As 2024 draws to a close, we’ve decided to take a look back at recent Beyond the Reels episodes, taking an in-depth look into the past year’s most interesting slot releases. In the second of a two-part special, we look at the final three episodes of the year, featuring slots from Gaming Corps, Amusnet and Peter & Sons.
Piggy Smash – Gaming Corps
In the springtime, an episode with Gaming Corps saw Beyond the Reels cover its first-ever instant game as Conor Blinman, the studio’s Head of Games, appeared to discuss the debut of its Smash4Cash mechanic in Piggy Smash.
Using a piggy bank theme for the mechanic’s debut release, the Smash4Cash format sees players set their stakes and bet as a hammer smashes down on different coloured piggy banks.
While different coloured pigs provide different prizes from x1 to x100 the player’s bet, each pig has the ability to reveal one of the four bonus features, including multipliers, jackpots and bonus rampage and multi-rampage features.
Explaining the studio’s latest mechanic, as well as the inspiration behind the piggy bank theme, Blinman stated: “Back in 2023, we really wanted to create something to change the player experience in 2024.
“We wanted to create something unique that nobody had seen before in the online space. That’s where Piggy Smash came about, and where the Smash4Cash mechanic started.
“Once we had decided on the mechanic, the name came really quickly to us. It was super obvious to call this mechanic Smash4Cash. We then decided to think about what type of themes we could pair with this mechanic.
“We were discussing the objects that we could smash and what could reveal prizes and, among every team member, we all had experiences growing up with piggy banks. It was something that everyone had experienced in the past.
“The mechanic and the nostalgia behind the theme all combine really well for the player experience to be what it is today.”
After delving into the bonus features showcased within Piggy Smash, Blinman discussed why producing arcade games can be beneficial for both suppliers and the operators that acquire them.
“I feel as if the casinos, right now, are inundated with suppliers offering them different slots. What this sort of game does is it targets a different demographic, whilst being very similar to the slot-style of gameplay and core gameplay loop.
“It’s perhaps for a more casual demographic, someone who isn’t a slots player or a traditional table player can come to this game and experience something different.
“This is growing with release upon release each month because these games are becoming more popular, targeting a demographic that hasn’t been targeted before.
“Studios gain a massive USP on the market if they offer these arcade titles. With ourselves, we see a really strong connection with casinos that are looking for something different. We do offer slots, but we also offer these arcade titles and I do think that gives us a leg-up.”
Coin Gobbler – Amusnet
Fast-forward to September and Amusnet welcomed Oscar to the reel set with Coin Gobbler, which Game Producer Plamen Slavov walked viewers through as the studio’s first-ever cluster-pays title.
Coin Gobbler presents players with a 6×6 grid where wins are formed through clusters of six or more identical symbols. Players can win up to x6,000 their stake through bonus features such as guaranteed wilds and free spins.
Explaining how the studio took a different approach to the art style for Coin Gobbler as opposed to its previous release Cavemen and Dinosaurs, Slavov referred to “a new visual direction”.
“We wanted to explore a new visual direction for this game to better align with the unique theme and elevate the overall player experience,” he stated.
“Our commitment to delivering high-quality games with intriguing themes and striking visuals by experimenting with various art styles will not only keep content fresh and engaging, but also broaden our appeal to a diverse player base.”
Detailing the inspiration behind the slot’s use of Oscar, the Coin Gobbler character, Slavov said: “The inspiration behind the Coin Gobbler game and the character Oscar was multi-faced. We aimed to create a game that would appeal to a broader audience while maintaining the charm of traditional fruit games.
“With this in mind, we introduced Oscar, the Coin Gobbler, a respectful, honest and confident character to engage a diverse player base. Oscar’s well-balanced sense of humour, characterised with wit and playfulness, ensures that he resonates with players and adds an element of fun to the game.”
Later on in the interview, Slavov explains why Amusnet decided to branch out into cluster-paying slots for the first time with Coin Gobbler, stating: “Slot games are here to stay, that’s a fact, but recently we noticed there is a slight change in direction.
“It seems the players are seeking new and fresh mechanics and themes. So, cluster games bring that fresh feel to slots by introducing new mechanics. In a way, we are only trying to give the players what they need, what they want.”
Looking into the features on offer in Coin Gobbler’s free spins feature, Slavov continued: “The free spins feature can be triggered when four or more coins land on the screen, or by purchasing it through the buy bonus button of course.
“When the feature is active, players receive six free spins and a progression indicator appears next to the slot. Wild symbols are always present on the screen, changing to a random position on each spin.
“The wild collects each coin on the screen and for every four coins collected it increases its size for the remaining free spins. Additionally, one to three extra free spins are awarded. This way we introduce a progressive feature where the player is working toward bigger wild symbols and more free spins.”
Barbarossa Revenge – Peter & Sons
For the final Beyond the Reels episode of the year, Peter & Sons‘ explained how Barbarossa Revenge took inspiration from the previous Barbarossa release while “bringing in something new” to the series.
After informing viewers on the journey Peter & Sons has taken from land-based production to online gaming, Bautista launched into the 5×3 reel slot that offers 243 ways to win and a maximum win worth x30,000 the player’s bet, explaining how Yggdrasil’s DoubleMax feature provides “a very nice tempo” for the series.
“We have done this with different games, and it’s a stair multiplier basically. I think the feature itself is very attractive, and it gives a tempo to the game that is very nice,” he said.
“But it’s not just that feature. We always try to bring in something new into the game. In this case, we’re talking about a ways game, rather than a paylines game, and of course it’s a cascade game. Then, we implement other features that work well with the original mechanic (DoubleMax), like the multiplier jump, where all of a sudden you can jump from x2 to x16.”
On revamping the studio’s previous Barbarossa release for this sequel, Bautista explained the importance of taking in player feedback and making tweaks towards their preferences, while remaining loyal to the original title.
“We tried to be loyal to the original game because I think that’s what a player expects from a sequel. So we listened to the players and we tried to bring what they were asking us for, which was increasing a little bit of the volatility and increasing the win potential as well, from x20,000 to x30,000.”
Bautista then went on to explain how the Barbarossa series appeals to constantly shifting player preferences, stating that the initial title was “one of the best performing games, if not the best performing games we have”.
“I have to say that Barbarossa, first of all, was one of the best performing games, if not the best performing game we have. So we already have a base of loyal players.
“When we made the sequel Barbarossa Revenge, the idea was to give these players something new. The game has been out there for one year and we are talking about returning players. The game is very retentive.
“And we thought, okay, let’s give them what they want. Let’s give them something else. But as Barbarossa already has a loyal base of players. So this is, I would call it, a gift for them.”
