Simon Cress
Remember when video games used to be tiny 2D pixelated things on a screen? The growth of video game graphics has been amazing over the last few decades – and the same is true in the igaming world. Casino games started as the most basic games known to man. You wanted to play some online slots, so you opened a game with three reels, a few symbols and nothing else. It was incredibly uninspiring, but boy have things changed for the better!
Online casino games still aren’t at the level of Triple-A titles for the PS5 or Xbox, but you still get some fantastic graphics displaying wonderful creations from amazing visual artists. Thousands of these games exist – yet here are some we think stand out for pushing the graphical boundaries…
Gonzo’s Treasure Map Live
We’ll kick things off with an intriguing title as it’s unlike all of the others on this list. Gonzo’s Treasure Map Live is a live casino game featuring real people. It’s available at many online sites, including those on this list of casinos not on GamStop by CasinoGam.uk. We think it pushes the boundaries of video game graphics as the live dealer is thrown into the game!
A person is talking to you, with a digital rendition of some Ancient Egyptian tomb around them while the game itself takes centre stage. We also like the animated Gonzo on the screen – the graphics are excellent here and he interacts with the live dealer. It’s a fun example of how far igaming has come and we expect to see more and more immersive titles like this in the future.
The Flash
We can’t ignore a slot based on one of the best comic book superheroes of all time. You’ll find a few games themed around “The Flash”, but the one we’re focused on is developed by NextGen Gaming. Why? Because it brings the classic comic book-style graphics to the table!
It’s a beauty to behold; the slots look like they’re taken from a comic and it’s a style you don’t find across most games. Funnily enough, NextGen produced a range of DC Comics superhero games with similar graphics. If you’re a fan of comics and the likes of Batman or Green Lantern, these games could be for you. They’re very visually appealing and demonstrate how different igaming software creators can design their games.
Koi Princess
We’ve chosen this casino game from NetEnt because – like the previous two options – it gives you something completely different to what you expect. Loads of igaming titles look the same, but Koi Princess uses the classic anime/manga style from Japan.
The graphics are fantastic as the main character is wonderfully drawn. It’s like you’re watching something from Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon – and the whole theme of this game looks excellent. There are bright colours everywhere, depictions of Japanese temples, cherry blossoms dotter around the scene and so much more. In many ways, it’s a work of art rather than a casino game.
Dead or Alive 2
This is another game made by NetEnt, so it’s starting to become obvious why this brand is regarded as one of the best in the industry. Unlike Koi Princess, the style here is far from cute and whimsical. Instead, you have spectacular graphics that genuinely can rival a few proper video game titles and the whole style is Western.
Before you play the game, you see the main characters with their guns and cowboy hats, and then you’re launched into the reels. Here, all the symbols reflect classic Wester things – like a revolver, some whiskey, a pair of dusty boots and a sheriff’s badge. We appreciate how even the letters in the reel follow this theme and look like they’re made from pieces of metal or wood.
It’s got steampunk vibes to it – and all the while there’s a vast town in the background with huge cliffs and thunder in the sky. The scene is well and truly set! We think the best thing to say about Dead or Alive 2’s graphics is that they bring you into the scene. You almost forget you’re playing an online slot game and feel like you’re in the Wild West!
Cosmic Voyager
Cosmic Voyager is an online slot from Thunderkick with some gorgeous graphics. As the name suggests, this game has a cosmic theme – and that’s reflected in the way it’s styled and how the graphics have been drawn.
Space-themed games are always incredibly fun and we’ve seen quite a few great ones in recent times like No Man’s Sky and Starfield – both of which made PC Gamer’s list of the best space video games of all time. Cosmic Voyager can’t compete with either in terms of the game’s scope, but it does have some pretty marvellous visuals.
We particularly like the backdrop to the game, featuring a cosmic galaxy with loads of pink, purple and green hues. Genuinely, if you took that and put it in a frame, people would buy it and hang it on their walls. The big thing here is how the game uses its theme in the slot reels. Each icon is a planet or something cosmic – the graphics are done in a way to make them look like they’re floating or spinning around. It’s got some of the best attention to detail you’re likely to ever see from a casino game!
Sugar Rush
It sounds a lot like Candy Crush and to be honest, Sugar Rush can easily pass for a mobile game like that. It’s got extremely bright and colourful graphics designed to look very cartoony. The effect is a digital candy landscape you can’t help but be drawn into! Seeing all the pieces of candy in the reels adds to this and we love how Pragmatic Play leaned into this theme.
It’s completely different from all the other options again, which is the whole purpose of this list! We want to show you how the igaming world has transformed and the amazing visual art on display. We’re intrigued by how brilliant the graphics are across the board – and by what may come next in the new era of casino games.
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