “Extra Feature” allows extension of the free-spin round—three or more Top Hat symbols trigger three extra free games.
Another revival of a classic brand on The Baron Upright is Cash Express Legend. It revives the classic second-screen train bonus in a new multi-game, with base games Buffalo, Choy Sun Doa and Joyful Panda. The lead-up to the train bonus is the metamorphic Bonus Meter.
Special symbols fill the meter until the train bonus is triggered. A train then chugs across the screen, dropping accumulating bonus credits from its cars. The train can make several runs. There is a gold carriage that triggers repeat wins.
Finally, the Buffalo brand goes over to the mechanical reel-spinning side with Buffalo Eclipse, on the Marquis reel-spinning cabinet. This three-reel game includes cash-on-reels symbols with a chance to multiply winnings up to 100X.
ARUZE GAMING GLOBAL
Last year, Aruze Gaming Global (AG2) added the 49-inch Muso Summit cabinet to its legacy Muso 55, Muso Triple 32, Speed dualscreen and HyperSpeed 43-inch portrait cabinets.
Among the featured games this year on the Muso cabinets are two reboots of its most popular game. Triple Treasure Pot Deluxe keeps the core mechanics of the original and adds a wheel bonus.
The three collection pots enhancing the main free-spin bonus are Coin Nudge, which nudges stacks of cash-on-reels awards into place for big payoffs; Jackpots, which triggers a picking bonus for one of the four jackpots; and Expander Reels, which doubles the reel array for free spins from a 50-line grid to a 100-line grid.
To this basic formula is added wheel icons, which can trigger a bonus wheel in either the primary game or free spins. The bonus wheel includes the Grand Jackpot.
Another new version of the Triple Treasure Pot brand is Triple Treasure Pot Golden Harmony, featured on the dual-screen Muso T32 cabinet. With base games Heavenly Wealth and Eternal Prosperity, the Golden Harmony version of the game again repeats the core game mechanics and enhanced free-spin round (the pots are trees in this title), combined with three randomly triggered “Action Prizes” that either instantly pay all cash-on-reels prizes, add on to the prize values before they are paid, or apply multipliers to those values.
Also featured on the Muso Portrait cabinets is Moo Moo Ca$h, a theme that includes a unique twist on the hold-and- spin feature. Once triggered, the free- spin cycle begins on just the first four reels. The fifth reel unlocks a multiplier applied to the sum of coins on the first four reels.
GAMING ARTS
Gaming Arts has been busy revamping its product lineup and introducing new content on Mod Ex, the cabinet series based on the design of Merkur Gaming, the company’s development partner that is currently finalizing its acquisition of the Las Vegas-based supplier. Last year, the company introduced games on the Mod Ex J55, with a 55-inch J- curved monitor; the triple-screen Mod Ex 332; and the dual-screen Mod Ex 227.
Among the standouts to be presented on those cabinets is San Din Fu, one of Gaming Arts’ first true three-pot games. With base games Dragon and Phoenix, the game features three ornate Asian pots into which different-colored coins fly from the reels until one or more bursts to trigger an enhanced free-spin round.
The pot enhancements are “Multiplier,” “Extra Wilds” and “Ultra Reels.” The Multiplier enhancement applies a different multiplier to every free spin, so all wins are enhanced. Extra Wilds is just that—wild symbols are added to every free spin. Ultra Reels removes all lower-paying royal symbols from the reels for the free-spin round. The goal, of course, is to land all three enhancements at once.
The free spins begin with 10, but the player can win additional free games to extend the feature. There are two progressive jackpots and two static prizes that scale with the denomination.
A similar jackpot and free-spin configuration is deployed in Bankin’ More Bacon, developed in partnership with Blueprint Gaming studios. Gaming Arts’ first foray into the piggy-bank theme is what Colella calls a “hard-core cash-on-reels game.” The cash-on- reels symbols are represented as bank checks, and they add up in both the primary game and free games.
In the free spins, when a pig lands on the first or last reel, it can boost the value of the checks, and collect the credits instantly. There is also a hold-and-spin bonus that continues as long as checks land on the reels. Three Collects unlock added free spins and an upgraded multiplier.
