Making the Move

Perhaps one of the main reasons why players may not have heard of Merkur before is the fact that the company made its name developing land-based AWP (amusement with prizes) style gaming cabinets. These games machines can be found in real life casinos, arcades and pubs, providing part-time punters and hardcore bettors alike with entertainment in abundance.

The main focus of the software development recently has been on multi-game systems such as the Merkur Star, the Avantgarde SLT and the Evolution SL. All three of these cabinets use cutting edge technology to provide a top notch experience, all in HD.

These systems also use double screens to enhance the virtual gambling experience like never before.

That's all good and well, but what about the online gambling market? Well, the company is slowly but surely starting to optimise its range of products for online play, meaning that Merkur games may soon become a more frequent name on the software rosters of online casinos.

There is actually one site which is dedicated to providing Merkur slot machines – the German based casino website, SunMaker.

Play at SunMaker casino and you’ll also find a selection of games from other developers. You can test many of these for free on this site, so be sure to play our collection of Yggdrasil Gaming slots, and NetEnt slots at VegasSlotsOnline.

Some Classic Slots

This software developer boasts some incredibly diverse themes in its catalogue, which is over 150 games strong. These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from good old 3-reel classics to epic 5-reel video adventures. You can also expect a wide range of extra features to ensure that every spin is met with anticipation and wonder.

Let's start with the basics – the 3-reel retro titles – and where better to begin than with the Triple Chance game series. The original Triple Chance has 3 reels and 5 paylines and it features the timeless symbols that you would find on any good arcade style fruit machine. It also boasts a “rewin” feature which gives some degree of compensation whenever players play a bad spin of the reels. There is also a Double Triple Chance and a Triple Triple Chance game, both of which increase the amount of “rewin” chances that are available.

Spinners can also up the ante by playing on some classically inclined 5-reelers. These provide all of the same colourful fruit symbols while adding in more paylines and other rewarding elements such as multipliers, random wild symbols, and scatters. Check out Fruitopia, Cash Fruits Plus and Dazzling to unleash some straight up classic winning spins.

A Touch of Myth and Magic

Things get really interesting when you venture outside of the vintage collection and into the novelty themed slot territory. Merkur software excels when it comes to providing themes that are truly out of the ordinary. For instance, have you ever come across a title which is based on those archaic pixilated arcade video games of old? Well you can find exactly that on Reel'n'Run. Or what about joining a team of sleuths which includes a fox, an owl and a bear? Check out Mission for 3 to solve the murder and get some free spins.

One theme which Merkur truly loves is the action adventure genre. Specifically, these take on medieval and mythical subjects which exude elements of magic, dragons and glorious riches. This includes the 4-reel (yes, 4-reel!) Arcane Amulet, in which a king must find glory by discovering an enchanted gemstone. Alternatively, you can play the 5-reel, 40 pay line Brynhild in HD which is based on the legendary female warrior from Norse folklore. There are plenty of other titles which fall into the magic and mythology themed online slots category such as: Crimson Mage, Dragon's Treasure, Gods of Midgard, Knight's Life, Odin HD and World of Wizard.

If all the medieval history is too cold and brutish for you, then there are loads more historical slots that focus on the luxury and riches of the ancient Middle Eastern empires. Titles like Alhambra, Pyramid of Power and Gold of Persia will provide plenty of bountiful historical adventures in warmer climes. If history isn't your thing, then you can check out some contemporary games like the 3-reel Skate Jam or the futuristic 5-reel game, Scidonia.

A Few Other Picks

Merkur's game development is definitely focused toward the slots side of the business. That said, the company has briefly forayed into the world of casino-based games with titles such as Classic Poker, Kenotopia a take on classical keno and Bahamas Roulette.

Hit and Miss Visuals

When it comes to the quality of graphics, this software provider is not the most consistent. The truth is that some of their library fall flat when it comes to visual aesthetics. Take Mystic Dragon for example – a game which features a fire breathing beast with 3D animation. Now, that should mean jaw-dropping action and enthralling sound effects. But in reality the animation is done to a very basic standard, making the whole thing a bit laughable when it should be positively frightening.

Nonetheless, this is a company that has been active for more than five decades, so we can expect to find a few outdated duds in the collection. And on the plus side, Merkur's newer releases are available to play in HD. This means that the likes of the Lucky Pharaoh online slot, Scidonia, Odin and Electric Burst are visually stunning to behold and completely captivating to play.

Merkur’s on the Rise

This software developer has a very illustrious history in the land-based gaming market. What's more, the company has a very likeable asset in their parent company's entrepreneur CEO – the inventive and charitable Paul Gauselmann. The main thing that matters is, of course, the quality of the slots on offer. They may be hit and miss when it comes to the quality of graphics, but one thing that you can be sure of is that each game will provide something that is a little bit different from the norm. And with more and more Merkur slots online, they will soon be on every casino enthusiast's wishlist.