When it comes to online pokies, there are a number of things that make them fantastic to individual players and the masses alike. These include the extensive range of games available, the different themes, the many betting options, and of course their inherent accessibility.
With so many terrific options available, it’s pretty easy to find a pokies machine you love. In fact, there are so many top-notch games out there, the difficulty may be more in narrowing down your choice. Of course, you don’t really have to make a choice at all. You can play as many games as you like, often for free or for minimal bet amounts. And if you’re really ambitious, you could even make it a systematic project, with the end goal of playing every single pokies game around. If, however, this seems a bit more of a large-scale endeavor than you are after, there are other options to help you find the right games for you. Hence our focus for today. Online pokies that everyone can play, i.e. games that are a good match for pretty much everyone.
Pokies games that are available at a lot of online casinos
One of the things that qualify a game as an “online pokies that everybody can play” is being a game that can be easily found. And we’re not talking in the Google search kind of way. Rather, we mean those pokies machines you can find in many of the top online casinos.
After all, most of the big online casinos, with very few exceptions, aren’t developing their own pokies games. Instead what they do is license casino games from the different software providers. These include the major players you’ve likely heard of like Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech, Betsoft, Play’s GO, Novomatic, Evolution Gaming, Dragonfish, and so forth. There are probably around a couple of dozen key companies in the core casino game software market. And their games form the basis of most online casinos. Some like Playtech, mostly work as single software operators, so you won’t generally find their games mixed in with others. The rest of the pack, however, tend to feature in what is called multi-platform casinos, which means these days, you can find a mix of games from different software companies at any given casino.
The point? Once you’ve been playing online casino games for a while, you will likely have your favorites. Or at least a style you like. So when you join new casinos – which is always recommended at least every now and then – you’ll find familiar “faces” there as well. This gives you a sense of security since you know these software providers only work with legit online casinos.
So, basically you might say, one of the main criteria for finding online pokies that everybody can play means finding pokies games that are prevalent. This is a way to ensure your safety while gambling online. And that means leaning on the proven catalog of the top casino game software providers.
Free play pokies machines
While just about everyone over the age of 18 in a country like Australia where online gambling is legal can play online pokies, not everyone has the bankroll to play them quite as often as they please.
That’s why number two on our list for online pokies that everybody can play are pokies that are free. Everyone can handle that budget, right? So yes, first and foremost free is the great equalizer. But seriously, free play is not only a great way to get around making a deposit or saving a few bucks. Rather free play gives you a couple of distinct advantages in terms of availability.
For example, free play means that every game is an option to you. Think about it like this. You see a new game that looks like fun. And it promises exciting new features. But really, you have no idea what it’s about. No problem. By using the casino’s fun play or practice mode (whichever they call it), you can give any game a spin risk-free. The same goes for classic casino titles. It’s not really a function of how long a game’s been around, rather how new it is to you.
Similarly, free play pokies are good for practicing. So if you’re feeling a little rusty, you can catch up with the competition in a few free rounds. And of course, as we mentioned, there’s the budgetary end. That is, if you’ve blown your weekly pokies budget and it is only Wednesday, you can continue to play pretty much any pokies game if you move your wagering into the free play realm. Of course, you can’t win any actual money this way. But we’re just looking for the most accessible games for any person to play at this point, so cash winnings are less of an issue.
Online pokies with a good bet range
Different online pokies games have different bet ranges. Actually, to get more specific, there are two factors that go into effect when betting on a pokies game.
The first is what is called the line bet. That is, each online pokies machine, as you’ve likely noticed has a different number of paylines. Usually, you will find games with 10, 20, 50, 100 or even what is billed as an astonishing 1024 paylines. The paylines are important because they are how your winnings will be calculated, based on the winning combinations within.
Some of these games have what are called fixed paylines. That means you cannot select which paylines to activate. Bets placed here are all or nothing. Other games, however, let you activate the number of paylines you want. These adjustable pay line games, in other words, let you choose how many lines you want to bet on. The more you activate, the better your odds of winning, and of winning more. This is particularly true in progressive jackpot games in which all paylines need to be activated at the max bet in order to trigger the progressive jackpot prize.
