Slot Sequels – Interview with Big Time Gaming

Interview with Nik Robinson 

One of the most difficult feats to achieve for a game studio is the perfect sequel, but that doesn't stop studios across the industry from trying each year. Whether they introduce minimal changes and aim for familiarity or turn things completely on their head for their second time around, players are always excited to see what's may come next from their favourite titles.

This year, Big Time Gaming are tackling sequels in a big way, revisiting three of their most popular releases for a fresh take – Star Clusters, Castle of Terror, and the iconic White Rabbit.

We sat down with Big Time Gaming’s visionary leader, Nik Robinson, to learn more about the studio’s approach to sequel slots and what its blueprint for chart-topping games looks like.

Star Clusters 2 Base Game

Mark: Hi Nik – thanks for speaking with us. I’ve just taken a quick look at your product roadmap, and your next three releases, Star Clusters II, Castle of Terror II and White Rabbit II, are all sequels. What makes these titles so well-suited to this? 

Nik: These have been some of our most popular slot releases that have gone on to captivate players and, in the case of White Rabbit, establish a cult-like following.

What makes them so well-suited to a sequel is that each title has a unique yet recognisable theme, with plenty of scope to introduce new mechanics and gameplay elements to ensure that each is sufficiently different from the original.

Each game also appeals to different player preferences – Star Clusters 2 is enjoyed by those who like cluster pays slots, Castle of Terror 2 is enjoyed by those who like the horror theme, and White Rabbit 2 really hits the mark with the steaming community.

Part of our job as a game studio is to create games that appeal to different player types, and to be able to do this with sequels of proven, recognisable titles is super cool.

Mark: What can players expect from Star Clusters II, and how does it differ from the original title?

Nik: Star Clusters II is a Megaclusters™ slot where players need to strap in and hold tight as they blast off towards the big win galaxy.

Players venture into the unknown as Megaclusters unleash powerful chain reactions among the stars.

The game starts with a 4×4 starfield but can expand into a sprawling 8×8 grid with up to 256 symbols in play in the Free Spins bonus, where they match five or more adjacent symbols to ignite celestial wins.

It’s then time to watch in awe as winning symbols split and collapse before being followed by a wave of new symbols that come crashing down from the void to form additional win combos.

Scatters drop during these reactions, and there are Gold Wilds that shimmer with Multipliers of up to 100x – they can also combine for out-of-this-world riches. The Multiplier starts at 1x and increases by 1x with each successful cascade.

Finally, four or more Scatters trigger ten Free Spins, played with unlimited Wild Multiplier rises.

We are never afraid to try something new and to really push boundaries when it comes to developing game-changing mechanics.

Mark: Castle of Terror II looks set to hit online casino lobbies in time for Halloween. How have you made sure version two is just as thrilling as the original?

Nik: Castle of Terror II is more than just a horror slot – it’s a bone-chilling lab experiment packed with electrifying features designed to give players the fright of their lives, assuming they are brave enough to return having played the original.

Players find themselves in a spooky laboratory where they must brace themselves for Bonus Respins triggered by landing Scatters.

When they drop, they awaken monstrous reels with different bonuses coming into play depending on where the Scatters land.

This includes:

• Brains – extra Brains land on the reels.
• Alive – a random Win Multiplier is applied to all wins.
• Shock – Wilds reveal Random Multipliers.
• Monster – a random symbol becomes Wild on reels two to five.
• Horror – a random reel will be filled with Wilds.

If one or more Scatters land during Bonus Respins, the lab erupts into chaos, triggering 10 Free Spins during which a Win Multiplier begins at 1x and mutates after every winning spin.

Free Spins also come infused with Bonuses that collide to make each round more terrifying than the last. Depending on which reels the triggering Scatters landed, players might find that the machine gun surges again, granting four Extra Spins plus two more for each additional Scatter beyond the second.

With Castle of Terror II, players could be in for a real shock as their creation might be far more powerful than they ever imagined.

It’s about understanding what players are looking for when playing a slot and making sure the games we develop not only meet but exceed their expectations.

Mark: White Rabbit II has been hotly anticipated by the streaming community, who fell in love with the wacky theme and crazy gameplay of the first title. How has this been elevated?

Nik: Players step into the topsy-turvy world of White Rabbit II, where every spin could turn into a colossal win with MegaPots™.

This thrilling sequel plunges players deeper into Wonderland, where familiar faces and fantastical features collide in a dazzling display of imagination and potential.

At the heart of the madness is our dazzling MegaPots™ mechanic. With MegaPots™, every Hold and Spin feature is bursting with shimmering Coins that unlock Bonus Prizes.

Hold & Spin characters give you special bonuses to unlock a whirlwind of curious effects and magical prizes!

• White Rabbit Multiplies the value of one Bonus Prize by up to 10x.
• Alice gains the value of all Bonus Prizes.
• Red Queen collects the value of all Bonus Prizes.
• Cheshire Cat reveals a prize and adds it to all Bonus Prizes.
• Dodo collects the value of all Bonus Prizes on that reel.
• Mad Hatter gains the value of one random Bonus Prize.
• Twins award two Bonus Prizes of the same value.

Players need to collect three matching MegaPots icons to win their corresponding Jackpot (Mini, Midi and Mega), which changes with every spin, and if every reel reveals a Coin symbol, the Hold and Spin ends with the total Bonus Prize doubled for the ultimate Wonderland reward.

What’s more, each time a Cupcake lands, it magically adds an Extra Symbol to its reel.

These tempting treats appear during both the Hold & Spin and the Free Spins for truly mad wins!

And how are those Free Spins triggered? Players need to drink three, four or five Golden Drink Me Scatters to get 12, 16 or 20 Free Spins, respectively.

While they play out, the reels come alive with Extending Reels that can grow up to 12 symbols high.

When they do hit their full height, players are rewarded with an extra 3 to 12 Free Games and with up to five retriggers available, the adventure just keeps on going.

Mark: Big Time Gaming has become an absolute hit factory. What’s the blueprint for creating iconic slot games that stand the test of time?

Nik: It’s about understanding what players are looking for when playing a slot and making sure the games we develop not only meet but exceed their expectations.

We are never afraid to try something new and to really push boundaries when it comes to developing game-changing mechanics, from Megaways™ to MegaDozer™, we hold some of the most successful IP in the business.

We then combine these mechanics with great themes, music and storylines and, in some cases, household name brands, to create compelling slots that players want to come back to again and again.