A highlight of Gaming Arts’ new game lineup is Glory of Giza. It features enhanced 3D animations of Rana, the goddess, moving across the screen in a horse-drawn chariot; and custom audio created by sound designer Willie Wilcox, the drummer of the band Utopia who was Bally’s senior audio director for 10 years. (He did the audio for the Michael Jackson slot.)
Wilcox designed a seamless mix of sounds, with distinct sounds for pyramid symbols, wilds, cash-on-reels and other symbols.
The game features a rich mix of bonus elements, including free spins, a hold-and-spin round, stacked wilds in the base game, and a “Bonus Guarantee” that is awarded if the player does not win anything in the free-spin bonus.
During the hold-and-spin feature, a “prize tower” sits above the reels with a guaranteed prize for reaching thresholds in the number of cash-on-reels symbols (they are orbs in this game) collected. The progressives are on the prize tower, with the Grand on top.
BLUBERI GAMING
Bluberi is launching a new large-format cabinet, the Beacon Jumbo, featuring an imposing 75-inch high-resolution C-curve monitor and LED button panel complete with dual bash buttons. This new banking solution is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing Beacon+ placements. Bluberi also is showcasing two new configurations of its Beacon+ Lighthouse hardware. These innovative banking configurations expand on the recently released Beacon+ Lighthouse pod, bringing an immersive light and sound experience to players.
At G2E, Bluberi will show two of its hit game brands with the Lighthouse presentation, in a series begun earlier this year called “Slice ’N Dice,” launching the new games Devil’s Lock Slice ’N Dice and Shark’s Lock Slice ’N Dice.
Shark’s Lock Slice ’N Dice creates an immersive undersea pirate adventure packed with bonus features. The iconic Shark character is back, alongside his Angler Fish companions. The game features cash-on-reels prizes, free games, a jackpot wheel, and a unique hold- and-spin mechanic.
The base game builds on fan-favorite mechanics with the introduction of a new Waterline Reel. Cash prizes and jackpots are activated when the Shark lands on the center reel, while free games lock the Shark in place for the duration of the feature. The Angler Fish plays a key role in unlocking the Slice ’N Dice bonus: the Blue Angler Fish activates prizes above their reels, while the Red Angler Fish activates all prizes at once.
At the heart of the experience is the Slice ’N Dice Hold & Spin bonus— activated by the Angler and Shark transforming credit prizes or jackpots into a unique grid-based feature. The action begins on a two-by-two grid and can expand up to a five-by-five grid with each blackout.
Achieving a full blackout on the final grid unlocks the Wheel Bonus, which can award jackpots or trigger free games and grant additional free games if already in the bonus. This setup ensures that no two bonus rounds feel the same.
Devil’s Lock Slice ’N Dice applies the same bonus features as its sister game, this time with what has been Bluberi’s biggest hit as the base game.
One of the games Bluberi designed with the new jumbo cabinet in mind is Timber Jack Jumbo, reprising the popular lumberjack character in another sequel to follow last year’s Timber Jack Going Wilder.
This new theme maintains the core DNA of the original—players loved Timber Jack Going Wilder—and introduces new-to-market features that integrate with the Beacon Jumbo hardware.
New to Timber Jack Jumbo is the Jumbo Hold & Spin bonus, triggered by one of two pots filled independently by either of the two bash buttons. Once triggered, players will enter a unique hold-and-spin bonus, chasing extra spins, credit prizes and five diamonds to win the Jumbo Jackpot.
Another standout is Shear Luck. As the name indicates, sheep are the main theme, with the title character “Baachus” hosting.
The cash-on-reels symbols in the game are all fluffy sheep. When Baachus lands on the fifth reel, he shears all the sheep to reveal and reward the cash-on-reels credits, or jackpots—all lower-level jackpots are hidden by the gold sheep landing in the feature. There is a single filler pot that triggers a free-spin bonus, with the same cash-on-reels feature in effect.
This game play is accompanied by a frequent wheel-spin bonus. Wheel symbols trigger a spin on a two-level wheel, with credit awards and jackpots—including the top Grand—on the inner wheel and respins the outer wheel.
