Slot and system manufacturer Aristocrat Technologies announced that its stand S4-250 at next week’s ICE Totally Gaming trade show in London will be dominated by new slots carrying licensed brands.
“Licensed games form a crucial segment of our business,” explained Jason Walbridge, Aristocrat’s chief supply officer and managing director for the EMEA region. “Film, television, music and book publishers have invested billions of dollars building familiarity and passionate demand for their brands, and it’s that added value that captivates imaginations with intricate and immersive branded game play.
“Those brand values, of course, carry a price tag, so careful selection is paramount,” continued Walbridge. “Rather than simply picking a momentarily ‘in vogue’ theme, every license secured by Aristocrat is scrutinized against key player demographics, and our current and future lineups are designed to generate optimal appeal among entertainment-seeking players in the markets and segments we designate.”
Aristocrat’s lineup of hardware housing premium licensed titles is similarly distinctive, he said, spanning a diverse range of linked, modular and standalone solutions.
Joining the ranks of The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and JAWS Moonlight Bounty, the Viridian WS (widescreen) Feature Top Box library will feature two new licensed Standalone Progressive Jackpot games at ICE.
“Paramount Pictures’ Flashdance is an iconic brand that’s already making a huge splash on gaming floors across Europe,” Walbridge said, “inspiring players to reach for their dreams across a five-level progressive jackpot. Features along the way reverberate to the sights and sounds of memorable pop-hit sensations ‘I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,’ ‘Maniac’ and ‘What a Feeling.’”
Also highlighted will be the two-level jackpot game “The Rolling Stones,” which features the world’s greatest rock band in various icons related to the group’s song library. “Boasting random tongue licks and sticky wilds, the game incorporates tour video footage and pumps out of some of their greatest tracks,” Walbridge said.
Other branded games include Sherlock Holmes, a Progressive Link Jackpot game themed on the super-sleuth of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels; “Superman The Movie,” “Superman II” and the “Zorro” series in the Viridian Hybrid Stepper format; “The Mask,” “Tarzan of the Apes” and “The Rose.”
Aristocrat will also be showing new games planned for release in Europe and Africa powered by the innovative Wonder Wheels concept built on the Modular Video Platform. This incorporates a twin-player linked progressive jackpot game with large portrait top-box screen and three mechanical wheels. Each player gets his own wheel—to continue uninterrupted when another player hits a trigger and engages wheel mode—topped off with a bonusing wheel for the game bank. The experience is enhanced by the optional multi-sensory surround-sound “iChair.”
The Wonder Wheels series gets off to an explosive start with the inclusion of two licensed super hero themes of unrivalled universal renown—the “Batman Classic TV Series” and “Superman” on the Viridian Hybrid Stepper platform.
“Turning the best themes into best games relies on the math and game structure behind them,” said Walbridge. “Aristocrat has invested heavily in securing the world’s most creative and technical talent to achieve this goal, and these innovative developments are testament to our continued commitment to create the world’s greatest gaming experience.”
