Slot games are the most popular form of casino gambling globally, by some distance. And they’ve been around a long time, too, with the first mechanical slot games invented in 1899 and the first online slots debuting in the 1990s. That means today there are tens of thousands of options available online and more at land-based casinos across the world. Over that time, though, the games themselves have changed dramatically.
For the purposes of this article, classic slots mean either genuine old games like a country pub fruity, or land-based and online slots that mimic the mechanical style of the original machines. Bells. Sevens. Lemons. Three reels, one payline. You know the score. On the other hand, modern slots are made using advanced computer software and have all sorts of combinations of paylines, symbols, reels and mechanics, meaning one game can be wildly different to the next.
Classic Slots are Simple, Predictable and Easy to Play
The very first slot games were mechanical devices with a set of physical reels inside, painted or printed with different symbols. This mechanical nature limited their potential complexity, as there was only a certain amount of room for symbols and for expansion, which would require bulkier machines.
Classic slots keep to this simple formula, even in newer video slot games. The first video slot machine, Fortune Coin, was developed in California, USA, by Fortune Coin Company in 1978. It transposed the mechanical wheels onto a screen and used a computer to generate the random numbers needed to power the results of each spin.
For many years, video slots continued to use simple formats. Three reels, five or six different symbols and one payline – matching two or more across the three reels. This means there are plenty of classic video slots from these years you can still find at physical casinos across the US and around the world.
However, a lot of these are less popular online in today’s market, where audiences skew younger than land-based gambling. So you might not find as many true classic slot games. On the other hand, you will find lots of games that still use three reels and classic symbols like Bells, Cherries, Lemons, Bars and Hot 7s. It’s just most of the popular options also include one or two concessions to modern games, such as:
- Two or three symbols on screen per reel, making more paylines
- Multipliers
- Wild symbols
- Bonus rounds
These will usually be limited to one or two extra features per game, to keep the vibe authentic to the original style. They’re designed to be easy to follow, with straightforward pay tables. Classic slots also have more frequent but usually smaller payouts rather than gatekeeping the potential for huge wins into a bonus round.
Modern Video Slots Up the Intensity with Bigger Max Win Potential but a Lot More Going On
Modern slot games rarely have fewer than four or five reels and dozens of paylines. They also have way more features, because there’s essentially infinite room on the reels, so the number of different symbols can be as many as developer’s want. There is no set aesthetic or style of symbols common to modern slots – the style is defined only by the advanced digital mechanics.
Some features you’ll find in modern slots you won’t see in classic games include:
- Bonus rounds, such as free spins or selection bonuses
- Changing reel formats
- Large paytables with dozens of symbols
- Unique themes, sounds and animations
- Massive potential wins into the 10,000x or more
There are plenty of games on the market now with reels that change the number and size of symbols with each spin, giving literally hundreds of thousands of possible paylines. Some of which can offer huge prizes in the unlikely event they all line up.
Because there are so many more winning combos, modern slots can offer way bigger win potential than old school games, where the top winning combo comes up hundreds or even thousands of times more often.
If this all sounds incredibly complicated, comparison sites like Casino.co.uk can help. Expert players and gambling insiders break down popular, classic and new slot games across a range of styles, as well as telling you exactly what casinos offer what games. The slots market is crowded, making these sites a useful resource before picking your next game or casino.
Understanding Variance and What You Want from the Experience
To complicate this somewhat, you will also find slot games that follow the visual style and theme of old school slots while using modern slot game structure and mechanics. These can be appealing to players who like the vintage retro vibes for familiarity, but also want bigger win potential and more exciting formats.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you what kind of slots you like. Want to visually know what you’ve won? Would you rather win a tenner and then cash out than keep playing for a chance to hit a big jackpot? Prefer the vibes stay similar to classic casino card games? Well, classic slots might be for you.
The low variance means you’re more likely to make a small profit at some point, but you’re not, in most games, going to hit a life-changing jackpot win.
However, if you find a small range of symbols boring (usually the same Jokers, Lemons, Diamonds and Bars as every other game in the genre), and the prospect of limited max win potential off-putting, then new modern slot games will be up your alley. You can even try them out for free in some cases. Best of luck!