Another new release for Bluberi is Smokin’ Train, a three-pot game in which the pots are locomotives that grow and get closer to the screen as they fill, in a clever animated sequence. The trains read “Extra Cash,” “Cash Boost” and “Instant Win.” Any or all of them can trigger a main hold-and-spin bonus feature.
During primary-game play, nugget symbols on the reels travel to the train and increment a meter. Collecting 13 triggers the “Super Nugget,” which guarantees the bonus will be triggered with all three enhancements.
ECLIPSE GAMING SYSTEMS
Eclipse is another supplier releasing a new cabinet this year. The Callisto features a 49- inch 4K floating glass display, full interactive edge lighting, a 13-inch LCD button deck, and dual bash buttons. Callisto is Eclipse’s very first fully custom-developed cabinet.
Among the games featured on the new Callisto cabinet are three inaugural games game series on the hardware: Rail Pays, Banana Bash, and sister games Chicken Pop and Critter Pop.
Rail Pays molds a train theme into a collection of bonuses that work together for constant action.
The two Rail Pays titles—Diamond Damsel and Cash Conductor—feature a two-symbol trigger. Players must simply land two or more of five different-colored trains on screen to spin a vertical wheel that offers five different credit awards, respins, or best of all, a unique cascading reels feature.
Another game designed for the Callisto is Banana Bash, a funny game featuring an animated monkey. At the center of the game are the three filler pots of bananas, which grow larger every time a banana symbol lands on the reels. The pots are marked “Flambé,” “Split” and “Pie.” When one or more of the pots bursts, it triggers a hold-and- spin event.
During the feature, “Flambé” frames random locked cash-on-reels symbols, and increases their value with every spin for the remainder of the feature. “Split” splits a cash-on-reels symbol into two symbols of equal value, and you can also split the split. “Pie” triggers a feature within the feature. A pie with six slices appears on the screen, and a mini-hold-and-spin round takes place. If you fill the pie slices with cash, it reveals a multiplier that is applied to the total.
Chicken Pop and Bandit Pop feature the title characters— different-colored cool chickens or raccoons (the “Bandits”)—who act as the pot fillers. In Chicken Pop, the chickens grow larger as feed bucket symbols fly up, until the chickens are scraping the ceiling of the monitor. When one or more bursts, it triggers an enhanced hold-and-spin bonus.
When the feature is triggered, the respective chicken awards a number of spins for the hold-and-spin feature. If multiple pots trigger at once, more spins are added. One of the chickens is marked “Extra Games,” adding spins when landing to extend the feature. “Double Eggs” doubles the reel array for the feature. “Bonus Pop” triggers another feature called “Pop Cap.”
IGT
This month’s G2E show marks the first combined collection of new games from IGT and Everi, which were merged under private ownership this year.
In the Premium category, IGT continues its multi-year celebration of the Wheel of Fortune brand, adding three new titles to more than 300 that have been added to the game franchise since its 1996 launch.
In the immersive Wheel of Fortune Trio presentation, in which three individual Rise55 cabinets are backed by a giant wheel and LED display, Wheel of Fortune Vegas Getaway is a ways-to-win base game featuring three collection pots and an enhanced free-spin bonus.
Also on the Trio is Wheel of Fortune High Roller Respin*, which includes 2X multipliers and two extra pointer symbols in a hold-and-spin bonus that is followed by a wheel spin with the enhancements applied.
Separately on the Rise55 cabinet (a large-format cabinet featuring a 55-inch portrait monitor) is Wheel of Fortune Cash on Reels, featuring two “Mystery Pots” and a “Mystery Wheel Bonus.”
On the DiamondRS mechanical reel-spinning platform is Wheel of Fortune 2X Wilds Deluxe, featuring the multiplying wild symbols pioneered in Double Diamond, a “nudge” feature in the primary game, and a wheel bonus that can yield up to three spins of the famous wheel.
Elsewhere in the Premium category is Sure Fire Frenzy Link, which features a remarkable 27 linked “Must Hit By” progressive jackpots.
