People enjoy dipping their toes into an ocean of nostalgia to remind themselves of good times gone by. That can include reminiscing over some childhood candy, enjoying an old-but-gold movie, listening to some banging tunes from the 80s or revisiting some retro video games.
However, there are also places where that old school cool meshes perfectly with the new, and one such area is retro-themed casino slots. These slots reach back into time with their theming, and they typically feature simple gameplay.
Why retro slots are popular
Retro is one of the many niches of online slot styles, and the nostalgia of old-school games still provides plenty of enjoyment no matter where in the world players are. There’s a great selection of retro slots found among the best online pokies in New Zealand, for example, which means that everything from cascading reels to big retro jackpot games can be found. Despite the abundance of modern-themed slots there are plenty of reasons to go retro, such as:
Simple gameplay
Retro slots largely avoid complicated gameplay, such as bonus rounds. That’s because they harken back to simpler times, meaning that they are typically accessible to newer slot players.
Nostalgia
A theme like 70s rock, classic cars or even just a replication of a classic-style fruit machine can scratch that nostalgic itch.
Lower volatility
Retro slots are usually boosted by lower volatility, meaning that they pay out more frequently, which is something that suits newer slot players perfectly.
Where to start going retro
There are plenty of retro slot options to explore at any good online casino, but here are five of the best to get you into the swing of things:
Reel Rush
NetEnt’s Reel Rush is a 5×5 slot with a cascade feature where the max payout is 1,000x. The game has medium volatility with a 96.96% RTP and it fits the retro vibe very well. It has the design elements of a classic fruit machine, while simultaneously managing to look as if it’s been pulled out of an old Nintendo console game.
The gameplay on Reel Rush is very modern though, as it features both locked and unlocked reels, which initially form the shape of a cross. When a winning combination has been hit, re-spins are triggered, and each of those re-spins opens more of the game board. Ultimately, the number of paylines can increase to more than 100 after starting at 50 on the standard board.
Rock ‘N’ Lock
This Red Tiger slot transports players back to the glorious era of 50s and 60s-style rock, where neon ruled, and everyone wanted to look and sound like Elvis and chase dreams of platinum record sales. The slot’s theme is based around a record shop, and features symbols like guitars and stereos.
The game’s main character, which appears to have been styled on Fonzie from Happy Days, is the wild. Other symbols include records, which serve as the scatter symbols, and landing at least three of them will send a player into the bonus round where gold and platinum records rack up multipliers.
As those initial scatter symbols are locked during the respins, it increases the chance of landing some consecutive wins. Rock ‘N’ Lock is a 5×4 format game with 25 paylines that leans towards higher volatility, with a retro theme and max win of 2,340x.
Twin Spin
Another entry from NetEnt is Twin Spin, which has medium-high volatility with a maximum potential payout of 1080x. The game’s theme heavily leans on the classic fruit machine style. The game gets its name from its main feature as adjacent reels are paired up, but the fun doesn’t stop there.
Thanks to an expanding reels feature, the twin reels can be linked to three, four or all five at the same time. There are 243 paylines in this simple and engaging game, which has the vibe of a classic reel with a modern twist. The retro-ness can be seen in the Twin Spin’s classic one-armed bandit symbols, which include cherries, lucky sevens and diamonds.
There are wilds in there as well, which can appear on all but the first reel. Surprisingly there are no free spins or jackpots in the game, which keeps it nice and simple, and it’s that Twin Spin feature that is the game’s big hook.
Retro Sweets
Retro Sweets from Push Gaming will evoke memories of a childhood sugar rush as the game’s symbols are classic candies. Grouping at least five of the same symbol will reward a payout of 1x to 1000x.
There are also Instant Prize Multiplier symbols in Retro Sweets, and when one of those drops into play, it boosts the Instant Prize symbols by whatever value it shows, which will be either 2x, 5x or 10x. Retro Sweets has an RTP from 94.42% to 96.49%, and it has another feature called a Push Bet. If a bet is increased by 2x and 4x on a base spin, then you’ll be guaranteed that either one or two Wild Candy symbols will drop, boosting the chances of another feature being triggered.
Retromania
Retromania from Endorphina is a great slot to check out. It’s a five-reel slot that looks fantastic, with a soft retro palette of colors and animated symbols like old camera film, cassette tapes and vinyl records. There’s up to 5,000x rewarded for landing five typewriters on Retromania.
The star symbol triggers a free spin bonus, and after a win, there is always an opportunity for the player to gamble it. This involves a game of chance, if you manage to turn over a card that’s higher than the one you’ve been dealt, your winnings can be doubled. Otherwise, the winnings are lost.
Unlike most modern slots, there’s no real story theme to Retromania, but it’s backed by an upbeat, synth-based track. This is a low variance slot with a 96% RTP and the number of paylines can be customized up to a maximum of nine.
Let’s go retro
Retro is essentially anything with some vintage charm and nostalgia, which gives players a warm, fuzzy feeling inside because it is something they typically remember fondly. However, it’s not just Gen X and the older millennials who enjoy them, retro games have made their impression on younger gamers too. In online slots, the retro theme sometimes comes with a sprinkle of modern game features and that can make for a great experience, usually with some great visuals.
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