Are There Online Casino Games Based on Skill?
Ah, the eternal question arises again. Is it possible to somehow increase your chances of winning in a slot or casino game? While there are some ways in which you can increase your performance, you can’t affect the inner mechanics of games.
This is because slots use a mathematical algorithm called RNG (random number generator) to provide the outcome of each spin. These games are also audited to check they are fair and transparent.
However, in the last decade, a new type of game appeared, sometimes called Skill-based slots. This began when the company Scientific Games unveiled what was their rendition of the popular 1978 arcade game “Space Invaders,” including a never-seen-before skill-based bonus round.
Even though this and other games are yet to show up as online slots, the potential is enormous thanks to their innovative mechanics and popularity.
In Space Invaders, there are random results when spinning like in any other slot. However, the bonus part allows you to control a cannon and move it horizontally while shooting down aliens, much like the original game.
You collect credits by doing so, and advance levels in order to get one of the tiered jackpot pools. What’s more, you can even skip the “gambling” part and use the Bonus Buy feature to go straight to this round. Even though Space Invaders was the first skill based slot, it’s hardly the only one.
The same year that Scientific Games unveiled Space Invaders, GameCo released Danger Arena. This isn’t a slot, but it’s a gambling game and a first-person shooter at the same time. You need to shoot robots to get money prizes and have different power-ups just like most FPS games.
Space Invaders isn’t the only retro game to be reinvented for casinos. Taito’s Arkanoid is another one. The slot rendition by Next Gaming offers similar mechanics to the original, where you need to bounce a ball against bricks. In this case, there are even boss stages to beat!
As you can see, genres are pretty varied. Proof of this is the Beat Square Tournament from Konami. It’s basically the casino version of Dance Dance Revolution. In this game, you get 16 touch panels. You choose a bet size and the music type. If you get the beat right, you earn points.
As you can see, land-based casinos have interesting offerings, and these are just a few of them. Unfortunately, the same type of experience is yet to be seen in online casinos, where most if not all slots are based exclusively on random results.