Lord of the Rings Slot Machine
A slot machine is a machine with various different names. Fruit machine, poker machine or just slots are names that many people call this versatile machine. Slot machines reinforce the ‘game of chance’ nature found within casinos across the globe. Naturally, many slot machines exist to take advantage of that. While most people are accustomed with standard ‘casino-y’ slot machines, slot machines have become more than just kitschy casino fare.
Many slot machines are based on different television shows, entertainers and, yes, even movies. In fact, plenty of famous Hollywood films have been immortalized as slot machines. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy naturally served as the inspiration for a series of slot machines.
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- American Idol
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- Dolly Parton
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- Ghost Busters
- Hangover
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- Jeopardy
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- Lord of the Rings
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About the Lord of the Rings
When people think about modern fantasy epics, they immediately think about the novel, the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. When the film trilogy was consecutively released in the last decade, people immediately started pointing towards the Lord of the Rings film trilogy as a definitive trilogy of epic fantasy films. And, for good reason.
Directed by director Peter Jackson, the Lord of the Rings is perhaps one of the most ambitious film projects of all time. Surprisingly enough, it only cost well over $280 million to make the films within eight years, with all three films simultaneously filmed at once. The films follow the general plot line of the novel, though naturally omitting some elements, additions and deviations from the source.
The film follows the adventures of hobbit Frodo Baggins (portrayed by Elijah Wood), as he and a Fellowship trek across Middle-Earth to destroy the One Ring, securing the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. Upon the division of the Fellowship, the film portrays events that happen throughout the expanse of Middle-Earth that define the films as a whole.
Naturally, the trilogy was a financial success. Altogether, the films are considered one of the highest grossing film series of all time. They naturally amassed a bevy of awards, including 17 Academy Awards; 11 alone came from The Return of the King’s nominations (the final film), when it swept the Academy Awards that year. Of course, the series is lauded for its extensive special effects, visual effects and battle choreography.
The Slot Machine
International Gaming Technology created the best known version of the Lord of the Rings slot machine. IGT took great care to replicate the experiences from the movie itself, incorporating its sounds, voice overs and imagery into a traditional video slot machine. Let’s take a closer look at the machine itself.
Characteristics, Symbols and Features
Upon looking at the machine, you’ll immediately notice the images and sounds that involve the feel of the movies. The main Lord of the Rings slot machine follows the events of the first movie (and the first book) of the trilogy, the Fellowship of the Ring. The game depicts Frodo’s journey, with his Fellowship of Elves, Men and Dwarfs, across the expanse of Middle-Earth, to carry the One Ring back to Mount Doom, the only place where the ring can be destroyed.
The game itself takes players on a journey across Middle-Earth, stopping in places like Hobbiton, Brie, Weathertop, Rivendell, Lothario, Amen Hen and the Mines of Moira.
The minimum bet for the game is as low as 40 cents, while the maximum bet is known to reach as high as $5. Much like other IGT slot machines, the Lord of the Rings slot machine follows much of the same rules and conventions. The five reel slot machine has up to 50 pay lines, all of which you can choose to bet on throughout the course of the game.
The game features various symbols depicting famous objects, places and people from the Lord of the Rings. It also features a wild card symbol, which helps players create a winning combination as long as the symbols appear where they need. The One Ring acts as a scatter symbol here, unlocking the bonus rounds of the Lord of the Rings slot machine. When this happens, players get the chance to participate in one of eight different bonus games.
Bonuses
The bonus rounds of the Lord of the Rings slot machine pretty much involve the spirit of the film trilogy and, to a lesser extent, the book. The bonus rounds are based on the player’s accumulated miles, as the entire game revolves around Frodo and his Fellowship’s journey.
So, in other words, the miles you rack up from this game will eventually unlock the bonus rounds. The bonus rounds depict various famous places in Middle-Earth. Naturally, they depict famous scenes from the movie itself.
The Lord of the Rings slot machine takes you back to the events of the first movie, wrapping up that experience into the form of a slot machine. Fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise and epic fantasy should check this one out.