Launched in 2018 and based in Reno, Nevada, Gold Coin Studios is headed up by CEO John Duffy, a former VP at IGT. Duffy took no time in surrounding himself with some of the best creative minds in the gaming industry, with modeller Dorukan Yılmazkulaş who designed games for Spinmatic one of the first taken on board. He has made his name with games featuring novel wilds and nudge mechanics and has brought these ideas to the party. Alan Washburn, another former IGT, brings his graphic skills to the studio and Daniel Blockland adds to the decades worth of experience to Gold Coin Studios. In 2020 it was announced that the studio had signed with Microgaming as a studio affiliate and their games are now launched through the pioneers of online casino software. The studio has a breadth of talent from both the land-based slot market and the online world to create a balanced team which aims to create defining content in their games. Duffy says that fairness to players is top of the company’s agenda and this is good news for those looking for solid RTPs. It is obvious that the talent assembled are capable of bringing exciting math models and great artwork to the slots, and this is evident in their games, some of which we will look at below. Click here to read more.
Gold Coin Studios Games
Arthur’s Gold
This was the studios first release with Microgaming in 2018. The slot has a good RTP of 96.19% and is high variance. It is played on a 5x3 reel with 20 pay lines, and has a top win of x4000. With a bet range of 0.20 to 50 and a hit frequency of 30.21%, it has an appeal to most players. Double premium symbols add to the fun, while five of a kind can reach pay outs of x500.
Animals of Africa
If you enjoyed Arthur’s Gold, you will certainly like the animal-themed follow up Animals of Africa which is played on a similar reel layout with 20 bet ways. The RTP is almost identical and this game is also high variance. The double symbols also appear here along with a wild and a scatter which triggers free spins. During this phase wilds will expand and lock in place with a re-spin feature.
Aquatic Treasures
Another slot with a retro feel, and a 5x3 layout, this game did not receive the great reviews which some of its predecessors have. The RTP is marginally above industry average at 96.03% and the medium variance does not help the excitement, since it performs to make the game a little dull. The hit frequency is around 32% and the maximum win x357.
Bushi Sushi
This game has some of the features which the studio has become famous for, with wilds that expand to fill reels, and a gamble feature has been added involving, inevitably, the toss of a gold coin to double wins. The five reels offer just ten bet ways, the RTP is almost bang on industry average and the variance is the low end of medium.
Smooth Sailing
We are back to 20 pay lines on a 5x3 reel set in <a href="https://www.slotstemple.com/free-slots/smooth-sailing/">Smooth Sailing</a>, which can be played in demo mode here at Slots Temple. The game has two versions with varying RTPs of either 96.22% or 94.18%, so make sure you choose the right one. Bet sizes range from 0.20 to 40, but the Gold Coin Bet feature multiplies stakes by x1.5. Ticket scatters are added in this feature doubling the chance of landing free games. The top win is x6000. The slot seems to be the forerunner of a series from this designer with a train version in the offing.
