Classic games tend to stand the test of time for some very good reasons with simple gameplay that everyone can relate to. We’ll have a look at how an Isle of Wight resident is trying to add a new twist to classic games. But first, let’s see how Slingo has combined a couple of types of games into one.
Slingo Is a New Way of Playing
A look at the section marked Slingo at Paddy Power brings up several games featuring this way of playing. These include Slingo titles based on sharks, diamonds and Roman centurions, each with a similar layout but its own unique themes and symbols. These games are all based on the sort of gameplay that could be described as a cross between bingo and slot machines, where crossing off the numbers is the aim of the game.
Each game starts with a grid of 25 numbers and the player has 11 turns to cross them off. Every spin brings up a series of numbers or symbols that either help or hinder the chances of doing this, with the likes of free spins and blocking symbols. Once a line of numbers is completed, this is called a slingo and the player climbs the prize table at the side of the screen.
The Slingo Inca Trail game shows how this basic concept can be adapted to different themes. In this case, each winning line takes the player a step further along the legendary trail in Peru, with the chance of finally reaching Machu Picchu, which, according to the WWF, is one of the modern seven wonders of the world.
Animal Kingdom Created on the Isle of Wight
Michael Evans-Taylor lives in Ryde and is the owner of the Outland video game shop. Together with a couple of friends, he created the Animal Kingdom trading card game. It can be played by two to four players, and while it might appear similar to other fantasy trading games at first sight, it differs from most of these games thanks to its lack of direct combat.
Rather than trying to defeat rivals and force them out of the game, every player simply attempts to build up their own city and resources. Everyone stays in the game until the end, trying to increase their level of renown as they go. Players can send out adventurers to complete quests and gain rewards, but doing this brings the risk of being challenged by other groups.
Michael says that Animal Kingdom has been popular in early testing and that he hopes to raise £60,000 through crowdfunding on Kickstarter, which would allow him to promote the game and distribute it to anyone interested in trying it. The pre-launch Kickstarter page is already up and running, as well as the Animal Kingdom website that explains the rules and has a link with downloadable cards.
Taking a classic game and turning it into something different will attract a new set of players. Both types of game stick to well-established principles that have proved popular over the years but have added a degree of freshness, and this should give them a better chance of success.
