Ellen DeGeneres, Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman and the cast of “Sons of Anarchy” soon could be headed to a casino floor near you.
Those names were among the many celebrity-themed slot machines that debuted at the Global Gaming Expo, also known as G2E, held this week at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. As in previous years, much of the equipment that major gaming technology companies showed off at G2E skewed toward pop culture themes — and television shows in particular.
Here's a sampling of them:
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Ellen DeGeneres (IGT)
Ellen DeGeneres dances across the screen. But it’s not the TV screen in your living room — it’s on one of International Game Technology’s new Ellen-themed slots.
IGT showed off two Ellen slots at G2E, “Ellen’s Dance Party” and “12 Days of Giveaways.” Both games have elements of the show embedded throughout, with enough photos of Ellen smiling that it’s almost like the player is seated in her studio audience. The games borrow bonuses that will resonate with viewers of her talk show: a “Wheel of Riches” to spin and a “Know or Go” button-pressing game.
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"Sons of Anarchy" (Aristocrat)
Based on the popular FX series, this game is mostly played beneath a striking image of Jackson “Jax” Teller standing next to a motorcycle looking intently into the distance over his left shoulder. An American flag is superimposed onto the background underneath the show’s name.
Several characters from the show are featured in the gameplay, which has a “cluster” power, meaning players don’t have to line up similar icons in neat rows — they can be just below or above in the next row.
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"Wonder Woman" (Bally)
Lynda Carter, who played the title character on this television show decades ago, appeared at G2E on Tuesday to promote these slots from Bally Technologies. They came in two versions: “Wonder Woman Wild,” with images and clips from the show’s first season, and “Wonder Woman Gold,” dressed up in the style of the second season. Play for long enough and the game will reward you with clips from the show and its iconic theme song.
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"The Flintstones" (WMS)
It was hard to miss this Bedrock display in G2E’s showroom, not only because of the attention WMS drew to it but also because it doesn’t look like a typical slot machine.
The main game area, played on a digital screen, is augmented by a 42-inch television screen and a mechanical wheel that all interact with one another. Players can win a “Flintstones Bonus” or a “Rubbles Bonus” themed with characters from each family. There’s also a “Yabba-Dabba-Doo” extra bonus.
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Bejeweled 3D (Gtech)
This classic was an easy fit for a slot machine, since the objective of the original game is to line up similar jewels.
The principle remains the same in the slot version, which Gtech has enhanced with its True 3D (no glasses required) brand. Players who find the 3D a little intense, particularly when jewels start flying at them if they win, have the option of turning down the intensity of the 3D technology.
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Ozone (Merkur Gaming)
Turns out, sitting in front of a slot machine isn’t the only way to play one — Merkur Gaming lets you crawl inside one. Called the Ozone, this gaming pod shuts players off from the outside world, giving them a comfortable seat and making the game the only thing in sight. It also has the effect of amplifying games’ sound in a way that a normal slot simply can’t. Merkur had two pods with some of its cartoonish games inside, but the immersive experience they provided was the most unique part.
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Gamblit Gaming
Imagine if Candy Crush had a wagering element to it, and that’s basically what Gamblit Gaming does with its unique games.
Gamblit was showing off games, not slot machines. They’re unlike most things you would usually find inside a casino, combining gambling with “gaming” in the more common sense of the word. In one game Gamblit displayed at G2E, “Police Pooches vs. Zombie Cats,” players use dogs to destroy feline enemies, and they have opportunities to wager for power-ups.