Sure Fire Frenzy Link has added merchandising in the form of a dynamic sign above the bank that displays the progressives. The player is eligible for progressives according to denomination— nine jackpots in the penny version, nine more in the 2-cent game and nine more in the 5- cent game. There is a Lock & Respin bonus as well, with one pot enabling jackpot icons to accumulate to win one of the progressives.
The signage and game audio go into “Frenzy Mode” when any of the jackpots approach their “Must Hit By” level.
Also in the Premium category is Treasures of the Lamp, a follow-up to the IGT hit Mystery of the Lamp, offered on legacy Everi’s Dynasty Sol Sync banked offering.
The new game reprises the hold-and-spin bonus from Mystery of the Lamp, with an additional “Cyclone” feature that enhances an entire row of cash symbols, and delivers a multiplier up to 25X.
Among the standouts combining Everi and IGT content and cabinetry is the new Five Alarm Fiesta game family on the sleek Dynasty Sol cabinet, with base games Rockin’ Rojo and Viva La Verdi. It is a celebration of different-colored chili peppers, which serve as five collection pots. In a unique display on Dynasty Sol’s 49-inch portrait monitor, each of the five peppers is displayed beneath a runway above the reels, creating anticipation for the players as they near the top, when one or more can trigger the main hold-and-spin feature.
In clever animation, the peppers appear to grow hotter as they rise toward the top. The five enhancements are “Ignite Zone,” which adds value to any new cash-on-reels symbol appearing in the hold-and-spin feature; “Spin Reset,” which resets the spin meter to three to extend the feature; “Double Reels,” which adds a second three-by-five reel set for a dual feature; “Split Symbols,” which splits cash-on-reels symbols into two or three prizes; and “Blaze Zone,” which collects all cash-on-reels values on the screen and concentrates them in one symbol, freeing up the other spots for more cash.
Also on the Rise55 is the new Piggz Link series, with base games Frankenswine and Juicifer. This is a three-pot series, each pot triggering a different bonus. The pots are “Pig a Prize,” triggering a picking game; “Monster Money,” which throws cash-on-reels prizes to the reels; and “Free Spins,” which triggers a free-game round. Funny animation abounds, the main character being a Frankenstein-monster pig.
IGT will launch a new core video cabinet at G2E. Called the Rise32, it features three 32- inch monitors. The cabinet’s inaugural series is Stink Link, featuring “Richard,” the skunk character from the popular Stinkin’ Rich series of games. There are two additional titles, Stink Link Hawaii and Stink Link Wild West.
The common denominator is an enhanced free-spin feature triggered by one of three pots. The “Wild” pot causes wilds to appear in the base game and adds multiplier wilds in the free games feature. “Thrash for Cash” triggers a picking game toward winning one of the five jackpots, including the top Grand, resetting at $10,000.
The picking feature proceeds until two “pooper grouper” symbols are unveiled to end the bonus.
On the mechanical reel-spinning side, the merger has created quite possibly the strongest collection of reel-spinners in the industry. The Player Classic and Player Classic Signature cabinets all but redefined the stepper game for the modern era. IGT, meanwhile, evolved its stepper product from the industry-standard S2000 and S3000 groups to the DiamondRS cabinet, which adds animation on its “Diamond Glass” overlay.
IGT is launching a new version of the Player Classic cabinet at G2E. Called Player Classic Premiere, it deploys the original Player Classic Signature base under a tall video top box. The launch games are Double Jackpot 777 Deluxe and Double Black Diamond Deluxe.
Both games include a double “nudge” feature on random wins, enabling pays up to three times on a single spin. The game also features fixed multipliers that can increase wins by up to 75X. Three Double Jackpot 777 or Black Diamond symbols on the payline win one of two progressives—the secondary resetting at $250 by lining up the symbols on paylines 1 through 8; or the top prize resetting at $4,000 if landing them on payline 9.
On the DiamondRS is Bullseye Bonanza, a three-reel game with three bonus wheels in the top box. The top-box wheels spin to set the value of the free-game trigger, the bullseye symbol. During the free games, one bullseye symbol adds a free spin and two add two free spins.
