Ten years ago, Aristocrat’s Lightning Link slot game first appeared on casino floors. As with many slot games, odds of attaining success were low.
According to Aristocrat Chief Product Officer Matt Primmer, there are hundreds of games released every year. But only a few, rare games have a decade-long lifespan.
“Lightning Link is not only a staple of land-based games, but Aristocrat develops in a way where we can evolve concepts and come up with ideas that are evolutionary at baseline,” Primmer says. “Lightning Link is also the number 1 social casino app in the world made by Product Madness and will soon launch in our real money gaming business, Aristocrat Interactive . It has maintained its beloved status by players and transcends multi-channel platforms.”
Lightning Link was created to appeal to both frequent players and casual gamers, to those who like a jackpot experience as well as those who prefer a more entertaining game. The game came together fairly quickly, which, in hindsight, is surprising considering the complexity of the game’s math, graphical content, and software details.
Almost immediately, the game stood out.
“Lightning Link pushed the boundaries on what was popular at the time, both from a math model perspective and a mechanic POV,” Primmer says. “Due to its highly complex math model, Lightning Link was a unique offering that the industry had to adapt to at the time of its release.”
There are currently 16 varieties of Lightning Link, including 12 for the U.S. market. Popular variations include Magic Pearl, Bengal Treasures, and Moon Race. Each version features unique themes and bonus features, but they all have the “Hold & Spin” mechanic and access to the Lightning Link jackpot system, which includes mini, minor, major, and grand jackpots.
“We created the Hold & Spin mechanic for Lightning Link, and while the mechanic has been modeled by others, no one has really captured it the way Aristocrat games do,” Primmer says. “It remains a very popular feature with players, and we’ve deployed it in other games where it makes sense.”
When Lightning Link arrived on casino floors, it didn’t take long for the game to gain favor with players. Primmer attributes the games’ popularity to its intuitiveness, the fact that it’s easy to learn, and that it appeals to all types of players..”
Lightning Link features “player-selectable multi-denominations, a multi-format jackpot offering that combines both link and SAP jackpots, an excellent mix of games that attract a wide range of players, and a patented new jackpot mechanic for innovative game play and trigger methodology,” Primmer says. “That mix of new and entertaining elements, including a signage package that had never been seen before, combined to create a true global sensation.”
Primmer adds that Lightning Link’s intuitive layout makes it easy to play and that players and spectators are “entertained and energized” by the game’s features and frequent jackpots. The Hold & Spin mechanic, he says, is the “heart of it all.”
“We’re laser-focused on developing games that people want to play. We’re not focused on trying to prove that we’re smart or creative,” Primmer says. “We build off of what we know players want to see in slot product and it’s held in the integrity of the effort we put forward into game development.”
Feedback from operators has consistently remained overwhelmingly positive. Primmer has heard some operators say they’ve rarely, if ever, seen a product such as Lightning Link.
Further proof can be seen in the game’s longevity.
“There are hundreds of games developed every single year and there are only a handful that actually work,” Primmer says “Lightning Link was and continues to be one of those products.”
And what’s next for Lighting Link?
“We plan for the Lightning Link brand to continue to evolve by giving players what they love, combined with some exciting new twists and turns along the way, both in land and digital formats.”
