The
slot machine revolution continues to rage at casinos
across the United States. You've probably observed
it yourself. Traditional 3-reel slot games are
being moved out, while glitzy video theme games
with bonus features, enhanced stereo sound effects,
and dazzling graphics are being moved in.
Don't
be too worried if you're a fan of such traditional
favorites as Double Diamond and Red, White, &
Blue Sevens. They're not going the way of the
bars, lemons, and oranges just yet. But the reality
of the situation is that the research and development
think tanks of slot machine manufacturers are
making an appeal to "Generation X".
Similar
revolutions have taken place in other areas of
the entertainment industry. Board games are still
popular with children and adults, but today they
share the toy store spotlight with video game
technology. Working with video terminals isn't
new for an entire generation. They've never known
a world without them!
So
it is with slot machines. Traditional reel game
formats offer too much of a one dimensional, "pull
tab" experience to people in their 20s and
30s who are used to being bombarded with sensory
technology. They want to be stimulated with sights,
sounds, and colors, while also being given the
perception of decision making.
The
new slots are doing just that, particularly the
"games for the new millennium" introduced
by International Game Technology. They include
such theme game formats as "I Dream of Jeannie",
"Richard Petty Driving Experience",
"The Addams Family", "The Pink
Panther", and "The Munsters".
All
of them share common characteristics: They are
visually attractive, they offer a multi-dimensional
and interactive playing experience, and the themes
capitalize on characters that have been a part
of baby boomer's lives from childhood into middle
age.
The
person primarily responsible for IGT's aggressive
move into this new generation of slot machine
play is Joe Kaminkow, the company's vice-president
of engineering and design. "Cool Joe",
as he is known among his colleagues, joined IGT
in January 1999 after 13 years in a similar capacity
with suburban Chicago based Sega Pinball.
Wonder
where Joe's "cool" ideas for slot machine
games originated? Consider the fact that while
with Sega he is credited with having designed
no less than 75 popular coin-operated games, including
Harley-Davidson, The X-Files, Star Wars, Michael
Jordan, Jurassic Park, Playboy, Titanic, Batman,
Baywatch, and South Park. You've no doubt seen
or even played some of them in amusement centers
and arcades.
IGT
knew an imaginative and creative individual when
they saw one. They wooed him over to put his talents
to work on developing a line of slot machines
that has taken the gaming industry by storm and
is well on its way to revolutionizing slot machine
play, giving it the broadest appeal among gaming
enthusiasts it has ever enjoyed.
"The
combination of amusement game features and gaming
machine technology is taking conventional machine
play to a new level," Kaminkow said. "We're
making creative use of enhanced sound and graphics,
and incorporating multi-level bonuses as well
as genuine entertainment value.
"We
strive to build all the fun we can into every
game from every angle, stimulating the senses
with sights, sounds, unexpected bonuses, and sensory
treats," Kaminkow added.
Does
this mean that IGT's original "Golden Goose",
the traditional 3-reel game formats that year
after year are among the most popular games on
casino floors across the united States, is destined
to be phased out?
"By
no means," Kaminkow responded. "I believe
we are still a generation or two away from seeing
any major changes. We realize we still have a
large base of people dedicated to our traditional
games and we will continue to be responsive to
them. More than half of our research and development
efforts remain geared toward the traditional line."
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