You may think that today’s range of slot machines are amongst the most popular that there have ever been and that they are unlikely to be replaced. This is unquestionably true for in-house games like Mega Moolah or Mega Fortune. These are titles developed by their software providers and not based on franchises or brands. For franchised or branded slots, though, there is often a lifespan worked into their design. When the developer loses the lease/licence to that brand, the game must be removed. Sadly, we’ve lost some of the very best slots of all time in this manner. In this article, we’re going to raise a glass and pay homage to some of the very best slots of all time that are no longer with us.
Come On Down to South Park
One of NetEnt’s first major slots to debut was themed on South Park. They would later go on to release another one, but that barely registered any attention compared to the first slot. Packed with a wealth of features, including farting Terrance and Phillip, beefcake Cartman and vomiting Stan wilds, there was much to enjoy about this original game. NetEnt lost the South Park licence for reasons that aren’t quite clear, thus removing the game from circulation at casinos.
Game Over Man, Game Over
It was quite clear that NetEnt lost its 20th Century Fox licence that Aliens had to go. However, for a brief time (it was available to play for just two years or so), this was one of the most visually impressive slots ever developed. A bonus round allowed you to do battle with xenomorphs much like an FPS (first-person shooter), while a unique bonus-triggering mechanism made the slot stand out from the crowd. This game is sorely missed.
A SuperHero Slot Like No Other
You don’t have to look far to find superhero slots today. However, before Playtech acquired the DC licence, they used to hold the keys to Marvel’s Universe. We’re not joking. There was a time when Playtech had over two dozen Marvel Mystery Progressive Jackpot slots on the go, the most impressive of which was arguably Iron Man 2. However, when Disney bought Marvel, they decided that they didn’t want “their brand” to be represented in gambling games such as slots, forcing the termination of the entire series.
The Legendary Dark Knight Jackpot Slot
Playtech losing its Marvel licence was bad news, but it wasn’t as bad as what happened to Microgaming. They lost their DC Universe licence to Playtech. This was devastating because The Dark Knight was one of the most loved (and best paying) progressive jackpot slots of all time. Many tears were shed when this game was forced to end. While Playtech has done an alright job of creating their own DC slots, they’ll never be able to replicate what The Dark Knight had to offer for Batman slot fans.
