The cultural impact of some of history’s most iconic games can be seen everywhere; from fashion trends, to film franchises, to music fads. Our most beloved games also continue to affect the gaming industry itself, with different sectors of that industry continuing to draw inspiration from the most popular games and genres of all time.
One area where this trend is particularly announced is within betting games and apps, which appropriate the best aspects of some of our favourite games in order to continue to draw in players from around the world. Here is how the most influential games continue to influence emerging sectors within the gaming industry.
Iconography
One of the most prominent ways in which iconic video games continue to inspire betting games is through their striking visual identity. This is even clearly present in the gamification of lottery playing, with some of the biggest lottery games around now appropriating the visual style of classic video games. Industry-leading platforms like Lottoland have games in which the visual resemblance to some of the classics is striking; there’s the popular 7 Piggies scratch-card game which immediately draws an uncanny resemblance to the classic Finnish smartphone game Angry Birds. Then there’s the Queen of Gold online lottery game, which seems to be inspired by a more recent release, the latest Assassin’s Creed game, set among the pyramids of Ancient Egypt.
App-friendly slot games also borrow heavily from the imagery of cultural icons in video games; take for example the Holmes’ and the Stolen Stones slot game, which employs detailed backstories and high-quality visual arts to transport gamers into a classic Victorian Sherlock Holmes fantasy, just like classic and hugely successful Sherlock Holmes video game series does so well. The same can be said for the Secrets of Da Vinci’s Treasure slot, which is instantly recognisable as an impressive homage to the popular Uncharted game series. Beyond this, popular online slot games also take explicit or subtle inspiration from such classics as Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda, Resident Evil and more.
Gameplay Style
It’s not all about the visuals. Many popular betting games have ramped things up by allowing people to play for real money on games that resemble the same ones they play on a daily basis. Take for example the ever popular Cosmic Candy Heist, which operates in the exact same way as the universal smash hit Candy Crush, except you can actually win money.
Even popular sports-themed games are being replicated by the mobile betting industry, with big releases like Golden Boot allowing gamers to enjoy an immersive gameplay experience similar to that of the FIFA series, again with the opportunity to win some real money prizes and jackpots. The capabilities of the once low-budget betting game industry have skyrocketed, with developers pouring more and more resources into ensuring customers can enjoy a highly entertaining video game experience whilst still getting what they came for – cash prizes.
Cultural replications and tributes like these largely exist to satiate long-time fans of iconic video game franchises who are fiending for more content, and it is clearly being done in increasingly intelligent ways.
