Pinoy dev's ‘Interactive Slots’ combines arcade games with casino slots

Slot machine games are fairly simple: you push a button, watch the reels spin, and wait as luck determines whether you’ve won or lost.

While its straightforward design is what can make the slot machine so dangerously addicting, the lack of any skill-based challenge is also what turns non-gambling gamers away from it. So how does one fix this problem?

“Interactive Slots,” a recently released mobile title for iOS and Android devices, retains the luck aspect of the slot machine, but incorporates the intoxicating fun of ‘80s arcade games.



“Interactive Slots” is a single app that comes with 15 casino slot games. To each is attached an arcade game that is either inspired by a classic title (such as “Space Invaders,” “Pac-Man,” “Asteroids,” “Snake,” “Frogger,” and more), or completely original. Most of the games are 2D; others, like “Ice Age,” feature 3D visuals and gameplay.

Playing the arcade games allows you to win free spins, increasing your chances at winning big at the slot machine games.

“ ‘Interactive Slots’ will put your gaming skills to the test by combining arcade games with slots,” stated Lightbreak Games, the Filipino studio that developed “Interactive Slots.”

“Inspired by the idea of arcades like Quantum and Timezone, where multiple different games are in one place, we created a game app wherein each slots theme has its very own game inside – and being better at the arcade part will mean you will earn more coins.”

Lightbreak Games, which is based in Caloocan, developed “Interactive Slots” for the Australian company Jackie Dickenson.

“The concept was the brainchild of Darren Dickenson and Jack Dunross (of Jackie Dickenson), with the gameplay and technical advices of our team at Lightbreak,” explained Lightbreak Games founder, Raniel Ame Sales.

Sales described Jackie Dickenson as Lightbreak Games’ partner-client. The two have been working together since 2015. Technically, the developer has created 2 titles for them: “Swing Jim” and “Interactive Slots.” Since the latter is composed of 15 games, however, Lightbreak Games has, in reality, created over a dozen games for the company.



Compiling the arcade experience

Sales explained why it was decided to combine arcade gaming with slots: “We think that a regular slot machine game based on luck could be more fun if it’s skill-based; we loved the idea that your gaming skills will give you better rewards on the casino part.”

Sales and his team are particularly proud of the diversity of game genres they’ve managed to include in “Interactive Slots.”

“We’ve done side-scrolling runner, shooter, 3D jumper, 3D box art, brick breakers, 2D classic games, and more!” stated Sales. “It really gives me the arcade feeling that I can use my coins and tokens on all these different games; we also love the idea of breaking the wall between them, meaning what you earn from one is something you can use with a different game.”

Developing the game was, of course, no walk in the park.

“Since ‘Interactive Slots’ is a giant compilation of multiple games, there are a lot of technical issues such as sizes and optimization to take care off. There were also the challenges of coming up with game themes as each game has to be its own, and we don’t want to repeat themes. And of course, the challenge of getting the word out that ‘Interactive Slots’ exists.”

Seeing the light

Lightbreak Games was founded as a team of freelancers in 2014, and became a government-listed studio in 2016. It has made over 20 games, “Interactive Slots” and “Pinoy Mega Quiz” counting among them. The latter has been downloaded 30,000 times by Filipino gamers.

“As a startup, we faced challenges hiring developers and artists, retaining clients, and making sure we got enough funds to survive the next month,” explained Sales. “Being a game developer, we also have to keep up with the latest technology; one moment your game is working properly, the next thing you know Facebook has updated and broken your friends’ leaderboard!”

Lightbreak Games is now a company consisting of 11 people. Sales and his colleagues remain hopeful that the studio will expand even further.

“We wish to grow into a stable game development company with a large team of talented individuals, wherein we can work on providing game development services as well as have awesome games under our belt.”

At the moment, Lightbreak Games is working on a Pinoy-themed fantasy RPG called “Boy Tirador.”

“ ‘Boy Tirador’ is our own RPG concept that we want to bring to life,” described Sales. “We are aiming to have a fantasy game wherein Filipino lore will dominate, like tikbalangs and mananangals as enemies, arnis as weapons and carabaos as mount! Right now it’s in the early concept stage, and we plan to get a teaser trailer out soon.”

Additionally, they are also developing other casual mobiles games such as “Core,” “Caved In” and “Fished.”

Sales has realistic yet hopeful advice for Filipinos aspiring to start their own game development studio.

“Nothing is easy,” he said. “If you are sleep-deprived, hungry, and tired, then it means you are on the right track! Being a game developer is not always fun and games; we all have our fair share of challenges and mountains to climb.” — TJD, GMA News