Game Mechanic of the Year

The Game Mechanic of the Year award acknowledges a groundbreaking and innovative slot mechanic that has revolutionized gameplay over the past 12 months, by either introducing pioneering elements or substantially enhancing established features. This year, 14 companies were shortlisted in this category:

Logo	Brand	Game/Mechanic	Avg. Score
	6.1
	8.0
	5.8
	7.0
	Gold Blitz™, Gold Blitz Extreme™, Pots of Gold: Gold Blitz™.	8.6
	6.6
	8.0
	Omnigame	Wheel of Reels in Four Symbols	6.6
	6.0
	7.0
	5.1
	3.3
	5.3
	Unique math in the Coins™ slot series	6.6

While our experts couldn't reach a unanimous consensus on which one should be named the mechanic of the year, we still shared similar thoughts on some of the featured nominees. For instance, all of the involved judges ranked Aviator relatively low, although we all agree it’s an iconic title and one of the pioneers of the multiplayer game genre. Adopting the concept from the renowned crypto product BustaBit and implementing these ideas in such a fashion is a significant achievement indeed! Before Aviator hit the market, there were hardly any crash games out there. Spribe has definitely flipped the entire iGaming scene and left a mark in history for that, however, we doubt their Aviator game incorporates the best mechanic of the year. The “Most Popular Crash Casino Game” or the “Best Multiplayer Game” accolades, we believe, would be more relevant!

Another shared opinion among our experts is that each of us values diversity. The SlotCatalog team always appreciates when developers indulge in a variety of genres, themes, mechanics, etc. Evoplay would be a perfect example, who loves to push the boundaries of casino gaming and go far beyond the standards. Their innovative titles like Dungeon Immortal Evil or Star Guardians, 3D visuals of Necromancer or Sprinkle games, or unconventional mechanics like those found in E.T. Races or Legend Of Kaan slots showcase the company’s creativity. None of these turned out major hits, unfortunately, perhaps due to a lack of marketing and distribution. From our perspective, creating a great product is just not enough nowadays!

A different example is Omnigame with its Wheels of Reels mechanic, which we found really interesting. A noteworthy mechanic indeed that deserves appreciation. While a similar reel system has been seen before, Omnigame's take adds a unique twist and provides a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. However, our votes had to reflect players’ opinions too to effectively determine the Game Mechanic of the Year, and that’s where it falls short.

According to players’ preferences, confirmed by our statistics and data, as well as our internal voting, Gold Blitz™ from Fortune Factory Studios could be the winner. Partially thanks to these mechanics, the studio managed to secure a win in a different, SlotCatalog’s Game Studio of the Year – Small category.

Our judges have also taken a keen interest in the Anyways mechanic from 7777 Gaming, which sparked the following observations among us:

Candy Anyways

• Being able to win from all 4 sides is cool, and it expands what a slot game can be.
• The winning mechanic, where combinations can start from one side of the four sides, is truly something new. Slot deserves a place in the TOP 3 in this nomination.
• Anyways mechanics – winning starts with 3 symbols, not 6 or 8, as usual, + buy feature option + clear and simple gameplay = good combination of mechanics and characteristics.
• Has unique payout mechanics paired with powerful free spins and multipliers.

In addition, the Supermatch™ mechanic from Nailed It! Games has also garnered attention of our experts. Here are some of our thoughts:

Rome Supermatch™

• Good mechanics based on older versions, but with solid potential.
• Decent payout mechanics with a gradually increasing grid.
• The mechanics of opening the next lines in case of a match are not new, but the vertical layout, respins, and additional bets make it unique. Should be in TOP 3.
• The winning streak row-adding system is both unique and fun, and this mechanic deserves some love.
• Vertical “Infinity Reels” – what a nice idea! 🙂

The hearts of other judges, however, leaned toward another, a more well-known brand. Victory in this year’s nomination goes to Pragmatic Play and its MultiHold mechanic. While not particularly unique, as far as we've seen similar titles before, we have no objections and agree with the decision of the other invited judges. Here’s what we think of MultiHold:

• The initial Multihold from a year ago is upgraded here, with a larger Free Spins matrix of 5×5 and more chances to win. A powerful favorite, in my opinion.
• Beautiful and high-quality mechanic with 4 layouts!
• Super engaging mechanic, with great win potential. My mark is 9 out of 10!

Congratulations to the winner! Without a doubt, Pragmatic Play is one of the leading game developers in the casino industry today, and we are proud to have them as our friends. We truly appreciate their active engagement and continuous attention, and look forward to exploring new horizons together. Well done Pragmatic team!

Game Mechanic of the Year. The winner is: Pragmatic Play