Games galore

The impressive October – November flow of new games from online gambling software providers continued unabated through December, and has gathered momentum on the run-up to the industry’s big IGE-ICEi show which starts next week.
Playtech started 2010 in productive style despite a raft of massive strategic business deals in which it has been involved. The company put 21 new game offerings on the market that included additions to the Marvel Movies superhero themed series, initially launched with The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. Additions to the range now include Blade, Fantastic Four, Elektra, X-men and Daredevil.
The new Marvel slots are all linked to a four level randomly triggered mystery jackpot progressive network where payouts ranging from GBP 50 to GBP 1,000,000 are achievable.
The rest of the games consist of 9 download offerings and the rest instant-play, with the lineup comprising Happy Bugs (5 reel 20 pay-line), Cute and Fluffy (5/25), From Russia with Love (5/25), Fairy Magic (5/15) and Lucky Blackjack and Multiplayer Roulette. Arcade games are represented by Darts, Final Score, Hold’em Showdown and Pinball Roulette. Many of these games are duplicated in the instant gaming suite, along with six scratchcard games that include Football Mania, Love Match and Beetlebingo, where wins of up to $215 000 are achievable.
More Playtech action came from the EuroPartners announcement that the casino line Europa -Titan – Tropez would be launching Roulette Royal and Club Roulette interactive television gambling in 10 different languages from Playtech studios on show in Copenhagen recently.
Net Entertainment’s latest slot Gonzo’s Quest has a theme that harks back to 1541 and the conquistadores exploits of Gonzalo Pizzarro, whilst Top Game has put its new slot Viking and Striking on the market.
3D slots specialist Betsoft added Enchanted to its 3D slots collection, a good-looking game with a magic forest – fairies and wizards theme. There are favourable reports aplenty on the company’s previous releases in the series: Once Upon a Time, Barbary Coast and Fortune Teller (see last new games report).
On the scratchcard front, relative newcomer Neogames out of Israel and Malta has made that sector sit and take notice with a series of fast moving white label deals and the introduction of games like Cash Farm, themed on farmyard animals; Christmas and Knights, which is based on the popular game War.
The accomplished Latvian games developer CTXM, which counts many of the leading software providers as its clients, is having a bumper season dominated by its impressive deal to supply Japanese giant Sega’s new online gambling venture with an extensive suite of games. Its new release of a successor to the popular Freaky 3D Slots series is branded Movie 3D Slots Series. Preview copies showcase a gangster theme in the first slot, which has outstanding graphics, rich animation and the title Gangs of New York.
The GTech G2 group comprising Boss Media, Dynamite Idea, St Minver and Finsoft has been active, too, announcing a major software update that includes live streamed bingo chat hosts and a slew of instant side games from both its in-house designers and outside sources, bringing its portfolio in this sector to 53.
Worthy of special mention among the new G2 games released are the slots Maya Gold, Lucky’s Diner and Rome, along with a new 80 ball speed bingo, VP, American Roulette and Showdown Poker. The Margin Maker sports betting platform has been upgraded, and the introduction of the Solid Icon-developed  Virtual Derby online fantasy horse racing game should be well received. Virgin Casino, powered by G2, has also reported the launch of Triple Chance Hi Lo, Casino Dice, Spin Win, Aces High and Bingo Keno Extreme, and the Dynamite Idea subsidiary has launched the new bingo side games, a 3 reel single line pub fruity, BarXMagic7 slot and promises to follow with more Electrocoin land-style slots like BarX-5 and BarX125 for the online division of the Gala Coral gamblng group.
Microgaming has continued its punishing monthy release schedule, now into its third year, pumping out an average of four new games every month. Recent offerings have been augmented by an additional slew of instant play side games for its bingo clients, released in monthly tranches. The veteran provider’s new 5 reel 20 pay-line Hellboy slot, themed on the famous Dark Horse comic cult character with unusual artwork to match, is probably its major recent game, although this should not distract attention from the flow of innovatively themed slots and other games from this prolific supplier. Microgaming’s live dealer games also appear to be taking off, and the company has released a live dealer Blackjack with special features like Bet Behind and Waiting List.
