It’s hard to imagine Sega as a fledgling company. But that’s what it progressed from, into the mainstream giant we know it as today. There simply wasn’t a bigger gaming developer throughout the 1980s and 90s, with characters like Sonic the Hedgehog making the gaming industry the powerhouse it continues to be today.
But after several years in the wilderness following a few failed console launches, Sega has recovered to become a games developer fit for the modern gaming era. They’ve now turned their attention to developing mobile games and promoting the iconic characters they’ve developed over the years in online slots – introducing them to a whole new audience.
Let’s discover how they’ve progressed over the years and a little more about what they’re offering for online gamblers.
Humble beginnings to a gaming powerhouse
Sega was originally formed when in 1940, three American businessmen formed Standard Games, developing slot machines for military bases. However, these were soon outlawed by the US government. This forced the company to relocate its operations to Japan, changing its name to Service Games of Japan in 1953 – soon rebranding to Sega the next year.
They spent the next 30 or so years developing coin-operated arcade games, slots and pinball machines – before entering the home console market in 1982. Sega hit it big in 1988 with the worldwide success of the Sega Mega Drive, becoming a household name in the process.
Virtua Fighter
In 1994, Virtua Fighter was released on the Sega Saturn, captivating gamers with fast-paced action and simple gameplay. The highly addictive arcade fighting game was a massive hit and has been credited for popularising the iconic Sega Saturn.
Luckily for slot lovers, this hit game has been adapted for online gaming play, giving you the chance win money. It has been accurately produced to mimic the original feel and design of Virtua Fighter, complete with the sound effects retro gamers know and love.
The wildcard symbol is the Virtua Fighter logo and allows players to win up to 10,000 coins at any time. In addition to that, there are several bonuses and features, including an appealing gamble feature that lets you go double or nothing on your winnings.
Sonic Boom
You’d be forgiven for reading the name of this slot and automatically thinking of Sonic the Hedgehog. Instead of the rapid blue character, players of Sonic Boom will be treated to a classic Sega-style game.
The theme is jet fighters, and the graphics hark back to the 90s style of Sega games. There are plenty of features to keep players interested in this game, including a series of wilds that can earn you up to £125,000.
If you’re a traditional slot lover and shy away from the shiny, feature-heavy games of the modern day, this is the perfect game for you. The wild symbols are pretty easy to get to grips with – and you’ll soon see how to win money.
However, if you really want to maximise your winnings on slots games, you’ll need to know more about the types of games that are most profitable and the best ways to budget. To stand the biggest chance of striking it lucky on a slot game, we’d recommend reading up on how to win at slots to find out more simple ways to get more bang for your buck.
Golden Axe Slot
Before the Sega Saturn came the often-forgotten Sega Genesis, which was the platform that Golden Axe was released on in 1989. The game takes place in a fantasy medieval world called Yuria, where you’re tasked with rescuing the kidnapped Princess from the evil clutches of the Death Adder.
The Golden Axe slot is great for gamblers of all budgets, as it has a series of different pay-grades available. When you start playing you’ll be thrust into the world of Yuria, with all the game’s classic characters featuring as symbols.
Magic pots are the bonus symbols, which once triggered, activate a series of bonuses and multipliers. They can be re-activated at any time, meaning your winnings can increase exponentially.
Dragon’s Way
Thanks to the popularity of HBO hit show Game of Thrones, dragons are back in vogue. This slot machine takes advantage of that surge in popularity to treat us to a visual masterpiece of online slot technology.
The game is not based on any particular Sega game or character, but it is an homage to the design and feel of early nineties Sega games. Free spins are fairly easy to come by in Dragons Way, triggered by the appearance of three or more scatter symbols.
In addition to this, there is a progressive jackpot-style bonus that is activated with the appearance of a quirky dragon at any time of the game. There’s a good chance of winning money on this slot. Whilst it isn’t officially licensed by Sega, gamers will find it’s incredibly similar to their hit games.
Sega Slots
Released in 2018 on iOS and Android, Sega Slots is a response from the company to the many iterations of its games that are featured with online casinos. It advertises itself as a social casino, which means that there is no real money exchanged.
The way that the game makes money is through in-app purchases, as you’ll be required to spend ‘gems’ to continue playing – once you’ve reached your daily limit. Despite this, Sega Slots is a great download option for Sega lovers.
All the characters are fully-licensed and produced by Sega, adding to the authentic feel of the slots game. It’s the ideal slot to play in preparation for trying your hand at a real-money online slot, because it’s a familiar feel that makes for a smoother transition between consumer titles we know and love, to the engaging slots games being released every week.
Transcending slots, into the mainstream
Sega hasn’t just lent their characters to online slots and mobile and console games, they’ve also branched out into different mediums. They announced in 2014 that they had teamed up with Hakuhodo DY Group to form Stories International – all with the aim of developing movies based on classic hit Sega movies. This has retro gamers all over the world excited to see how they will look on the big screen and on streaming services.
This just shows that Sega are always innovating and looking for ways to showcase their characters, adding layers to them and finding more ways to introduce them to new audiences worldwide.
