Most human mythologies have some kind of underworld, the place where the dead go when they die. Those slots do exist, but they’re not all we’re talking about here. This is also the criminal underworld, the murky realm of gangsters, violence and corruption. From famous historical figures like Al Capone to popular TV shows like Peaky Blinders, slots have a long history with this type of theme, and players keep lapping it up. Most of us would be afraid to meet a real-life mob boss, but when they’re dramatized, whether on screen or on the reels, it’s a whole different story. Let’s take a look. Click here to read more.
The Gangsters
When we mention organised crime, who do you picture first? If you’re in Europe or the US, the Mafia (both the Italian and the New York versions) probably comes to mind, although the Irish Mob, the Triads, the Yakuza, the Bratva and East End firms like the Krays all have their place. You may think of the good old, bad old days of Prohibition, when figures like Al Capone made their fortune selling bootleg liquor. The mobsters wore distinctive suits and hats, and of course they were armed.
That’s the kind of imagery found in the dark, shadowy world of Mafia Clash from Bullshark Games. Poor lighting and the lurking threat of violence govern its setting, with the 5x4 layout packed with period and thematically appropriate symbols like cars, booze and guns, as well as the menacing faces of the gangsters themselves. These are the clashing rivals, from the street tough to the more sophisticated, suited Mafiosi. There’s even a shootout as part of one of the bonus features where you can earn multiplier prizes, and it sits alongside a free spins round.
The Heists
What type of crimes go on in the underworld? Yes, there’s trafficking in alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. Yes, there are protection rackets. Yes, every self-respecting criminal organisation has a politician or policeman on the payroll in a clear example of public corruption. Still, when you want a crime that makes for a thrilling movie or slot, you can’t go wrong with a bank heist.
That seems to have been High 5’s thinking when it created the Ultimate Heist slot. It’s a stylish-looking game rooted in the aesthetics of that 1920s era. Just look at those characters, each with their own demeanour and personality, from the muscle to the manager to the femme fatale. Steal some money bags and some free spins as you go.
Twisting the Classics
Wherever you find a popular slot theme with some fairly standardised imagery, you also find the developers willing to give it an unexpected twist. That’s what Push Gaming did with Boss Bear. A title like that might make you expect a cute, fluffy slot with cartoon elements, but it actually means that the eponymous main character is a mob boss, with his eyes red behind his shades and a cigar clamped between his teeth. He’s what Al Capone would look like if Al Capone was a bear.
We’re not in Chicago, however. A look at the architecture, the throwing stars and the Yin Yang symbols makes it clear this is a Chinese take on organised crime. This slot has an unusual layout, with its 5 reels spread across 6 rows, but symbols like the pistol are standard for this type of theme and bonuses like free spins, multipliers and instant cash prizes make for some modern gameplay. Another underworld slot with a twist is Rooster Mobs, with a 3-4-4-4-3 layout for its rows. It looks like the typical office of a mob boss, except that the boss is a rooster.
As Seen on TV
First there were movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas, some of the most highly rated films of all time. Then the underworld came to television, and those television series were adapted for the reels.
As one of the most prestigious shows in US history, The Sopranos occupies a unique space in culture and won pretty much every award going. The main character (he can’t really be called a hero) is Tony Soprano, the violent, destructive New Jersey mobster who tried to work out his issues in therapy. The slot is the brainchild of Playtech, and it includes imagery and clips from the show for a more immersive experience. Bonuses let you, the player, travel up the ranks of the organisation from soldier to capo to boss.
Over the pond to the UK, where Peaky Blinders, the story of the Shelby family as their tiny operation rises from the backstreets of Birmingham to an international enterprise, became a cultural phenomenon. Set in that strange period between the wars when the whole social order was in flux and inspired by a real (albeit with some liberal poetic license) gang, it was only a matter of time before it landed on the reels. In fact, the first Peaky Blinders slot did so well that it was soon followed by Peaky Blinders 2. Both come from Pragmatic Play, both feature characters from the show, and both have a creative, multilayered take on free spins.
Vampires and Demons
We’ve been talking a lot about the criminal underworld, but as we mentioned earlier, there’s a more mythological take on this theme. There are the slots set in Hell, or Hades, or one of the other realms of the dead found in different folklore, and there are the creatures of the underworld, the vampires and the demons, who have their own category of slots.
This part of the category is where you’ll find Hell Chef, Vampire Odyssey and Skull Lord. These are the slots where you may find shadowy darkness, or you may find eternal fire and damnation. Hell Chef actually takes a humorous approach to its underworld setting, plus it has 15,625 ways to win and multiple layers of bonuses, while the other two lean more on Gothic creepiness. Skull Lord does have some very distinctive comic-book-style graphics.
A Matter of Taste
Not everyone enjoys these types of slot games. Whether the underworld is criminal or supernatural, it tends to be a dark and sometimes violent place, and that just doesn’t suit every player. If you do appreciate the heavy atmosphere, you can find all kinds of different layouts and bonuses to give each of these games their own distinctive style and features. Just because they share a theme doesn’t mean each slot is the same. Mob Money is not Mafia Clash or Ultimate Heist.