Game of Life Slot Machine

The Game of Life, which is often referred to as “Life,” is a Milton Bradley board game that’s been around in one form or another since 1860. It holds the distinction of beingAmerica’s first parlor game, and it pits two to six players against one another in a contest to see who can achieve the most during their in-game lifespan (such as career and family).

Given the long history of the game, and the fact that it’s still sold around the globe, it makes sense that some ambitious designer would convert it into an electronic game. That actuallyhappened in the last few years, with Williams Interactive releasing the Game of Life slot machine as a 5-reel, 17-payline option for casino patrons.

At the time of this writing, the Game of Life slot is only available at land-based locations. However, its popularity almost guarantees an eventual appearance at online casinos. Untilthat time, this article is meant to give virtual slot fans an idea of what they can look forward to.

The slot machine designer known as Williams Interactive was formed in 2012, but its history stretches back to 1943 and the creation of the Williams Manufacturing Company by founder HarryWilliams. In the early years, the company focused on pinball games, and Williams was the creator of the “tilt” mechanism.

In 1974, Williams Electronics, Inc. was founded to develop coin-operated video games. This led to the creation of a number of arcade classics such as Joust, Defender, and theinfluential laserdisc game, Dragon’s Lair.

While the slot machine market suffered a noticeable drop in the 1990s, the company continued to generate strong revenue through its video game subsidiary, Midway Games. Hits during this phaseincluded notable releases such as NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat.

WMS created their first reel-spinning slot machine in 1994, and their Monopoly-themed slots debuted at land-based casinos in 2001. The expansion into the casino market was incrediblyprofitable for the company, and their total revenue increased from $451 million to $783 million in the period from 2006 to 2011.

In 2013, WMS merged with Scientific Games following a $1.5 billion buyout by the latter. Just one year prior, WMS had formed Williams Interactive, a subsidiary intended to develop and marketgames for the online casino industry.

Before the game begins, the player is asked to set up their profile. The most basic decision involves the player’s gender, so both male and female customers can feel as though the game istailored to them. Another important aspect involves a career, with the following choices being available:

• Lawyer
• Officer
• Chef
• Athlete
• Astronaut
• Doctor

Picking a career may seem trivial, but it plays an important role once the game begins. There are plenty of opportunities to win extra money based on your chosen career path, even if it’s totallydifferent from what you do in the real world.

The following are some of the symbols you can expect to find on the reels while playing The Game of Life slot machine:

• Private Jet

  When it comes to status symbols, the private jet is among the most exclusive. Imagine soaring through the skies on an aircraft reserved for a single passenger, without having to worry abouthassles like crying babies. In addition to normal payouts associated with this icon, getting a private jet symbol on all five reels results in a huge bonus thanks to the Bank of Life (see thenext section for more details).

• Jackpot

  If you really want to strike it rich, you can get five of these symbols and win the progressive jackpot. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but it’s a lot more fun than playing your local statelottery.

• Tennis

  This symbol shows a pair of pegs (one blue and one pink) playing a game of tennis. This represents the times in your life when you’re lucky enough to engage in recreation.

• Child Pegs

  In Life, some of the accomplishments include making money and getting married. One of the natural results of the latter is children, and this icon represents both a male and femalejuvenile frolicking at the beach.

• Corvette

  Nothing says leisure and relaxation like cruising down the interstate on a lazy Sunday afternoon with your best gal or guy in the seat next to you. While some might prefer a luxury car like aMercedes or BMW, this symbol depicts a pair of pegs driving along in a yellow corvette.

• Boat

  Some folks prefer to travel on the water instead of land, so this icon presents a couple of happy pegs taking their expensive speed boat out for a day of fun.

• Be Back Soon

  This icon causes the Bank of Life to temporarily close down. This can be a major blow to players, as all the cool bonuses associated with the top screen are unavailable for a short time.

• Dog Peg

  This looks similar to the human pegs used throughout the game, but its distinctive ears and tail definitely mark it as a canine companion. They’re known as “man’s best friend,” so it’s onlyreasonable that they should have a place in a game about a person’s life.

• Cat Peg

  Depicted with a ball of yarn, this icon represents a domesticated cat. While I’ve never been fond of felines myself, I’m certain there are some readers who are partial to them over dogs. Toeach his own.

• Spinner

  The board game version of The Game of Life features an oversized plastic spinner, so it makes sense that the slot machine adaption would include a virtual simulation. When three ormore of these symbols appear on the reels, the player receives 10 free spins.

• The Game of Life Logo

  This symbol shows the icon from the original board game, and it acts as the wild symbol by substituting for most of the other icons on the screen. In addition, its presence creates theopportunity for several bonus rounds to be randomly activated.

