There is innovation around every corner when it comes to slot machines ... however, the mathematics behind many of the games remains the same (how many times have you seen IGT have a different "theme" for a slot, but the payouts were all identical?

Yes ... the graphics get better, and the sound effects are improved -- and "free spins" over a "bonus round" is all the rage at the moment ... there is one innovation which does not get enough attention.

WMS Gaming has a technology called, "Cascading Reels". It has been out for several years in some markets. Some of the games using this technology are "Kaboom" and "All That Glitters" or the newer, "Open The Vault" or "Pyramid of Kings". Essentially ... instead of the reels spinning, the symbols fall from the top of the screen. When a payout occurs, those symbols, disappear and all of the symbols fall down into the empty spaces. If there is another payout, those symbols disappear ... and it continues until there are no further payouts. It borrows elements of puzzle games like, "Tetris", "Bejewelled" ... and plenty of other games from that ilk.

The game is totally innovative ... the math is mind-boggling. If you play less than the maximum number of lines (20), the winning combinations of lines you do not play, still diappear, but you do not get credits for that.

According to an arcticle I read from John Brokopp, the "Cascading Reels" was one of their "research and development" type games (they call it an X-Game).

It's something very different, but close enough to what you are used to that it takes no time at all to learn.

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\