Over the course of entertainment history, gaming has constantly undergone change to maintain its evolutionary development. From rudimentary card games to a bouncing meteorite-esque dot jumping across the screen to bring the concept of tennis to life digitally, all the way to arcade halls with tall, imposing gaming machines to slender video game consoles, new forms of gaming have continuously filled the entertainment timeline.
However, what early forms of gaming on arcade games such as Pacman and Space Invaders created was a gaming DNA that has filtered down to present day gaming options that continue to grow in popularity due to the digital wave that is transforming the way we live our daily lives and the online options available to us. There are hallmarks of old school gaming classics that are still evident in modern day gaming phenomena, which goes to show there is much to learn from gaming ancestry.
One of the prized aspects taken by game developers of the current era from past gaming types is the simplistic approach to game design. Arcade games of the past and indeed casual games such as Tetris and Monopoly did not over complicate their approaches and have enjoyed incredible success over the decades.
Those learnings have been heeded by their predecessors and new avenues of online entertainment driven by the digital movement taking place around us are attracting players due to the simplicity of gameplay. In recent years, options belonging to the iGaming industry such as online casino games have rapidly emerged into the entertainment mainstream.
As digital gaming habits continue to evolve, players looking for casino games to play online often gravitate toward formats influenced by arcade and casual game design, such as fast-paced gameplay, visual feedback, and shorter sessions. Classic casino games like blackjack, roulette, and slots have been digitally adapted to reflect these characteristics.
Shades of the simplistic approach are evident in casino games and the formula continues to be attractive to casino enthusiasts, whether new to the environment or experienced in the art. However, one other aspect that is reminiscent of arcade and casual games is the level of community established via gamification features.
This is promoted by the integration of gaming concepts that create a ranking system for a specific game. While the gameplay on games such as Pacman in old school arcade halls are certainly entertaining, players would secretly be entertaining thoughts on how to topple the highest score on the scoreboard.
The ultimate reward would be seeing your name right at the top. Although an extremely simple concept, scoreboards have been adopted by new, innovative forms of online casino games to create a greater sense of reward to complement ordinary gameplay. This could come in the form of daily contests that reward the player at the top once the game finishes with prizes. Or in-game challenges on online slots titles for example.
The indirect creation of competition through the use of scoreboards along with improved game mechanics and new variations of classic games has provided a new dimension to online casino gameplay that is building on what its gaming predecessors did best.
Amongst all the lessons casino games have taken from arcade and casual games such as simplicity of rules and gameplay, reward systems, and gamification models such as scoreboards, opening games to the entire playing demographic has proved to be one of the most rewarding approaches. The landscape of gaming will continue to change over the years with digital capabilities further extending the boundaries of what is possible in the gaming world. However, to be successful, old lessons should also not be forgotten.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