While various combinations of symbols on the main screen result in payouts, the player has a chance to get additional prizes thanks to the Bank of Life on the top screen. These include thefollowing:

• Any Line Pay

  When the player gets a winning combination on any of the paylines on the main screen, they’ll receive an additional 200 credits.

• 2 or More Wilds

  When two or more Game of Life wild symbols appear on the reels of the base game, the player receives an additional prize in the amount of 2,250 credits.

• Any 5 of a Kind

  Getting a five-of-a-kind combo isn’t easy, so this slot provides a solid bonus when you’re able to pull it off. In addition to whatever you won on the main reels, you’ll pocket 5,200 bonuscredits.

• 5 Jets on a Line

  If you manage to get a private jet icon on all five reels, the bank pays a bonus of 200,000 credits. This is where the slot really pays off, as these winnings can change your life and allowyou to buy a new home or put multiple kids through college.

While the main game offers the potential for some major payouts, things get even more interesting when one of the bonus rounds is activated. There are five of these features to shoot for, andeach is discussed below.

• Free Spin Feature

  This phase is activated when the player gets at least three spinner symbols on reels one, two, and three. When this occurs, 10 complimentary spins are immediately awarded, and this can bere-triggered an infinite number of times. This latter is a major departure from most slots, as it’s common to cap the amount of times that a feature can be re-activated. Obviously, this worksin favor of the player, which is always a selling point.

• Pay Day Bonus

  Triggered randomly by the appearance of a wild symbol on the main screen, this phase of the game depicts the outside of The Bank of Life. A number of playing pieces rush into the bank, andyou’ll receive cash based on the number of patrons for the financial institution. In some cases, special pegs may appear and add a bonus to the total.

• Big Event Community Feature,

  On average, this popular feature is randomly activated about every three minutes. When this occurs, the player is taken to a simulation of the game board from the Milton Bradley original, andthe spinner moves the player’s token (a car) a specific number of spaces. During this phase, the Pay Day, Career Day, and Speed Spin bonuses can be triggered.

• Career Day Bonus

  In order to activate this feature, you’ll need to hit one of the wild symbols on the base game. Keep in mind, however, that this bonus occurs at random, so getting the wild icon doesn’tguarantee that the bonus is initiated. If it does occur, a career is chosen randomly from among the six possible options. Afterwards, all players receive a bonus amount, but anyone with thechosen career gets an even larger payout.

• Speed Spin

  This feature begins by awarding seven spins to the player (on the Life spinner, not the reels). On a result of 1 or 10, the player receives extra credits; 2 or 9 increases the valueof vacations; 3 or 8 increases the value of your car; 4 or 7 added to the value of your house; and 6 awards 4 free spins. If a 5 comes up on the spinner, then the round is over. This featureis randomly triggered when a Game of Life wild symbol turns up on the main reels, and it can also be accessed during the Big Event feature.

While the base game and bonus rounds are great ways to win money, none of these compare to hitting the progressive jackpot. You’ll need to get five jackpot symbols across each reel in order to doso, but achieving this feat immediately awards you a minimum of $201,000. Once the prize is paid out, the progressive drops to the base amount and begins to climb once again.

If you’re a board game fanatic, you might be interested to learn that WMS has adapted more than just Life. The following titles are available at leading online casinos, with eachoffering solid graphics and plenty of symbols related to the original.

• Super Monopoly Money

  This 25-payline slot allows wagers from $0.01 to 75 coins, and fans of the original game should be delighted by the presence of favorite pieces such as the top hat and wheelbarrow. Five bonusrounds are also included, which is far more than what most competing brands offer.

• Battleship

  The classic military simulation has been a big hit with customers, as it combines the gameplay of the original with animated bonus sequences including bomber runs and artillery strikes. Theland-based version allows up to four players to spin at once, with each being divided into teams for some spirited competition.

• Epic Monopoly II

  If you’re looking for a game that’s truly awesome in scope, try this slot that’s played out on two sets of reels. Up to 5,000 coins can be won on the base game, and one of the four bonusgames multiplies the size of your wager by 500.

• Monopoly Once Around

  The third Monopoly game from WMS, this 5-reel, 15-payline slot includes a lucrative bonus feature, wilds, scatters, and much more.

With a wide-area progressive jackpot and the ability for up to four players to compete simultaneously, the Game of Life slot machine is an exciting addition to the floors of land-basedcasinos. Bets range from $0.40 to $4.00, so it’s an excellent option for low to mid-range players. Throw in crisp graphics, multiple bonus rounds, and an overall unique design, and you’ve got agame that should be entertaining players for years to come.