Introduction
Many genres have been experimented with over the gaming years. You may have played a few odd titles yourself. One area that was rare but is now popular is casino games. We discuss the genre below.
Cassettes, discs, and cartridges were what games once came on. You may have played them yourself. There were many different types, from platformers to beat’em ups and casino games. Modern casino gaming would not be around if it were not for them. Learn about the early history of console casino games in the article below.
The Lucky 7 Games of the Atari 2600
The concept of console gaming was made and then destroyed by the Atari 2600. You may have had one of these consoles. It brought the arcade into your home. However, it did it with less processing and memory power. The problem was the Atari 2600 proved so popular it created a gold rush of sorts. Independent game developers pushed out cheap games quickly, many of which were unfinished. If you were there, you would have seen new consoles warming shelves. An industry crash was forthcoming. It would only recover when Nintendo brought out its NES system.
Upon launch, the Atari 2600 had nine launch titles. A mixed bag, they included sports simulators, sci-fi battlers, a basic math game, and a rudimentary version of Blackjack. Easy to program, they relied on random number generators as opposed to graphics and in-game physics. It was an easy way to put out a title and earn income from it.
The game was so popular it was quickly provided with a follow-up in 1978. ‘Casino’ threw two new table games and slots into the mix. This game was the benchmark for what would come later.
It is hard to imagine that the selection of games available at online casino sites would have come to fruition without this all-in-one solution. Websites like BonusFinder provide an overview of these operators, reviewing them on different factors such as choice of games. Many even allow you to try the games out without using your bankroll on a no-deposit bonus system. You can find out some information about them here. This free-to-play method is almost identical to that pioneered by Casino way back in the eighties.
The Console Comeback
After the video game crash, consoles took a back seat for a while. The home computer became the go-to place for people to game on systems like the Commodore 64. Trump Castle was one brand name you probably know. This casino game was based on Donald Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City. It included free offers for bets in the actual Casino.
Japan and Asia had not experienced a market crash. Consoles and games were still being created there. A company named Nintendo wanted to revive the Western market. Their Famicom system was repackaged. They called it an entertainment system to distance it from previous gaming systems.
Nintendo was strict about the games allowed on their system. Casino games were fewer but better quality. You may have played titles like Vegas Dream. Blackjack, roulette, slot machines, and keno were on offer.
The Super Nintendo, their next console, updated this. This new version had a multiplayer game. More than one player could now participate. This version had Blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, and slot machines giving it a more accurate version of a true US casino in terms of table games.
Nintendo’s handheld console, the Gameboy, also had some casino titles. They were perfect for this early portable gaming system. Many were a forefather to the Casino mobile games of today.
History of the Minigame
As well as full casino titles, there have also been many games with casino elements in them. It could be full games or even a hijacking of the imagery associated with cards, roulette wheels, and slot machines. Even in the nineties, when consoles regained their market position, leading titles like Sonic the Hedgehog had full zones, such as Casino Night, taking design tips from the sparkling lights of Vegas.
As games became more in-depth, providing sandbox open worlds, minigames became a big part. It is a game within a game itself. The developers known as Rockstar Games have really championed this. In Red Dead Redemption, you can play Blackjack, and it is often integrated into side quests. You may even have experienced the Casino minigames in their Grand Theft Auto series.
Do you have a favorite casino game on a console? Online games can also be accessed that let you play for cash. Casino gaming now provides a smorgasbord of entertainment. Could you do it for real money? Do it just for fun. You can even do it to enhance character progression within a larger game. Casino games are here to stay, and you can enjoy them in many different ways.