Best New Slot Game
| Nominees | |
| Manufacturer | Title |
| Aristocrat | Lucky 88 |
| Bally | S9E Stepper Quick Hits |
| IGT | Wild Wolf |
| Stargames | Pink Panther “I Ching” |
| WMS | Monopoly Big Event |
Winner: WMS Gaming – MONOPOLY Big Event
WMS definitely passed go with the Asia launch of its community gaming-focused MONOPOLY Big Event series, based on the popular property board game.
Chinese players in particular, already familiar with communal board games such as mahjong and definitely familiar with capitalism after 30 years of reform, love the mixture of personal competition and group wins offered by the series.
When the Big Event bonus triggers, all qualifying players enter the bonus round and win together. A Big Event multiplier, determined by the player’s bet and speed of play, is also awarded in the bonus round. WMS says the table-game-like camaraderie, never seen before in a slot, creates a hotspot on the slot floor.
Honourable Mention: Stargames – Pink Panther “I Ching”
Quality products don’t happen by magic. They require excellence in the research and manufacturing process. Shuffle Master restructured Stargames’ product development team in Sydney Australia after acquiring the company in 2006, with the aim of building on Stargames’ already strong reputation.
Shuffle Master/Stargames’ Pink Panther progressive link, and its accompanying titles, including I Ching, use a top quality PC-based platform that was diligently developed over five years.
