A Passion for Games

Giocaonline isn’t just a games platform, but offers a full online gambling solution to their clients. That means a complete back-end system that includes management tools, a lobby system, support options, and everything operators need to track their player activity. That, along of their ability to create tailored solutions for different clients, is a large part of how they’ve become such a popular option for site owners in the Italian market.

But that doesn’t explain why players have enjoyed this software just as much as operators have. That comes down more to the fact that the development team here clearly has a passion for creating interesting and fun games. That is shown both through the care that goes into their card games – many of which allow head-to-head play vs. others, much in the same way that a poker room operates – and in their slots, which are a lot of fun even though this is one of the few companies that doesn’t focus on the machines.

Test Your Skills

Instead, Giocaonline’s collection is truly anchored by what they refer to as their skill games section. This area of their software contains more than a dozen different games, ranging from worldwide favorites to some truly Italian classics that will be largely unfamiliar to most people outside of the country.

What’s really interesting about this section is that the games are designed to be played against other players, so these aren’t just typical table games. For instance, there is a version of baccarat, known by the old name of the games of this family – Chemin de Fer. The only difference between this and the more modern casino table game is that this version has players take turn being the banker, playing against one of the other players at the table, with those two having some limited ability to make decisions for their hands. These roles rotate around the table, with other participants being able to place bets on the results as normal.

More interesting are some of the Italian favorites that have been included in this collection. These are several that are played with a traditional 40 card deck that is similar to the standard 52-card playing card decks, with a few changes: there are cards numbered one through seven, with three types of face cards. This allows for some games that offer a very different dynamic than most gamblers might be used to.

Perhaps the best known of these games is sette e mezzo, which is essentially an Italian (and Spanish) version of blackjack that is often played around Christmas in Italy. The game’s name translates to seven and a half in English, and that makes sense, as this is basically a version of blackjack in which players are targeting 7.5 as the best possible hand rather than 21. Face cards are worth half a point each, and just as in free online blackjack, going over the target causes a player to bust.

These are far from the only skill games on display. Scopa is another game that uses that 40 card deck, one that involves capturing cards to score point either individually or in teams. Other games like Bestia, Briscola, and Tressette use that same deck and involve taking tricks (putting them in the same family as contests like hearts or spades). Overall, this offers up a buffet of options that should satisfy any lover of traditional and casino games.

Don’t Forget the Slots

But while the focus may be elsewhere, Giocaonline has still taken the time to create at least a few interesting slot machines that are both fun to play and gorgeous to look at, using plenty of bright colors, slick animations and unique stylistic choices in each machine to make these titles stand out from the cloud.

For instance, Game of Cards is a 30-line, five-reel machine that features a fantasy theme crossed with symbols that are strongly inspired by a good old-fashioned deck of cards. There are a combination of icons based on the four traditional suits and fantasy staples like monsters and witches. You’ll also be able to work through a bevy of special features, like a free spins game that can vary in the number of spins and the multiplier you’ll get on all of your winnings in this bonus round.

Compared to the computer-generated graphics of Game of Cards, the simplistic hand-drawn cartoonish look of Pizza Express. While the layout is similar, the theme is completely different, almost playing right into Italian stereotypes to a surprising degree. You’ll match ingredients, workers, and delivery men across the reels, while pizza-twirling chefs act as wilds. Bonus rounds can see entire reels of wilds locked into place, creating the potential for some incredible spins.

These games, along with others like Pierino and Pirates Queens, vary tremendously in themes, artistic styles, and even gameplay elements. They do, however, all share in a multi-tiered jackpot system that offers players the chance to win one of four progressive prizes. All four of the titles we’ve tried out are certainly entertaining, so while this isn’t a large collection, it still adds value to any site that includes these machines.

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Giocaonline’s fantasy soccer (or football) game, Che Bomber. It’s basically a twist on the daily fantasy sports format that has become popular in the United States, in which users pick a team of players who are competing on a particular match day. The interesting aspect here is that you’ll get more credit if you choose players who aren’t picked by many of the other competitors – making longshot picks who score a goal or two worth a lot more than a superstar that appears on virtually every roster.

Other Areas Lacking

One thing we do have to point out is that this collection doesn’t have much in the way of table games or video poker machines. In fact, there are no video poker titles in this collection at all, and for the moment, just a single player vs. dealer table game: an alternative version of sette e mezzo. The company’s website does include a note that a 3D roulette game is also coming soon. Still, while the lack of options in this areas is a limitation, we were still impressed by the interesting variety they bring to bear, which is truly different than what we’re used to seeing at most casinos.

A Local Legend

Giocaonline is truly a treasure of the Italian gaming scene. Not only do they provide quality software that features a solid mix of games and a back-end system that serves as the basis of many sites, but they’ve managed to create a collection that is truly tailored to their market. It’s something that we’re used to seeing in some Asian markets, where operators tend to be in tune with the slightly different game mix that is popular in the region, but this may be the most impressively localized library of titles we’ve come across in the industry.

The only downside to this is that it would be hard for an outside user to get as much out of this portfolio as a native Italian – many of the games wouldn’t be familiar to them, and the language barrier could also be a problem. But not all collections need to be universally designed for all players, and in this case, we can safely say that this is a software package that was created with Italy in mind. If you’re familiar with many of these games, you’ll love this platform, and we’d highly recommend giving it a try.