Complete Guide to Slots Themes
If you’ve given so much as a cursory glance to the slots selection at any online casino, you’ll have noticed that these games regularly are themed. You might find that you prefer certain slots themes to others, so if you’re hunting for titles in your preferred style, you’ve come to the right place.
Full List of Slot Genres
The Best Casinos for Each Category
What Are Themed Slots?
How to Pick Your Next Game
Themed Slots with High RTP
Common Questions
The Top 5 Most Popular Slot Themes
Though it can, at first glance, appear that slots themes are limitless, there are certain themes that are more popular and better represented online than others. If you’d like to see the full scope of what’s available, you can jump ahead to our list of all themes. Otherwise, check out the most popular themes below.
- 1. Pirate Slots Swashbuckling adventures and tales of derring-do regularly get the slots theme treatment, and you’re likely to come across plenty of pirate-themed titles on the market. After all, treasure chests and gold doubloons mesh perfectly with wilds and jackpots.
- 2. Jungle Slots Few things inspire quite like nature, and slot developers frequently revisit jungle settings in their products. Whether it’s heroes swinging on vines, wild animals lurking in the undergrowth, or ruins of some hidden civilization, jungle slots invite the player to experience some diverse gameplay.
- 3. Aztec Slots Sometimes tied in with jungle slots, but not always, Aztec slots are just one theme that play on the aesthetics of ancient civilizations. Think grand temples, crumbling pyramids and scores of traditional South American artworks. This theme is especially popular thanks to its vivid color schemes.
- 4. Fantasy Slots Knights, damsels in distress, and maybe even a dragon or two – that’s what you can expect from your average fantasy slot. Not to be mixed up with fairytale slots, these games lean more towards Lord of the Rings than Goldilocks in their characters and stylizations.
- 5. Dragon Slots This might seem like a culturally broad category, but you’d be surprised at just how many slots are vaguely far-Eastern themed. The ancient dynasties of China and Japan’s imperial past lend a lot of inspiration in terms of aesthetics for this theme, so expect plenty of lacquer and cherry blossoms.
Full List of All Slots Themes
We’ve covered just some of the most popular slots themes on the market, but they’re far from being the only options available. If none of the above tickled your fancy, why not peruse our list of slot machine themes below and click on the links provided for the full low down.
What Are Slot Themes?
Variety is the spice of life, but when it comes to simple gameplay, it can be difficult to spice things up. That’s where slots themes come in. Slots with themes offer a lot of creative opportunities to developers by way of potential features, and utilizing popular themes and styles can make games more appealing to players.
Why People Play Themed Slots
Themed slots can expand upon the basic mechanics of a game thanks to the opportunities afforded by the theme. It’s a way of making the game more engaging to players and allows developers a lot of creativity when crafting features and bonuses within the game.
How to Choose Your Themed Slot
Now that you’ve seen just how many themes are available, you might feel a bit overwhelmed by the variety. Don’t be deterred, finding a theme that appeals to you doesn’t need to be a hassle. Think of your other interests, whether they be books, films or other forms of media, and find similarities between them and filter the available slots by themes.
For example, if you read fantasy novels, fantasy slots seem like an easy avenue for you to explore. Alternatively, you could choose your ideal slots based on features. You could even take a look at some of the most popular slots on the market to find the right game for you. At the end of the day, themes are just another way to filter titles to find what you like best.
Differences Between Themes
Beyond merely personal preference, there are other reasons why you might pick certain slot machine themes over others. For instance, maybe one theme is better represented in a casino’s game library. Or perhaps one theme boasts more innovative features exampled by the many Megapays slots online these days. You can compare the most popular slot game themes below.
| Theme | Lots of Choice | Innovative Features | HD Graphics | Most Famous Slot | Play At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirate | No | Yes | Yes | Pirate Gold | PartyCasino |
| Jungle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Jungle Jim El Dorado | Ladbrokes |
| Aztec | Yes | Yes | Yes | Temple Quest | PlayOJO |
| Fantasy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Avalon II | Casimba |
| Asian | Yes | No | Yes | Fei Cui Gong Zhu | Ladbrokes |
| Cartoon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pink Panther | Unibet |
| Dragon | No | No | Yes | Dragon’s Myth | Ladbrokes |
| Egyptian | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pharoah’s Fortune | NetBet |
| Music | Yes | No | Yes | Guns ‘n’ Roses | William Hill |
| Money | Yes | Yes | Yes | Break da Bank | Grand Ivy |
Themed Slots with the Highest RTP
Not all popular slots themes are made equal. Though slots sharing the same theme might look similar, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll behave in the same way. For example, one jungle slot might have a high RTP, whereas another jungle slot will have a low RTP. There’s no one theme that guarantees high payouts. Here are the themed slots with the highest payout rates:
- Big Bad Wolf – Fairytale – 97.35%
- Jack Hammer 2 – Cartoon – 97.10%
- The Dark Knight – Movie – 97.00%
- Wild Gambler – Animal – 97.00%
- Guns ‘n’ Roses – Music – 96.98%
Do keep in mind that RTPs are purely theoretical. Don’t look at them as a guarantee that you’ll win, but rather as a guide to better understand your odds when playing over an extended period of time. It’s best to choose a game that you find fun, rather than simply chasing profit.
Casinos with the Most Themed Slot Games
If the broadest possible choice is what you’re after, then you should definitely be on the lookout for the best online casinos with hefty slots libraries. These will frequently have a wide variety of titles spanning multiple themes. You might even be entitled to a welcome bonus. We’ve recommended some sites based on their selection of themed slots below:
| Themed Slot Casino | Best Theme | Theme Slots | Top Theme Slot | Secure Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betiton | Pirate | 10 | Pirates Gold | Play Here |
| Ladbrokes | Jungle | 13 | Tarzan | Play Here |
| PlayOJO | Aztec | 21 | Gonzo’s Quest | Play Here |
| Casimba | Fantasy | 20 | Avalon | Play Here |
| Ladbrokes | Asian | 18 | Fei Cui Gong Zhu | Play Here |
| NetBet | Egyptian | 7 | Cleopatra | Play Here |
| Unibet | Fairytale | 13 | Big Bad Wolf | Play Here |
| Ladbrokes | Dragon | 6 | Dragon Sisters | Play Here |
| William Hill | Music | 16 | Jimi Hendrix | Play Here |
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that this page has answered your most pressing questions about slot themes. If there’s anything you feel we’ve missed, or if you have any queries at all, do feel free to read over our frequently asked questions below.
Why are so many slot machines Chinese themed?
This is difficult to answer succinctly, as there are many reasons why Asian – and specifically Chinese – themes are among the most popular slot themes. Simply put, these themes are often used to appeal to the Eastern market, which is quite lucrative. Many popular Asian-themed slot games began as slot machine themes in casinos in Macau and have since been adapted for the online market.
How do you play the themed slot machines with lots of wheels?
Provided you're asking about the Wheel of Fortune slots, it's as simple as lining up three-wheel icons across the reels and pressing the "spin" button to activate the wheel of fortune. This is one of many exciting slots features that spices up standard slot gameplay.
What are some diner themed slot machines?
Though a somewhat niche slots theme, there are actually some diner-themed slots available on the market. Perhaps the most well-known is the American Diner slot from Novomatic.
Why did casinos stop using themed slots?
Casinos have not stopped using themed slots – far from it! Themed slots are more popular than ever, especially in online casino sites. Simply take a look at our list of the most popular slots and you'll notice just how many fall into various themed categories.