Did you know that it was Play’n GO that pioneered the iconic grid slot style of game? But how did this all come about and what makes these titles so popular?
The world of iGaming is filled with many exciting slot styles and themes, yet there is one that has become one of the most loved styles around the world, and that popularity continues to spread. Grid slots have remained one of the industry’s most popular and recognisable slot styles over the past decade or so, filled with exciting features and the chance of some thrilling cascading wins. But first, what exactly are grid slots?
What is a Grid Slot?
For those that aren’t sure what these types of games are, they are similar to standard slots in that players will hit spin, cycling the symbols on the reels with the aim of creating winning combinations of symbols. These grid slots tend to be equal dimension grids, such as 5x5, 6x6, or 7x7. Wins are earned by connecting a certain number of adjacent symbols which varies depending on the game.
These slots differ from regular slots in that once a winning combination or “cluster” of symbols is formed, those symbols disappear, allowing the symbols above to cascade into their place. This can then result in new winning clusters forming, potentially triggering a combo of cascades. You can find out more about how these types of slots work in our ‘Back to Basics’ guide here.
The history of Grid Slots
Play’n GO are renowned as pioneers in the industry. Not only were we the first to have created the technology to host mobile games, but we also innovated the grid slot. With very little to look back on or gain inspiration from, we opened a new arena to iGaming entertainment, and it’s become a staple across the industry.
Popular titles including GEMIX and Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness are great examples of how the cascading cluster mechanic complements the narratives, themes and progress in the slot. Not only are our early grid slot releases some of the first in iGaming, but they’re still player favourites today.
The first Grid Slots from Play'n GO
Being at the forefront of grid slot development and innovation, Play’n GO was home to some of the first ever games of this format. The first Play’n GO grid slot was Energoonz (2013) the first entry in what would become the Reactoonz series. After this came games like the circus themed Golden Ticket as well as the gemstone-mining title GEMIX (2014). Over the years, Play’n GO has developed a range of other grid slot titles, many of which, akin to Reactoonz (2017), snowballed into their own major IP series.
Not only that, but some popular series in the Play’n GO library such as the Wilde series which predominantly consists of video slots, dipped their toe into this new world, too. The first of the Wilde grid slots was Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness, in which the legendary treasure hunter takes on the creepy cult of Cthulhu.
The popularity of the Tome of Madness
This slot became incredibly popular with fans for a number of reasons. The Wilde series of games themselves have garnered international renown for their engaging themes and exciting gameplay, with Rich Wilde and his daughter Cat Wilde, along with Uncle Gerard, becoming icons in the world of iGaming. Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness (2019) engrossed fans in a tale of darkness as this intrepid treasure hunter sought to claim the dangerous tome from cultists who intended to unleash Cthulhu upon the world.
This grid slot features a number of exciting features, including the Portal which releases special effects on the grid when charged with winning symbols, and the ultimate Mega Wild of Cthulhu, which can be released potentially creating some monstrous wins.
Upcoming Grid Slots: evolving the IP with Tome of Insanity
So, what’s next for Play’n GO’s grid slots? Well, the popularity of Tome of Madness in 2019, as well as grid slots in general, has naturally led to the development of even more exciting cascading titles like this. And, fans of the Wilde series and the Tome of Madness will be thrilled to know that the sequel, Rich Wilde and the Tome of Insanity is on the horizon. Launching on the 30 May 2024, this innovative slot games promises to evolve the IP even further, bringing more exciting Portal features, as well as the Damned Ritual feature that can summon the grandfather of Cthulhu, the horrifying, many-eyed Yog-Sothoth.
If you’d like to see more of our grid slot titles and demo these slots for free to see what makes the grid slot one of the most popular choices for players around the globe, then click below. And don’t forget to check out Rich Wilde and the Tome of Insanity at the end of May where you can help Rich escape the denizens of darkness and recover priceless artefacts from the beyond...