Operator News
ICE – Widespread appeal for Aristocrat’s Big Play
By Phil - 26 January 2016
Complementing a star-spangled line-up of previously disclosed premium licensed games on centrepiece hardware concepts such as Arc Double, Behemoth and Wonder Wheels cabinets, Aristocrat Technologies now unveils a potent and diverse range of linked jackpot progressives and new standalone games making debut appearances in EMEA at ‘The Big Play’ at ICE 2016.
Lightning Link is the first player-selectable multi-denomination link progressive based on Aristocrat’s formidable J*Series games segment, designed to deliver sizzling jackpot chases and exhilarating game play, explained Erik-Jan van den Berg, Sales Director – EMEA.
“Game performance has reached epic proportions in its native Australian market, where record sales of the game have been seen. Broader player appeal is also being established following its recent introduction on American gaming floors and we are confident that the uptake in Europe and Africa will be equally strong,” he said.
“Good Fortune is another proven link game, whose strong Asian theming and powerful core maths have helped to make it the number one performing progressive in Macau,” continued Mr van den Berg. “Veering towards more discerning core games players, Good Fortune adds to a growing list of new-breed Aristocrat links, each one engaging a different level of entertainment spectrum.”
Making its first appearance in EMEA at ICE, Aristocrat’s new Arc Single is described by the company as a natural extension to its broader cabinet portfolio, offering new-style gaming on a curved 42-inch HD portrait screen.
“While the dual-screen Arc Double cabinets will feature only dedicated premium licensed games, Arc Single will house a growing number of standalone titles from across all game segments,” said Iain London, Product & Business Development Director – EMEA. “This provides operators with an ‘anti-box’ alternative, breaking any floor monotony with its graceful lines.
“Arc can also be complemented with a range of illuminated branded wedges to create feature banks in straight and round carousel formations, creating a substantial floor presence and a player destination,” added Mr London.
New titles coming to Arc Single in EMEA include Wonder 4 Tower, the latest development in Aristocrat’s ground-breaking series, offering concurrent play across up to six reel sets; a number of ‘Gold’ extensions to popular C*Series core titles Wild Panda, 5 Dragons and Miss Kitty; new J*Series jackpot themes Diamond Storm and Sugar Hit Jackpots, each with two complementary base games; and new extensions of proven E*Series games, Sky Rider 2 and Moon Maidens II.
Further expanding its library of standalone games for the popular Helix cabinet in EMEA, Aristocrat is using ICE to introduce a number of new games in each of its four principal categories.
New C*Series games, the majority of which now incorporate standalone progressive jackpots, include: Jet Strike, a low line high denomination air combat themed game with 3-level SAP, Hold & ReSpin and Repeat Win features; Weird Wicked & Wild, a 40 line SAP with three distinct flavours selectable in the free games feature; Fortune’s Way, packed with wilds, multipliers, a new ‘Strike Feature’ base game mechanic and the chance to win up to 450 free games; the dual-language configurable SAP ‘Collect & Go Wild’ games Wild Inferno and Wild Wings; and Hong Kong Fortunes, a new theme in the popular Super Wheel Blast family.
Aristocrat’s J*Series segment is further bolstered by the addition a new Xtra Ways family, Gold Stacks, comprising Asian-style base themes Golden Prosperity and Golden Zodiac, whilst the successful Jackpot Streak family welcomes two more unique base themes, 00 Gold and Twilight Spirit.
The E*Series entertainment segment continues its expansion with a broad range of new SAP-enriched families. Joining the latest Sacred Guardians and Sweet Skulls family releases, more Max Stacks magic comes from Rainbow Warriors Gold Guardian and Sapphire Guardian each with an 8×4 reel matrix and a plethora of new game mechanics. Coyote Queen games The Hunt and The Prowl feature wild reels and wild symbols – multiplying wins by up to 64x – and Jackpot cover symbols, allowing concurrent line and jackpot wins. Meanwhile, Wonder Wings and Galaxy Goddess games introduce a new Flip Out feature, driving a high frequency of stacks and blackout pays.
Another highly anticipated development stemming from the E*Series segment, Gold Star Multigame launches to market at ICE offering highly configurable options across Sky Rider, Magic Flower and Moon Maidens games under a 4-level progressive.
Aristocrat’s new M*Series segment, explained Mr London, incorporates both traditional multigame packages and multi reel set play, once more covering all gaming segments. “A new Wonder 4 Jackpots extension will be revealed on the ICE stand, alongside new core game packs in the Player’s Choice series,” he said. Joining current Diamond and Sapphire Editions and the recently released Gold Jackpots pack are Player’s Choice Ruby Edition, with overhead SAP, and Player’s Choice All Stars; in the high denomination category, Deluxe and Ultra packs gain a new stable mate in Player’s Choice High Limits – all including some of Aristocrat’s tried and tested classic games.
Concluding on the Big Play line-up for ICE, Mr van den Berg stated, “Aristocrat has continued to invest heavily in design and development of new gaming concepts over the last 12 to18 months, right across each and every segment. This has resulted in what will be the most comprehensively rich collection of Class III games and cabinets available anywhere on the ExCeL show floor. We look forward to sharing the fruits of those labours with operators, helping them to make the big play, creating experiences for their players that are exciting, engaging and that build loyalty throughout 2016 and beyond.”
