“Hellboy” (CC BY 2.0) by tinyfroglet
The rise of the comic book hero in cinema has interestingly coincided with the ascension of the online casino over the last ten years. Both industries are flourishing, which has in fact led to synergy between the two sectors. Slot games in particular have undergone some serious Marvel makeovers since the likes of Iron Man and Captain America shot to worldwide recognition from 2008 onwards. Now, DC are getting in on the action, and superhero slots are set to be more prevalent than ever in the next few years.
But are they actually any good? And what exactly is a superhero slot? Here we take a look at a couple of the best comic book adapted slot games currently thriving in this booming market.
Hellboy
Marvel is currently ruling the comic-book world on the big screen with its huge Avengers-led universe, but slot developers haven’t forgotten some of the more cult heroes prior to this dominance. One of those iconic characters is Hellboy, a hero with a rich history in Dark Horse Comics who hit the big screen in 2004, four years before Iron Man. Ron Perlman played the unwilling harbinger of the apocalypse in the naughties, and the film became a cult classic with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 81%.
A lot of slot games online show clips from the films upon which they are based, but Hellboy at 32Red stays true to the comics in terms of visuals and gameplay. The game has 20 paylines and a number of bonus rounds that add to the ferocious action theme. The half-human half-demon hybrid packs a mean punch in the comics, and the slot game has the potential to do the same with its enormous pay-outs. Playing the Microgaming-developed game at 32Red will give players the chance of winning the site’s much sought-after Red Letter Day bonus as well.
Captain America
For a more mainstream superheroic slot option, Captain America is a great way to reminisce on the 2011 film starring Chris Evans as the patriotic warrior. The film introduced the now iconic Avenger, and also helped Evans shoot to fame as one of the most coveted actors in Hollywood.
The slot was developed by Playtech, Microgaming’s main rival in the fierce tussle for slot machine dominance. It can be played at Slotsup, a site that specializes in Playtech games, or Money Slots which also offer strategy tips. The aim of the game is to spin the reels and help the Captain take down Adolf Hitler’s warmonger, Red Skull. The game has expanding wilds, multipliers, free spins, and a Villain and Heroes Super Spin feature. It also features characters from the film, unique animations, and intense music to get players in the mood.
With the multitude of slot games on the market, it can be hard to choose a great game to play. Nowadays generally, if you like a comic-based movie it is likely that there is a slot game adaptation of it. And seeing as Playtech have just signed a lucrative new deal with DC to make slot games based on the DCE Universe, expect to see more Batman, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman slots at an online casino near you in the not so distant future.
