Best Classic Themed Slots
Often forgotten or ignored, classic slot games offer simplicity like none other. In today’s guide, we are going to get back to the roots of modern slot games. A classic theme is an umbrella term—games can be based on travel, lifestyle, or even romance, for example. But what is common among them? They are all predecessors to games that offer new, innovative mechanics today. They all have a retro, old-school vibe to them. And most of them do not offer much beyond a few unique symbols and a background to convey the overarching theme.
What are Classic Slots?
Classic slots come in many shapes and sizes. Most commonly, they have a general theme, not related to something overly specific. For example, they do not feature Atlantis, the ancient Egyptian civilisation, the neon-lit lanes of Las Vegas, or the charm of the American Wild West. They are simple—featuring a basic theme that is conveyed using a few simple symbols and a background.
Here are the key qualities:
- The overarching theme is something very “everyday” like a travel destination, sports, or romance. But this theme is not overrepresented—meaning you will only get a few unique symbols and a complimentary background.
- The mechanics are all straightforward.
- The game design is a little old-timey (for those who are accustomed to newer slot games).
- The game specs like volatility, RTP, bet range, top win, etc. are very much in the Goldilocks zone—neither too high nor too low.
Why Should You Play Classic Slots?
A classic slot game can be a better break from action than an instant game sometimes. If you can find a good one, let’s say Burning Desire by Games Global carrying a 96.19% RTP and 243 paylines, it will be a good balance between full-on slot gaming action and relaxed, passive gaming.
But that is not all. Sometimes, you just want to relive nostalgia. And classic slot games are the best way to do that. These games have been the staple of the iGaming industry for a good chunk of recent history. In essence, they have been instrumental in the shift from traditional, slot machine gaming in physical casinos to online slot games. They made many online casinos popular because they could offer more than typical slot machines.
Over time, providers realised the potential of these games and continued to bank on their trustworthy reputation. A good example is Wazdan’s 25 Coins. It is a classic slot at its heart, but adds a few nice gimmicks to make it worth your while such as the Grand Jackpot (2000x) and the Cash Infinity perk.
Top Classic Slots Online
Sold? Excellent! Now, instead of going to your favourite online casino and typing “classic” in the search box, use our expertly curated recommendations for the best classic experience:
Best Online Casinos to Play Classic Themed Slots
Not sure where to play Classic-themed slots? We’ve picked the best online slot sites to inspire you.
Spin Genie
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Favourite Classic Theme Slots Games
Here are some of our all time favourite classic themed slot games.
Slingo Ante Up
Slingo Ante Up is our #1 pick for the best classic-themed slots. It is made by Slingo Originals, of course, and has a high volatility mixed with a 95% RTP. To the uninitiated, “Slingo” is a mixture of slots + bingo. You have a typical bingo-like setup but spinning reels determine which numbers get marked off. The bet range is a solid £0.2 to £25 and the top win is 500x, considerably lower than a typical slot game. On the upside, as this is a Slingo variation, the RTP can go as high as 97.1%. Basically, depending on your price per game, the theoretical, long-term RTP can be anywhere from 94.9% (very low) to 97.1% (very good).
Cash Stax
Cash Stax is an interesting classic-themed slot game from Barcrest. It has a Big Bet feature that gives you a guaranteed RTP of up to 98.14%, is customisable with up to three levels of play, can change symbol payouts and paylines (10 to 30), and more. It has the gimmicks of a traditional slot such as a free spins round and a generous 5x multiplier, but some interesting twists as well, making it a must-try for those who enjoy classic slots.
Thai Flower
Folks seem to have forgotten about Barcrest. Thai Flower is a 95% RTP game based on the country of Thailand. Your bet range is capped at a generous £500 while the top win is 1000x. The vibes are quite good in this game—the sound effects change based on the gameplay and the visuals are very relaxing. But if you are looking for features, you will need to look elsewhere. This game is as stock as they get nowadays.
Starlight Kiss
Starlight Kiss by Games Global is a 96.52% RTP, medium-volatility game with 5 reels and 30 paylines. It features some fantasy and romance elements but the overall experience is more fun, casual, and pop. If you are a fan of romantic twists and love-stricken mysteries, then this is a classic-themed slot you must try.
Burning Desire
Burning Desire by Games Global is a notable classic slot game with all the right ingredients—wilds, scatters, bonus mode, free spins, 5x3 grid, and 243 paylines. The bet range is very narrow at just £0.1 to £1 but the top win is a whopping 90,000x! In the free spins round, all your wins are multiplied by 3x, and that is how the game pulls off such a massive max win potential. The RTP is 96.19%.
Super Striker
NetEnt’s Super Striker carries a handsome 96.04% RTP and a wider bet range of £0.1 to £75. The top win is a modest 5000x and the game is thoroughly fun with several elements. There is a bonus game, wilds, scatters, multipliers, free spins, turbo spins, and a symbol collection feature as well. The game is themed on football and the background is a goal post. The best part? To pay homage to its theme, the slot game has a feature called a bet slip!
25 Coins
25 Coins by Wazdan was released in 2023 and offers a 96.17% RTP with a 2000x max win potential. The game is about, well, coins. And that is it. There is no overarching theme to it, really. To release a game without a theme at all in 2023 is the most “classic slot” kind of thing a game provider can do, and we commend Wazdan for that. There are four jackpots in the game, a bet range of £0.2 to £1000, and a max win potential of 2000x.
Rotiki
Play’n GO’s take on the classic genre has an interesting mechanic—the cluster pays symbol. It is a medium volatility slot with a subpar RTP of 94.2% but an interesting 1000x max win potential from 2022. If cluster pays is a mechanic you like, like most of us, then you will know that the lower RTP is not that big of a deal.
Slingo Hot Roll
Gaming Realms released Slingo Hot Roll in 2023 through the Slingo Originals brand. As another slingo game, there is the usual mixture of a slot reel and a bingo grid. Add to that the theme, which is lottery. And you have a hybrid in the name of simplicity. The bet range of £0.2 to £30, the RTP 94.58%, and the features include free spins and respins, an actual lottery mechanic, multipliers, gamble, scatters, and wilds.
Top Classic Slot Machine Providers
Slingo Originals / Gaming Realms
Slingo Originals (sub-brand of Gaming Realms) produced this unique mechanic of adding a single slot-like reel to a bingo board. The numbers are marked off every time the reels spin and a corresponding number lands. The game style is properly balanced such that there is no game-breaking gimmick from either side—bingo or reels, making Slingo titles a must-play for classic slot lovers.
Games Global
Games Global has produced some of the most well-known and beloved slot games over the years. Especially a few years ago, they had a good streak of releasing some top-notch games that were quick to become staples at most online casino sites. The provider continues to create beautiful and interesting games, and their catalogue of classic games is very vast.
NetEnt
NetEnt is an industry stalwart older than most other game providers in the world. As such, it is only natural that the company has a slew of classic slot games for players. You can go back in time when NetEnt slots used to be the best on any online casino and enjoy the nice, little gimmicks they used to add to their games.
Play’n GO
Before it harvested its more recent reputation of adding variable RTP ranges into every game it created, Play’n GO used to be a solid choice for gamers of all types. Back in the day, their classic games helped pave the way for the dominance that iGaming today exerts over physical gambling. Any classic slots lover is recommended to try Play’n GO’s older titles for that very purpose.
