Where did the classic symbols come from?
The first slot machine was developed as far back as 1891 by Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn, New York. Well, we're calling it a slot machine, but really it was an automated poker machine. You would pull the lever, spin the reels and reveal your poker hand depending on what came in. As many of these were in bars, it would be up to the barman or landlord to decide your payout - if you got a flush, maybe they'd award you a free beer!
It didn't take long for this idea to take off. A few years later in 1895, Charles Fey of San Francisco released a simplified version. It had the same idea of trying to match symbols, but went for three reels instead of five. This meant that the original poker idea was dropped and replaced with equally recognizable imagery instead: horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts and a bell. They were all distinctive enough that players couldn't get them confused, while being familiar enough as everyday objects.
This was actually done to install an automated payout system - the odds of the original poker machine were too complicated for an automated system, but a three-reel machine that had five symbols was much easier to fit an automated system to.
However, as the laws started to catch up to the gambling industry, many locations started to crack down on these machines. As the stories go, one way to get around this was to start offering fruit-flavored gum and other pieces of candy as prizes rather than money - and so, the reels with lemons, cherries, oranges and plums were introduced.
'But, what about the bar symbol?' I hear all of you smart readers cry. This was actually from the Bell-Fruit Gum logo, which represented a 'Bar' of gum. This was simplified as time went on, becoming the well-known symbol we all know and love today.
So, why are they still popular in modern times?
A great question, honestly. With the rise of online slots, there is an unlimited number of games to choose from, each of them with their own themes and imagery. This is even more relevant when you consider the rise of licensed games, such as Jurassic Park, Frankenstein and even Squid Game. So, let's go through the different reasons why the classic slot symbols are still popular.
They don't distract you from the game itself
This sounds like a weird point, but stay with me. For some developers, they want players to be able to enjoy the beautiful artwork, new features or innovative gameplay mechanics. This is a lot easier to do if the player doesn't also have to learn what each of the symbols are on top of this. If the standard symbols are ones that players will automatically recognize, then they will understand what is going on. They won't have to scour each reel trying to figure out which icon will trigger the wilds or which one will add to the jackpot.
Instead, they can use this time to enjoy the rest of the game and possibly even speed up the game at the start.
A sense of nostalgia
This one was obvious, but we couldn't leave it out just because of that fact. When a game uses classic imagery, sounds and symbols, it's an easy way to feel transported to those big Las Vegas casinos.
Nostalgia has a much bigger pull factor than many people think, especially when it's relevant to a specific generation. This is one of the reasons many studios are now developing games for the millennial audience, filled with 90s and Y2K imagery.
As slots have traditionally been enjoyed by an older demographic, it's understandable why many stick to classic images. For many online slot players, they would've at least seen the physical machines in pubs or casinos long before they saw them on any iGaming platform.
A sense of security
This point plays off the previous one, but is important enough to warrant its own section. It can be intimidating when walking into a new casino to understand just what is going on, so what can be a more comforting sight than seeing someone you recognise? What about, failing that, seeing some symbols that you recognise?
That's right. The consistency is another reason why these symbols are still around. It's an immediate indicator that the player will be familiar with at least something in the game, even if everything else is new.
A timeless appeal
One of the biggest rules of fashion is to keep it timeless and many in the gaming world seem to agree. The slot images have been around for decades now and they're certainly not going away anytime soon. It can be great for developers, especially smaller ones, to know that the symbols in their games won't become outdated within a year or so as trends come and go.
This is also a great aspect if the studio is considering making a franchise of games, or alternatively, smaller seasonal games. It basically frees up the talent at the studio to focus on arguably more important things for the customer's experience.
