by in While Canada still boasts a highly active market for land-based casino games, the dawn of the online age has been a real game-changer. With players having easy access to a wide variety of casino games from their electronic devices, many slots that have dominated the casino floor now have digital online versions so that players can enjoy these classics without setting foot out of the house. Of all the games that have crossed the digital divide, four titles from pioneering slot machine makers stand out.
1. Cleopatra
IGT’s tribute to the most famous female Egyptian ruler in history was the first Cleopatra-themed slot machine ever built. The game has a detailed theme that showcases artifacts from Ancient Egyptian culture and a winning set of features that have made this game a player favourite for decades. Players of the original game were intrigued by the potential of being able to bet up to $100 on a single line, increasing their chances of huge wins from a single risky bet.
Considering the popularity of this game in casinos throughout the 1990s, it made sense for IGT to create a version for online casino players. In 2012, the developer launched this slot’s digital version, immediately gaining a loyal player base. The winning formula of the original is unchanged. Wild symbols bearing Cleopatra’s eyes stand in for all other symbols, except the scatter, which triggers the free spins round where all wins are multiplied by 3x. IGT has created several sequels to this title with varying features and gameplay elements, but nothing compares to the original.
2. 88 Fortunes
When Light and Wonder (previously known as Scientific Games) launched the original 88 Fortunes slot machine, Asian-themed slot games were on the rise in land-based casinos. The developer seized the opportunity to ensure theirs was the best. The bright and bold graphics create a captivating visual experience dominated by red and gold. Golden mandalas, ingots, ships, turtles and eagles as symbols add richness to the gameplay.
2016 Light and Wonder introduced online gamblers to a faithful digital recreation of 88 Fortunes. This version keeps the original’s powerful bonus features set, with a free spins round where low-value symbols are eliminated and a randomly triggered pick-me jackpot game. The only difference between these two variants is how you place your bets.
3. Da Vinci Diamonds
When IGT introduced casino players to its Leonardo da Vinci-inspired slot machine in the late 2000s, it gave them a unique experience where gleaming gems appeared alongside some of the artist’s most famous paintings on golden reels against a stark black background. At the time, this game made some of the best use of the Cascading Reels mechanic, where winning symbol combinations are removed from the reels, allowing a new set of symbols to appear and potentially setting off a chain of wins.
Online players got their hands on the online version of Da Vinci Diamonds in 2012. It was now possible to experience the excitement of the game’s Cascading Reels and its free spins bonus round from anywhere. This title was wildly popular in land-based casinos and carried over to the online version, attracting masses of loyal and new players every day.
4. Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania
Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania by IGT was a game too weirdly appealing for casino players to resist. This light-hearted colourful experience features a friendly lobster who wants to take players on a fishing expedition below the waves to win big with unique features.
By 2012, an online version of this game was grabbing the attention of players worldwide, thanks to its odd theme and multiple winning opportunities. One of the standout features is Scatter Pays, where landing three or more scatter symbols pays you an instant prize worth up to 200x your bet. The Buoy Bonus feature contains the game’s ‘big guns’. This multi-layered bonus guides you through different stages of trying to pick lucky lobsters and buoys, with prizes worth up to 4000x your stake on the line.
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