Mikado Games is an Asian developer of casino, skill, and arcade-style games. The business started in Tokyo, Japan, back in 2010 and is still based in the city. Offices have now also opened in Macau and Hanoi, Vietnam.
The demand for casino games across Asia is vast, but Mikado Games is in a hugely competitive market. Any developer looking to supply content to the online or land-based gambling industries will need to be sure that they provide a top-quality service. Mikado Games has perhaps taken the wise decision not to tackle the major developers head-on, but to offer something different.
You won’t find any Roulette, Blackjack or Poker in the Mikado Games portfolio, and the company has just a couple of slots to its name. Instead, Mikado Games focuses on bingo, puzzle games, sports themes and a few other games that will be familiar to fans of Candy Crush.
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Traditionally Mikado is a game where you pull wooden, or plastic sticks from a pile. However, the range from Mikado Games is far more sophisticated and has been designed to work across desktop computers and mobiles devices.
Although each game is quite different from any other in the range, there’s a clear style that runs across almost all of them. You will see bright pastel colors and cartoon imagery in most of the games. The graphics have been thoughtfully designed to stand out clearly on the smaller screens of smartphones and tablet computers, which is where Mikado Games intend for you to play them.
While there may be a strong visual thread to Mikado Games, it’s a very pleasing one. Once games are loaded, you will find that each comes with smooth animations and if there are any characters, they will move around the screen in a fun, cartoon way.
Graphical cohesion isn’t the only thing that the Mikado Games have in common. Each game is fully certified for fairness, which lets you play the range in a regulated environment at some of the safest casinos online.
Gaming Labs International (GLI) has authenticated Mikado Games as fair and reliable. This is one of the top independent certification companies, and before each game gets released to the general public, they test it out for compliance. The result is that whenever you play anything from Mikado Games, you know that approved software ‘Random Number Generator’ determines the results.
While we can be confident that each game is fair, what isn’t so clear is the return to player percentage, or the amount paid back as winnings in relation to the amount wagered. Unfortunately, Mikado Games hasn’t provided that information. If GLI has approved the Mikado Games range, we can be sure that it’s a high percentage, but we would still prefer this information to be readily available.
With each game developed in the HTML5 protocol, casino and arcade operators will find it easy to integrate Mikado Games titles into their existing ranges. It also makes them quick to load onto Android, Windows, or iOS devices and provides smooth animations, even if the network connection isn’t 100%.
There are a couple of slot machines in the Mikado Games range, but these are basic three-reel, single line slots with no real bonus features. The ambitiously-named Exciting Slot has traditional fruit symbols and red Sevens appearing on the reels, while Temple Slot has a casino game with an ancient Egyptian vibe to it.
Other games are just as straightforward to play, and the titles often reveal all that you need to know about them. Monkey Golf, Lucky Bowling and Zombie Shooting are just what you would expect, although some games require a closer look to discover what they are about.
Bomb Catch is a game based around a cartoon chipmunk who collects explosive devices in a basket, while Pick Puppets Up is set in an arcade claw crane machine, filled with colorful toys. Farm Crush tasks you with matching plants in a field to win prizes, and The Penalty Kid is a simple Soccer game where you adjust the angle and strength of a kick to claim a win.
There are a number of Bingo tiles available too, each themed around a particular topic, such as pirates and jewels. You will find word games, pattern-matching games and others where you need to match playing cards to win a prize.
Overall Mikado offers players an impressive collection that offers up plenty of variety in the gameplay. Themes too offer a lot of variation and there’s no chance that you will get bored whilst playing the Mikado range.
Mikado Games doesn’t just develop games and release them into the online gambling market. The company also helps with marketing and co-produces games for clients. If someone wants a slot or arcade game to a specific design, incorporating their logo or character, for example, Mikado Games is ready to help.
The back-office service includes reporting and player statistics, while Mikado Games also offers a tournament facility. If you have a competitive nature, then the Ranking Play option provided by Mikado Games gives you the chance to play against others. These daily tournaments pay out cash prizes for the winners, although don’t make any retirement plans, as these are not massive jackpots.
You can play the Mikado Games range for free across the world. Games certified by GLI are guaranteed to comply with the terms and conditions set by 475 different iGaming regulators. That includes land-based, tribal and online authorities.
A Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) license also covers the Mikado Games range. This Philippines gambling license certification covers crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin and Litecoin, which can be used to play the games globally.
Anyone who enjoys arcade style games should take a closer look at what Mikado Games has to offer. If you have played Angry Birds, Candy Crush or Fruit Ninja, then the overall look and feel of the range will be very familiar. The graphics and animations are ideally suited to the simple, but pleasing gameplay. If you prefer to stick to slots, you should check out the free games from developers with wider ranges. High 5 Games slots, the Microgaming portfolio, and Synot Games slots are a great place to start.
Mikado Games has gained a firm foothold in the online and mobile arcade games market. The company looks ready to continue with this success by launching new titles into more casinos. It’s expected that Mikado Games will also extend the support services on offer to clients, as well as co-develop games with an expanding range of customers.
Arcade games offer players a change of pace from slots, Blackjack, Poker, Roulette and other casino staples. The company seems to have found a niche, and you can look forward to the release of more games, with similar cartoon style in the future.