On the original Player Classic Signature cabinet is Triple Hot Streak Respin, which features three collection pots in the top-box monitor. The pots enhance a hold-and-spin bonus with “Extra Spins,” increasing the spin cycle from three to four spins; “Nudge Respin,” which nudges stacks of cash-on-reels symbols on the reels, paying off each time until the symbols are off the pay lines; and “Boost Respins,” which adds to the values of the cash-on-reels symbols.
At G2E, IGT is debuting a new version of a classic IGT slot, Triple Double Top Dollar, on the three versions of the DiamondRS cabinet. The video monitors replicate the familiar backlit stacks of cash of the original—lights would flash behind all the cash stacks displayed on the slot glass until landing on a bonus value (one of the first slot bonuses).
As usual, IGT is launching new specialty video poker games, in its growing series of video poker games that offer a bonus feature for a higher per-hand wager.
One of the best is Slammin’ Multipliers Poker. For a 10-credit-per-hand wager, random winning hands are “slammed” with a multiplier that can be as high as 15X. Sometimes, several multipliers fly over the cards and are added together. Even the pay on the royal flush can land a multiplier up to 8X.
Other new games include Power Stacks Poker. With the extra bet made, dealt Jacks or better or three of a kind awards extra hands with “sticky” draw cards. Any draw that improves the win sticks to the other hands in the Three Play, Five Play or Ten Play games. (Normally, each draw is from a separate deck with the held cards removed.)
Bonus Pick Poker enacts a random bonus for a three-credit-per-hand Bonus Bet. Every nine hands on average triggers a card pick to add a wild card, a 2X wild card or a multiplier to all hands in play.
A dealt hand bonus trigger is deployed in Major Multipliers Poker. For a 10-credit-per- hand bet, when dealt Jacks or better, two pair or three of a kind, any improvement of the dealt hand on the draw can generate a multiplier up to 100X. This occurs every five hands, on average.
Finally, IGT is debuting a new electronic table game at G2E, Wheel of Fortune Big Money Spin. Billed as the company’s first premium ETG, the table combines the Wheel of Fortune puzzle with a huge wheel, which includes two levels—the inner wheel spins to multipliers and letters used to solve the puzzle, which triggers an additional bonus. The outer wheel is the normal Wheel of Fortune-style bonus wheel. Higher bets yield up to five pointers on the big wheel during the jackpot bonus feature.
INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGIES
Last year, Incredible Technologies launched the Prism Element cabinet. This year, the focus is on the new Prism Skybox, previewed at last year’s G2E but just rolling out to the market this summer.
Included in the Prism Skybox games will be the inaugural title for the cabinet released this summer, Crazy Money Break ’N’ Bank, which brings a pot-filler bonus to the long- running brand. The collection pots are golden piggy banks that also are caricatures of the two greatest U.S. presidents—George Washington, whose piggy version is called “Gorge Washington”; and Abraham Lincoln, aka “Baberaham Lincoln.” It also features the familiar “Money Catch” bonus, in which players touch the screen to grab bills flying around presidential statues.
The reel symbols are cash bills displaying cartoon Founding Fathers in various denominations, with bills falling on the payline adding up for the pays.
One of the Prism Skybox games being showcased this year is Boost Blast Dynamite Daisy, a gold mine-themed slot that features two wagons piled with gold nuggets that can lead to one of two free-spin bonuses. Wagons on the reels travel to one of the piles, making them grow larger until triggering either the Symbol Boost Free Spins or the Prize Blast Free Spins.
The Symbol Boost Free Spins play out on a lower reel array with additional reel arrays locked. There are two special gold-bar symbols. One unlocks an additional row on the reels above, and the other serves as the highest paying symbol and replaces lower-paying symbols as players progress higher up the reel arrays. Since it is a 1,024-ways-to-win game, each row unlocked means more ways to win.
Prize Blast Free Spins feature seven rows of gold nuggets, wheels and diamonds with five pots underneath. The goal is to land dynamite symbols that blast to cascade the nuggets down into the pots to award the credits. When players land a wheel symbol in one of the pots, it triggers a side-view wheel spin for one of the four jackpots, including the top SuperSync Progressive—a progressive that links among up to 100 IT games on a floor—with an operator-adjustable reset value spanning from $4,000 to $100,000.
