Slots: Information from Answers.com

Release Date: June 26, 2003
Genre: Traditional
Style: Gambling
Similar Games: Vegas Games 2000 (PlayStation), Caesars Palace 2000: Millennium Gold Edition (PlayStation)

Game Description

Slots is a slot-machine simulation game from Masque Publishing. The featured machines are based on real IGT Slot Machines and include themes like the Fourth of July, Leap Frog, Blackjack, Hot Peppers, Baseball, and Wild Cherry.

~ All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Slots for the PS is very similar to the 2002 Masque Publishing title Slots from Bally Gaming for the PC.

~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

For the inexperienced gambler, the least intimidating form of wagering a bet is with the slot machine. There's no dealer to contend with, the rules are simple, and there's little to no strategy or expertise involved. Simply insert a coin (or a bill) into the machine, push a button or two (or pull the lever), and watch the reels spin. Similarly, for the inexperienced video gamer, one of the least intimidating forms of play is the slot machine simulator. There's no lengthy manual to contend with, the controls are simple, and there's little to no strategy or eye-hand coordination involved. As games of this type go, Slots for the PlayStation does a bang-up job of recreating 40 authentic Vegas-style slot machines, including "Blazing 7's," "Diamonds & Devils," and "Fire and Ice."

Each of the slot machines in this game looks and plays virtually identically to the real thing. This is expected, considering the low technical demands placed on the PlayStation by a game such as this, but kudos must go to the developers for doing their homework and creating an authentic slots experience. Some of the smaller lettering on the machines is blurry, and winning players are obviously deprived the satisfaction of watching coins spill into the tray, but the game does act as a nice stopgap between trips to Vegas, especially for gamers who tend to stay away from poker and other more demanding forms of gambling.

What the developers didn't do, however, was go above and beyond the call of duty. To save on licensing fees, there are no media tie-in slot machines (such as Wheel of Fortune or I Love Lucy), there's only one casino, the prize screens are disappointingly prosaic, and there are no people in the game, meaning there's very little animation. Sure, there's the appropriate background noise, but you never see who's doing the talking or gambling. Another setback is the lack of extras. A few skill-based mini-games would have been nice, as would a handful of genre-friendly card games, such as video blackjack and video poker.

Obviously, the biggest shortcoming of a slot machine simulator is that there's no real money involved. Take away the risk/reward factor (gamble a mere quarter and you could win two thousand bucks, gamble away too many quarters and you won't be able to pay next month's rent), and you're left with an empty experience. Still, despite the absence of anything at stake, it does offer a mild form of luck-based entertainment. Just like real slot machines, Slots lets players win just enough to keep them going. Although it's muted a great deal, there's still the anticipation of the big payoff. One advantage of playing this game as opposed to the real thing is the vicarious thrill of blowing thousands of dollars with nary a consequence.

Since the days of the Atari VCS ( Slot Machine was an early VCS title) and the Intellivision (Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack was the pack-in with the Intellivision system), gambling simulators have been a mainstay of console and computer gaming. Slots for the PlayStation continues this tendency ably and authentically, giving gamers (as well as gamblers) a cheap, though mildly enjoyable thrill.