Within the arena of online casino development, there are a limited number of small game creators that could be classified as 'boutique' developers. Rival Gaming is one of them.
Also known as 'Rival Powered', Rival Gaming has made its name in the industry by developing its trademarked i-Slots. Other game companies have created games with a similar concept, but only Rival Powered offers the real thing.
Rival Gaming titles used to be confined exclusively to the company's proprietary platform. That is to say that casino operators wanting to license Rival Powered games had to license the entire platform and operate through it. That is no longer the case. Rival Powered games are now available through the company's platform or licensed individually.
Although Rival Gaming produces games for both mobile and desktop, they are better known for their mobile titles. Younger gamblers who prefer to use their smartphones and tablets are very familiar with Rival Gaming titles like Diamond Cherries, Crazy Camel Cash, and Loco 7s. Check these games out now.
Rival Gaming's history
Though Rival Gaming is now headquartered in the U.S., the company originally began as a Canadian enterprise in 2006. Canada seemed like the perfect place to birth a new online gambling startup thanks to important industry contributions from some other Canadian companies. However, Rival management decided early on to focus on the U.S. market.
Shortly after Rival Gaming was established, U.S. lawmakers passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that greatly restricted online gambling in the States. Rival Gaming instantly found itself in trouble. The legislation interfered with the company's plans to license its games exclusively to brand-new operators willing to use only their platform.
In order to keep the fledgling company afloat, executive management decided to offer games to existing operations under a completely different license. That turned out to be a good decision. The more online casinos began offered the games, the more exposure Rival Powered got. That generated the momentum Rival needed to grow from a company with just a few titles into one with an extensive and impressive portfolio.
The first few years following the company's decision to loosen its licensing requirements were not kind to Rival Gaming. Less restrictive licensing meant less reputable casino operators using their games. Over time, Rival Gaming developed a questionable reputation due to its association with a few rogue operators. It took them several more years to cut those operators loose and rebuild their reputation.
Today, Rival Gaming is once again a respected casino game developer. i-Slots continue to be their main deliverable for both mobile and desktop. They currently offer 162 titles along with a complete casino platform. Their games utilize the latest in computer technology including Adobe Flash, HTML5, PHP, Java, and AS3.
Rival Gaming's products
Like so many others in the online gambling space, Rival Gaming does not limit itself to game development. They offer a range of services that integrate nicely with independent casino operators. Rival Gaming's products are classified under the following six categories:
What's nice about Rival Gaming's product list is that customers can pick and choose as they see fit. That is one of the benefits of working with a boutique solution provider.
Examples of Rival Gaming titles
So, have you ever played any Rival Powered games? Perhaps you have and just don't know it. At any rate, the remainder of this review is dedicated to some of the most popular games from Rival. All the titles discussed below feature modern graphics, the latest in gaming technology, and the kind of quality that experienced players want in the modern era.
Note that while Rival Gaming focuses mainly on slots, they do offer other types of games. Their games cover traditional slots, i-Slots, table games, and video poker.
The historic three-ring circus developed by PT Barnum is the basis for this delightful video slot game. The game features 5 reels and 15 pay lines played out against the backdrop of circus tent. As you might expect, the symbols all revolve around circus elements. There are performing elephants, bears on bicycles, acrobats, clowns, and more.
5 Reel Circus slot is a game that allows you to choose the number of pay lines you want active for each spin. In terms of wagering, you can choose not only the number of coins you want to bet on each line, but also the value of those coins as well. The combined options give you more than 400 ways to bet on each spin.
In terms of bonus features, 5 Reel Circus offers extra payouts for Scatter symbols as well as a Free Spins bonus game. This is every bit a modern slot that brings a lot of enjoyment to the table.
Fans of classic slot games will probably enjoy Rival Gaming's Firestorm 7. This 3-reel, single- pay line slot game mimics the first-generation games that made Las Vegas gambling so popular in the 1950s. Some of the classic symbols are in play here, including 7 and bars. However, the designers replaced the fruit symbols with new symbols relating to combustion. Think gas cans and fire extinguishers here.
The game also includes some special symbols that add to the player's winnings. One particular symbol, the exploding tank, applies a multiplier to the player's winnings. The multiplier could be as high as 2400X under the right conditions. Overall, this is an action-packed game that keeps things moving along.
This is another classic slot that is more in line with Las Vegas style one-armed bandits. Symbols include 7s, bars, and cherries. There is a 5X symbol as well. It acts as both a wild symbol and a multiplier. Every 5X symbol used to create a winning combination multiplies the player's winnings. Get three 5X symbols and the player wins a stunning 1500X the original wager.
Five Times Wins is a 3-reel, 3-pay line game that offers players the opportunity to customize the number of active pay lines, the number of coins played, and the value of those coins. The game's creators have designed the reels to mimic mechanical reels in terms of their action and play. That is a nice touch for a classic slot.
Rival Gaming's Multi-Hand Blackjack game is similar to a standard blackjack game except that one player can play multiple hands. In fact, up to three hands are possible simultaneously. Each of those hands can also be split according to general blackjack rules. That means three hands could end up being six hands under the right conditions.
The game's interface features a red blackjack table typical of what you might find in a land-based casino. Chips are dragged on to the table while a series of computer-generated buttons are used by the player to control the action. Standard rules apply for doubling, splitting, and purchasing insurance.
No Rival Gaming review would be complete without discussing at least one of their i-Slots titles. i-Slots are interactive slot games that incorporate traditional video slot play with the progressive story lines. This game is modeled after a 1930s era gangster film. The goal is to complete certain tasks that allow the player to break into a virtual bank, steal all the money, and make a clean getaway.
The game plays with 5 reels and 15 pay lines. Players can choose active pay lines, coin value, and the number of coins they want to bet on each spin. The game's built-in bonus feature is what makes it possible for the player to work his or her way through the story line. What begins as a single bonus feature ends up being a five-stage bonus that earns players cash prizes and free spins.
Rival Gaming summary
Rival Gaming may have had a rocky start, but they have since rebounded in a big way. Their games are top-of-the-line in terms of quality. Furthermore, the company is committed to continuing to develop even better titles in the future. Other game companies should keep their eye on Rival Gaming.
Where to play Rival Gaming games?
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