A review of the Lord of the Rings slot

With the Lord of the Rings slot game firmly the years big hit in the casino world, it begs the question: why did it take years after the last film was produced for it to make it to casinos? Well, I suppose there is development time, negotiating royalties and such like, and, I suppose, interest in the Lord of the Rings – both the books and films – will never diminish. In all, and given all its features, the slot does the brand justice as an innovative game with vast appeal, albeit gimmicky.

I say gimmicky because, let's face it, it's still a slot machine. Underneath the bells and whistles Lord of the Rings has a similar engine to a number of other Microgaming slots, and while it will appeal to fans of the films, does the game really appeal to hardcore slot players - those that want to win more and more often? After all, what theoretical payout percentage was this game given to make what must have been vast production costs profitable for both Microgaming and operators on the network? While it looks great, can it match Thunderstruck or Devil's Delight (NetEnt) for generosity? Isn't that the most important thing about a slot machine?

To that end, I have spent a fraction of my carefully managed gambling budget checking out the Lord of the Rings slot machine. I played it on minimum bet levels until I'd heard all the sounds, span the reels until I'd launched all the bonuses and triggered all the films sequences (though I could have just put the DVD on...). I'm now putting the rest of my budget into slots where both myself and fellow players have won the most...so, generally on Thunderstruck, the Cleopatra slot machine and Devil's Delight. Two out of three of which aren't even available at Microgaming casinos...so, was Lord of the Rings a waste of time?

Nah. As a crowd pleaser and new player incentive it has to be right up there with bonuses. I can imagine marketing teams on the Microgaming network gleefully rubbing their hands together as they push the game on TV and on to affiliates, converting the doubtful, the unsure new players with a Gucci looking Lord of the Rings banner, complete with a miserable looking Frodo and the interminably smug looking Sam (well, until he lost that Elven bread stuff, then he looked properly angry...). So, no, not time wasted and definitely a game that will introduce more people to casinos and increase player entertainment. Naturally, even the newbies will eventually start playing other games in time and they will, like me and many others, inexorably move to the more generous slots out there, and become Thunderstruck fans like the rest of us! The key, however, is that players are settled in a casino and are enjoying the slots, or any other casino game, of their choosing.

The vital matter then is selecting the right casino, and with a wide selection of different slots and networks, players may eventually choose to open multiple accounts, and that's when casino review sites become even more important.

I try and review as many online slots as I can on my website, BestSlots.com. At the same time you will also find recommended casinos where you can play them. Check it out, and if you disagree contact me via the form and we'll review you the slot and casino you put forward.

In the meantime, why not check out my favourite new site, Jackpot Games Casino. For a new casino they've quickly established a system of quick payouts, fast support and, more importantly, host the amazing Devil's Delight slot machine, from which one player won over €20,000 in just one spin.