Have you ever played themed slots? Themed or branded, call them what you will… many players love these slots and there are certainly plenty of them to choose from. So, let’s find out why they are popular and what you should expect if you decide to play a few.
What are branded slots and why are they so popular?
Branded games are those that tie into something we are already familiar with. This might mean a TV show, a film, a comic book character, or even a fairy tale. There are lots of reasons why they’re popular:
- They appeal to an audience that already exists
- Fans of a TV show, film, or character are likely to play a game associated with it
- There is a sense of familiarity before you even see the game
- Any special features will be built around the story or characters we already know
These games fall into two categories, so we’ll explore both of those below.
Slots with licensing agreements
Some branded games are tied in with characters created by other people. Movie-themed slots would fit into this category. Here are a few examples:
- Jurassic Park
- The Invisible Man
- Ghostbusters
- The Dark Knight
In these cases, the software developer would need to come to an agreement with the movie studio or owner of the characters or plot. In doing so, they would then be able to create a slot game with their approval.
Slots without licensing agreements
You may wonder how a slot game could be branded if it doesn’t tie in with a movie, a TV show, or another character known throughout several media. The answer is that some games use characters from fairy tales, where no one has ownership of them. Others use characters from myths and legends.
Here are some examples of how these work:
- Jack and the Beanstalk
- Hansel and Gretel
- Little Red Riding Hood
- Robin Hood
In this scenario, you might find more than one software developer creating a game based around the same character. As such, you may get more choice and therefore be able to select the game you love most.
Our team
Lucky Admiral is a great place to check out some superb branded games. There are new branded games there as well as classics. You will find games there that come from several providers as well, so watch out for the names you will see below.
Jumpman
Jumpman Gaming is a provider of slots-based sites and bingo sites too. They tend to provide sites packed with games from several providers. That means you’ve got access to lots of games, with branded ones among them:
- Robin of Sherwood
- Beverly Hills 90210
- Fairytale Legends: Hansel and Gretel
- Goldilocks and the Wild Bears
NetEnt
NetEnt is one of the biggest software developers around today. They have also created a good collection of branded games for you to try:
- Dracula
- Creature from the Black Lagoon
- Frankenstein
- Aliens
Microgaming
No doubt you are aware of Microgaming. You might not know their huge collection of games features quite a few branded games too though. We’ve mentioned a few here, but there are many others as well:
- Jurassic Park
- Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
- Bridesmaids
- Game of Thrones
Our favourite branded slot games
If you fancy trying a few of these games, we’ve listed our three favourite picks below. There are plenty more where these came from too.
Top tip: Don’t forget most software developers have a few to try
While some names, like NetEnt and Microgaming, have plenty of these slots available, most developers come up with a few titles that fit into the non-licensed category. Keep your eyes open to see how many you can spot.
Aliens
If you dare to face the infamous aliens, you can play on five reels and 15 fixed paylines in this dark and foreboding game. The main feature to shoot for is the three-level bonus that takes you through the Search, Encounter, and Hive features.
Bridesmaids
Five reels, 40 lines, and a chance to win up to 210,000 credits – that’s what you get in the entertaining Bridesmaids slot game. Watch out for the Wheel Bonus, where you could win Friendship free spins, Flying High free spins, the Boutique bonus or the Magic Moments bonus!
Fairytale Legends: Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood watches your progress as you spin the five reels of this game and hope to win prizes on 20 lines. She is a wild on the middle three reels, but there are sticky wilds, random features, and bonus features to be enjoyed here too.
Jurassic Park
We had to include this one, as it is one of the best branded slots out there, even though it has been around for a while. You can play five kinds of free spins, each based around a different dinosaur, and there are stacked wilds and a T-Rex Alert too!
If you want to play branded games, you can see there are plenty to choose from. Pick one and see what you think.