Speaking of max bet, that is another factor to consider in terms of a good bet range. That’s because of the higher the max bet, in all likelihood, the higher the bet range. A good bet range in pokies, therefore, is essentially a reflection of flexible coin sizes (coins being the value increments the game lets you bet). A low betting game may have a small bet size range from say $0.01 up to $0.05. This kind of setup is a great way to keep your wagering low, but it is not ideal in terms of range.
If you want more flexibility, you might want a game with options more along the lines of a $0.01 coin all the way up to $0.50. Again, ideally, there would be some other options in between like $0.02, $0.05, $0.10, $0.20, and $0.25. This latter setup is very much what is meant by a good betting range. It means you can go for minimal pennies per round. Or if you’re the high roller type, you can bet far more, especially if you’re playing a game with 50 or 100 lines to possibly activate. You get the drift. The more extensive the range in terms of minimum to maximum coin values, the more the game is an online pokies machine that everybody can play.
Popular pokies themes that appeal to many players
Another factor that gives a pokies game mass appeal is a theme that speaks to many players simultaneously. While of course, not every player will like the same theme, (there’s a reason after all that there are so many different themes on the market), there are some motifs that are well-loved almost universally.
For example, one of the most loved themes by players in Australia, and the world over for that matter are Egyptian style games. This love can be felt at the land-based casinos with Aristocrats’ always popular Queen of the Nile game, and online with games like Mega Moolah ISIS from Microgaming and a long list of Pharaoh, Cleopatra, Nile, and pyramid starring video pokies machines.
Cinema based games are also always popular amongst players, because heck, people like films and they love seeing familiar characters. These can be blockbuster movies like Gladiator, Jurassic Park, Tomb Raider, or Terminator. Or equally appealing are any number of 3D cinematic poker machines. Then there are the animal-themed pokies, mythical creature games, and cartoon-themed slots all of which have been researched and developed on par with people’s proven preferences, generally across markets.
The bottom line is that a theme with universal appeal touches multiple players. And by appealing to their emotions and tastes, a well-themed game automatically gains the advantage of being the type of online pokies that everyone can enjoy.
Pokies games with good bonuses
All of these factors – like a good bet range and reliable software – are absolutely essential in making a pokies game one that everyone can play. Another thing that helps (since we’re counting) is of course bonuses. Again, these happen in a couple of different ways.
On the one hand, there is the casino issued bonuses. These can be match deposit bonuses that give you more money to bet with, which in essence means the ability to purchase more rounds of pokies. So for example, if you collect a 100% up to $100 bonus, you can use that extra $100 on pokies games. In this case, you usually have the freedom to spend your extra funds on any pokies you prefer, which makes the casino’s full offering more available.
In addition to cash bonuses, there are explicitly free spin bonuses, like 10 free spins on a particular game. This type of bonus you might say would make the featured game, at least throughout the promotion, an online pokies machine everyone can more easily play. It certainly gives the game more momentary appeal and reduces any risk in terms of loss, which is always a fun thing.
While these are the primary bonuses that make pokies more accessible, keep in mind, they are not where the pokies bonuses end. Many video pokies in particular also have features built-in that trigger multipliers, free spins, and other goodies. So if you’re after the “extras” make sure to keep your eyes peeled for those types of games which can garner you more winnings, more entertainment, and in many cases, more value.
Easy spins
Of course, the final factor in making a pokies game accessible to all is making it easy to play. True, online pokies as a whole are a pretty simple lot. So this is hardly a consideration. Still, the developers, going back to an earlier point, need to keep the user experience in mind throughout the process.
This is particularly true in terms of the command buttons – like the ‘Spin’ button and betting functions which need to be super clearly marked and instantly reactive. Similarly, it relates to the navigation path, so that all of these functions can be found in places that you expect. And finally, needless to say, it all needs to be intuitive, so you can clearly see, for example, when you land a payday, how, and why.
Easy spins, or what may better be described as an easy user experience, in other words, is a definitive element in giving a game widespread appeal.
Conclusion
While it’s certainly been fun exploring the many ways in which pokies are so playable, the reality is that by their very nature they are pretty much universal. And by that, we mean that all online pokies games can really be enjoyed by just about anyone. Again, the only limitation being age (over 18) and local laws. Other than that, it is fairly easy to find accessible and enjoyable games at any number of online casinos. This is especially true for us here in Australia where we have access to all of the best online pokies games. All you need is an internet connection and an account, and almost any online pokies game becomes an online pokies game that everybody can play.