Another new Prism Skybox game is Treasure Burst Lamp of Luxury, featuring a female genie character that interacts with the game to initiate bonus events and give players a boost during a hold-and-spin bonus. During the Lock and Spin bonus, a win zone appears in a random location on the screen, and any cashon- reels symbols that land within the frame are awarded.
There are five different-colored feature gems that can land to enhance the Lock and Spin bonus. There are jackpot gems, upgrades that boost prizes, “grow” gems that increase the win zone, “expand” gems that unlock rows, and +1 spin gems that can land. Treasure Burst is also SuperSync Progressive-compatible, available to players at any bet.
On the Prism Element is Combo Craze, featuring a cash-on-reels mechanic. Coins in the base game must land on the first two or more reels to initiate the cash-on-reels connection, which can span across all five reels. The game also features five different free- spin enhancements, triggered individually or in combination.
The free spins are triggered by any of five different-colored wild coin symbols, initiating free spins with combinations of multipliers, extra spins, extra coins, credit upgrades or added jackpot coins to the spins.
Other new Prism Element games include the Crazy Lock game family, featuring an ITclassic Money brand, as well as the beloved King of Bling brand, complete with a DJ character and club-thumping music. Both feature a Money Catch bonus combined with a Lock and Spin feature.
KONAMI GAMING
Among several new game launches for Konami at G2E is Money in the Bank, with base games Bacon Blvd. and Pay Out West. The core mechanic of this game revolves around a banked credit system, which scales with the player’s chosen denomination and bet level.
Randomly during a central hold-and-spin feature, a “Shake the Bank” feature can occur, in which credits are “drawn” from the bank to increase cash-on-reels awards. A random “Break the Bank” feature draws all of the credits from the bank and adds them to a random cash-onreels position, after which the bank resets to the original level.
During the primary game, when up to five gold coins land on the reels, their values may be randomly banked.
Collection pots build player excitement for the hold-and-spin feature, enhanced with Extra Spin, which awards a fourth spin in the cycle to extend the feature; or Big Money/Big Bounty, which boosts the cash-on-reels awards.
Another new game family to be highlighted at G2E is Broadside Bounty, with base games Spoils of the Sea and Pacific Fortune. The primary cash-on-reels feature is triggered when a gold coin lands on reel 1, followed by either another gold coin or a map symbol on reels 2 and 3. If a Cannon or Treasure Chest appears on reel 5, it boosts the action by adding extra coins to the remaining reels, increasing the potential for big wins.
When a cannon lands on the center of the fifth reel with a gold coin or map in Spoils of the Sea, cash-on-reels prizes can duplicate up to three times. In Pacific Fortune, a treasure chest on reel 5 with a gold coin or map can add from one to 14 gold coins to the reels.
The Jackpot Feature is a picking bonus to match three jackpot prizes to win one of four jackpots, including the top Grand progressive.
LIGHT & WONDER
One of the biggest product launches for Light & Wonder this year is a cabinet setup called the LightWave. It’s not so much a cabinet as it is a presentation. Slot machines are built into a bank-wide visual presentation that seamlessly integrates machine-mounted LCD screens with high-resolution Micro-LED surround displays.
The synchronized displays merge into a unified, dynamic canvas. It’s a spectacle of a slot presentation. The signage actually connects with the game, to create a theatrical light show that responds to events occurring in the slot game, in real time.
The company couldn’t have picked a better game family to demonstrate the capabilities of LightWave: It will debut at G2E housing a new wide-area-progressive version of the hit game Frankenstein, called Frankenstein Returns.
In this format, the central feature of the Frankenstein game is a show of its own. The most memorable feature of the game occurs on an overhead bonus board when four Frankenstein heads line up on the reels. Lightning zaps from the electrodes jutting out of the heads on the reels up to the big board to zap credit awards, as the monster reacts with a grimace and a growl as the electricity charges up.
In the LightWave version, the lightning zaps also travel to the awards from the electrodes of the giant monster depicted on the game’s signage package, a remarkable display of synchronized animation and light tied to a main game event.