The other industry veteran – Cryptologic – Wagerlogic – has punched out several top games, too and its IGE-ICEi new offerings will be monitored closely by an industry that has learned to respect the game design and technological capabilities deployed by this quality company. Among its recent releases have been Sic Bo in three different versions – Macau, Atlantic and Australian; the major branded slot Superman and four other important developments in Forrest Gump, Braveheart, Just Vegas (an all-pays slot) and Fumi’s Fortune, based on a Japanese game show. Among Crypto’s recent table games releases are Blackjack Perfect Pairs, Sic Bo VIP and Double Double Bonus Poker.
The proprietary software at WinADay.com launched a 5 reel, 25 pay-line, lifestyle themed slot branded Reel De Luxe, whilst rival 3Dice.com – also using its own software – retired its SuperFive 3 reel progressive slot in favour of PentaPay and launched Coral Clams and Stick Shifter slots with underwater and automobile themes rspectively. Over at WinAsYouGo, management announced a new Christmassy slot for its Slotspack mobile clients that has 5 reels and 9 pay-lines.
Perhaps not as well known as the bigger providers, UK-based Zukido has nevertheless joined the new releases lists with no-download offerings compatible with a wide range of platforms, including 4 new mini-games in Fireball Football, Mini Rock Star, Monster Mash Dash and The Winning Line.
RealTime Gaming has added a double jackpot progressive slot to its inventory, branded Wok & Roll and featuring an Asian culinary theme. Up to 12 free games can be won in the action.
IGT-UK gambling software subsidiary Wagerworks, along with fellow subsidiary Million-2-1 has been prominent in the new games stakes, with the release of the mobile version of the famous and engrossing Cluedo game and the introduction – for the first time simultaneously across both land and Internet markets – of Monty’s Millions, a feature-rich 5 reel 40 pay-line slot.  Other new games from this quality supplier are the 5 reel 40 pay-line Treasures of Troy with the new multiway “1024 ways to win” feature, Kitty Glitter and Captain Jackpot’s Cash Ahoy!
Austrian provider Greentube is increasing its footprint in the online gambling business with a package of games that includes slots Mermaids Pearl, Bugs n Bees, Rameses II, The Alchemist, and three different VPs and a Sic Bo game.
Martin Reiner’s live dealer gambling provider Visionary i-Gaming has become a regular at the big industry shows and will be at IGE-ICEi with its new version of the popular Blackjack Early Payout game and Multihand Live Blackjack.
The Canadian and Netherlands Antilles provider Rival Gaming, famed for its i-slots concept, has two new interactive slots in prospect with the 20 pay-line boxing-themed Heavyweight Gold and – launching February 2nd – a 5 reel 20 pay-liner with free spins and multipliers titled Whacky Wedding which has a comical theme based on the range of family characters usually present at affairs matrimonial.
Party Gaming’s online casino Party Casino has launched what it claims is the largest progressive slot seeded jackpot yet, which starts at $1.5 million and is appropriately titled “The Big One”. This major game tends to overshadow the casino’s other new slot, Melon Madness.
The popularity of online bingo has continued to soar, with numerous sites battling for market supremacy in a crowded and competitive space. One of the fast-rising stars is Costa Bingo, which in a few short months has launched and overtaken many of the top operators in the sector thanks to innovative and energetic marketing. Powered by 888-Dragonfish-Globalcom software the latest releases from this intriguing newcomer include 18 instant side games, bringing its inventory in this genre to 72.
Among the latest are slots like Piggy Payout, Fortune’s Prophet, Mermaid’s Pool, Doctor Love, Big Top Bucks, Cupid’s Arrow, Double Up Ducks, Easter Island, Gets The Worm, Secret Garden, Luck Blossom, Pirate Princess, Pharaoh’s Luck, Jewel Journey, Savannah Sunset and Gamma Girl, along with Single Zero Roulette and the scratchcard game Frolikken Frogs.
Finally, for Yatzy fans, the Bwin group has taken the action up a level with its new Maxi Yatzy.

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