Can Video Slots Be Considered Video Games?
Until recently, there was a clearly defined line between gambling and gaming. However, that line is thinning as you’re reading this, as online gambling games are becoming more advanced and more graphically impressive.
Casinos even started to adapt their games to smartphones and other mobile devices. In order to attract a younger generation of players, software developers have started making themed video slots that are full of bonuses, extra games, ranking systems, and other gamey stuff.
Have we gotten to a point where we can categorize video slots as video games?
Similarities
Video games today are all about the narrative — the story that gets put into the characters and their adventures. Slot machines didn’t have that at the beginning; they were merely a series of reels filled with symbols with no meaning. Today, however, every slot has its own theme. Some slots even pay tribute to certain video games or movies.
Browsing through online slot sites, you will see that there are thousands of different titles to choose from, each of them featuring a unique topic, mechanics, and rules.
Another similarity is that online slots are now adopting gamification. Just like video games, modern video slots implement various elements of classic game playing, like leaderboards, leveling up, multiplayer options, etc.
When it comes to video slot graphics, they are more impressive than ever. They are still not on the level of popular video game titles, but they’re nothing to sneeze at either, and they keep getting better. There are even 3D and virtual reality slots that keep appearing on online platforms.
Differences
The main difference between slots and video games is that video games only serve one purpose, which is to entertain. On the other hand, video slots are still primarily about gambling and having players risk their money to potentially make a profit.
Games tend to attract players solely on their entertainment value, while video slots are marketed with different kinds of money bonuses, some of which you can check out on this online casino.
There’s also a legality issue since slots are not meant for minors and countries where gambling is illegal, while video games are legal everywhere and most of them are safe for kids.
Another big difference is the implementation of skill. Video games reward players who have good reflexes and strategy, while video slots have none of that whatsoever and are solely based on luck. That’s the reason why there are no professional video slot players. On the other hand, video games have pros who compete against each other in tournaments.
While slots are diverse when it comes to themes and graphics, they still have similar mechanics and gameplay. There are reels and symbols, and you need to connect them in a certain order to win. Video games have many types that are all very different from each other (racing, arcades, shooters, strategy, RPG…).
Conclusion
Slots look like video games more than ever before, but the concept of gambling is still what separates the two. While both are called “games,” you can’t exactly say that they are the same thing.
This still doesn’t mean that video slots are not entertaining. On the contrary, they can be very enjoyable, even more than some video games. Just remember that you should always play video slots with caution and gamble responsibly.
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