The best slot games of 2018 – and what 2019 holds

Slots games have long been among the biggest attractions of the leading casino sites, with such established titles as Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest and Guns N’ Roses having practically etched themselves into online gambling folklore.

As fun and vibrant as such more traditional slot games frequently are, though, it’s easy to become bored if they’re literally the only online games you ever play. That’s why it should be such a welcome fact to you that major slots game software developers like Microgaming, NetEnt and Play’n GO are continually launching all manner of new and interesting titles.

There were certainly some great ones during 2018, but the coming year also promises a host of new games that will help to refine and reshape what online slots games can be into the 2020s.

So, let’s take a look at some of them.

First of all, some of the games that have just seen the light of day...

One intriguing slots game that has recently started appearing on the key online casino portals is Lucha Legends. This Microgaming slot’s name may seem familiar on some level, and that’s probably because its theme – relating to a certain type of Mexican freestyle wrestling – has already been a source of inspiration for such slots as Yggdrasil’s Luca Maniacs and Thunderkick’s Luchadora. It’s a five-reel, three-row slot incorporating 25 pay lines and a ‘Power Up Mode’.  

As for the world of branded slots, well, you might have thought that slots centred on the likes of Game of Thrones and Jurassic World have shown that particular avenue to have been largely exhausted. That’s not necessarily the case, however. The Goonies is a Blueprint Gaming slot that draws upon the characters and imagery of the 1980s cult film directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, and enables you to follow the escapades of lead characters Mikey, Data, Mouth and Chunk. It also presents you with the opportunity to trigger no fewer than 12 bonus features. 

Another recent release – in October – was the Wild Bazaar slot, which burnishes NetEnt’s reputation as a developer that can do it all when it comes to online slots games. As its name suggests, it’s got something of an Arabian vibe, but it’s also quite a commercial game that is well-suited to a broad audience, instead of merely attempting to cater to the most hardcore gamblers. It incorporates five reels, four rows, 26 fixed pay lines and a 96.15% RTP.

Which is the most fabled NetEnt slot of all, though? Well, that’s no less than the aforementioned Starburst, and the recently released BerryBurst is its eagerly anticipated and somewhat juicy sequel. This five-reel, three-row game is graphically impressive in much the same way as Starburst, but the game play experience is straightforward, with no free spin feature – instead, the sole extra feature is the expanding wild. Nonetheless, it’s a slot that allows you to enjoy even bigger overall winnings than even Starburst made possible.  

What about the titles that we won’t get to try until 2019?

Well, there are quite a few of those. While we’re on the subject of NetEnt, for example, horse racing fans may be intrigued to learn that the company is set to release a slot utilising the image rights of eight-time Champion Jockey, Peter Scudamore. It’ll be called Scudamore’s Super Stakes, and will apparently combine high volatility mechanics with real racing content and themed in-game features.

Staying with the world of branded slots, Microgaming also has quite the promising new game up its (suitably disco-flared) sleeves that will be based on the iconic ‘70s and ‘80s band, Village People. It therefore goes without saying that such dance-floor hits as “Y.M.C.A.”, “Go West” and “Macho Man” will all feature in the game, along with the group’s characters including the Biker, Cowboy and Construction Worker.

Meanwhile, horses of a rather different kind to those that Scudamore is familiar with take pride of place in the Mustang Gold slot that is primed for a January release. It’s the latest product from Pragmatic Play, which is one of the lesser-known casino game software providers – albeit one that has attracted greater attention lately. Mustang Gold is a ‘Wild West’-themed slot sporting the kind of western tumbleweed tune that the Clint Eastwood film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly made famous. With its backdrop depicting a dusty canyon and blazing skies, and playability on all devices, it may well be one of the slots to watch in the early months of 2019.   

Push Gaming is another developer that will be busy next year, although we’ll be waiting a little while for the release of its Immortal Guild slot, which is only set to become available in April. Illustrations have already emerged, however, indicating an epic medieval or fantasy theme for what the screenshots also indicate will be a five-reel, four-row slot with 1,024 win ways. The few details that we have about this slot so far have already led to comparisons with Immortal Romance, which is one of the most iconic online slots of all time, so anything anywhere near that standard will be pleasing.

An exciting time to be an online slots gaming enthusiast

Whatever you expect from your own slots gaming experience, there’s sure to be a game for you among the broad range of choices now available on the various leading casino sites. 2018 has seen the addition of several more classics, and 2019 might just be an even better year, at least on the basis of the games we’ve seen being previewed so far.

Allow our experts to advise and guide you with regard to the most suitable slots sites and games for your preferences and needs, and you can expect to have the most fulfilling online gambling experience throughout 2019 and beyond.