Additionally, in the new version of the game, the four jackpots, including the Grand, appear on the bonus board for possible zapping and collecting. Three new colorful Monster symbols have been added that can zap players with two to five prizes, supercharge multipliers up to 5X, or spark jackpots.
There also is a wheel feature that can unlock free games, Power Ups, and a chance at the Grand jackpot. During free games Reel 1 and 5 have an “It’s Alive” feature and each Monster comes alive with its own specialty: Yellow Monster awards prizes, Green Monster multiplies and awards prizes, Purple Monster rains multiple prizes, and the Fire Monster awards jackpots.
Another reprise of a popular established brand is Jackpot Party VIP. The original Jackpot Party, released by legacy company WMS in 1998, featured a video bonus of a picking game—you picked wrapped presents to reveal credit awards, and you kept picking until you unwrapped a “Pooper.” The original bonus was a birthday party. It was one of the most popular slot machines of the early 2000s. Fast-forward to 2025—the new Jackpot Party VIP, on the LightWave cabinet and entertainment package, is a disco party. You’d better believe the company used the LightWave to complete the disco effect in the bonuses, from booming music to the light-speckled disco ball.
The new game is packed with bonus features. There is the Disco Bonus, a free-spin round played out to the backdrop of “Boogie Shoes,” the 1975 KC and the Sunshine Band hit that was made famous in Saturday Night Fever. There are 12 free spins, extended by “+2 Spins” symbols.
There’s the Boogie Down hold-and-spin bonus, with enhancers “Funky Town” and “Party Animal,” including a feature within the feature—a secondary hold-and-spin on a three-by-three grid. Filling up all nine spots with cash or jackpot symbols returns the VIP Jackpot, a progressive resetting at $1,000. (The background music is another KC hit, “Get Down Tonight.”)
On the sleek Cosmic Upright, which was launched early this year, is Huff’n Puff We’ve Had Enuff.
The new game keeps the main features of the game series—the Three Little Pigs, the Wolf, and trading houses up for mansions. But in the new game, players can win mansions and trigger the bonus wheel directly from the base game. When hard-hat symbols land, over three spins they upgrade the pigs’ house, from straw to wood to the brick “mansion.” The wolf awards credits at each upgrade. There also is a free-game round in which buzzsaw symbols unlock additional rows to the reel array.
The main feature is a hold-and-spin bonus with special symbols that unlock additional rows on the reel array.
Among other extensions of current brands are Piggy Bankin’ Break In and Triple Blast from the Planet Moolah on the proprietary brand side, and the new Wizard of Oz I’ll Get You My Pretty, which was released this summer, on the licensed side.
Piggy Bankin’ Break In is the first new Piggy Bankin’ title in 10 years. It is a three-pot game with an enhanced hold-and-spin feature. The pots are marked “Instant Win,” “Double Play” and “Repeat Win”— triggering instant collection of all cash-on-reel values, a double reel array, and repeats of cash-on-reels or even jackpot wins.
Triple Blast from the Planet Moolah is the latest in L&W’s hilarious series mixing cows and barnyard animals with invading aliens who beam them up to spaceships. This one is a three-pot game leading to an enhanced freespin round in which the reel symbols in winning combinations disappear and new symbols cascade down to the screen.
The new Wizard of Oz game focuses on the Wicked Witch, in bonuses that invariably involve the four main characters in the legendary film. It has Flying Monkeys who turn reels wild, and other bonuses covering memorable Wicked Witch scenes. The witch’s castle in a night landscape is beautifully depicted on the large-format Mural cabinet’s monitor.
Light & Wonder also will launch several new proprietary game brands at the G2E show. Ticket to Win features three trains as the collection pots, and a hold-and-spin bonus with a secondary hold-and-spin within the feature.
Then there’s Power Pigs, a funny new game series that features the godly “Zeus Pig” hosting a four-pot game—yes, the pots are pigs—with the pig-pots backing to a “Power Tower,” a ladder of ascending bonuses and progressives.
Lucky Lemmings is another new brand. In another funny sequence, lemming symbols send lemmings up to the top of a cliff, and a separate symbol sends a fox to the top of the cliff to cause a stampede, sending the lemmings down to the reels as cash symbols.
