A match-3 inspired base game

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Bunch Boom Animals, a new machine in DoubleU Casino, innovates on cascading reel sets with a scoring system inspired by match-3 games. This is part of a growing movement of machines based on other genres, like Lotsa Slots’ Jackpots or Better (poker) and House of Fun’s My Pet Dragon (RPG).

Takeaway #1: Expand your player base with mechanics inspired by other genres.

By designing a novel slots experience based on one of the most popular styles of mobile games, DoubleU Casino appeals to a large number of potential new players while ensuring that current players aren’t overwhelmed with gameplay too far outside of their comfort zone.

Takeaway #2: Add elements of player choice to cross-genre mechanics.

Players attracted to these types of machines are likely outside of your core audience and may be less interested in traditional slots play. To retain these players, add genre-inspired mechanics that players can control.

Research shows that giving players a sense of control can increase engagement by nearly 50% and drives additional purchases. In Bunch Boom Animals’ case, DoubleU Casino could allow players to trigger boosts commonly found in match-3 games.

Bonus Takeaway: Social bonuses have the greatest revenue impact.

In Wild Trip to Wonderland, pairs of players complete two social mini-games: a timed collection and a round robin-style 2v2 competition to build the tallest tower.

Our analysis shows that machines with social bonuses have the greatest WoW revenue impact of any bonus type—more than double that of the next most impactful bonus types. POP! Slots distinguishes itself by including social bonuses in more than 80% of its machines compared to a median of 2.4% across all tracked casino apps.

Download the full Slots Design Report for additional trends and notable releases.