Two characters from modern video slots

Popular Slot Themes

From the stone age to steam punk, there are slot machine themes for everyone!

Slots have come a long way since their early fruit machine days, as slot providers realised the opportunity to create a vast galaxy of games based on everything from regional cultures to retro video games, ancient mythology and fantasy.

With backgrounds, reels and symbols all crying out for a bit of personality, online slots are the perfect blank canvas for a theme. Chuck in some music to match and modern game providers like Playtech and Blueprint Gaming can bring almost any creature, character or culture to life in online slot form.

From the historic times to space age, slot themes are a great place to start if you’re looking for new game to play. Dive into any of these slot machine themes and discover hundreds of different takes on the same slot genre.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SLOT THEME?

All slot machines themes must have an iconic, instantly recognisable style. A great slot category will be rooted in distinctive colours, slot symbols and sounds, but it’ll also be broad and flexible enough to cover classic – even ancient – visuals right up to the ultra-modern.

That’s why Irish slots and Asian slots have been among the most popular slot themes for decades, and will surely be for years to come. As you’re about to discover, slot themes may sound pretty stereotypical but dig deeper, and they are all full of surprises.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT SLOT THEMES?

We’ve got over 5,000 online slots to choose from, spanning well over 100 different PlayOJO slot themes. Go back in time with slots based on ancient civilisations, Norse mythology and Greek gods, or look to the future with space slots and robot slots.

Battle the undead with the scariest demon and vampire slots, or stick with the living world of dinosaur, animal, farm or jungle slots. There’s slots based on gems, treasure and loot, and games full of magic and mystic lore. What about slots based on legendary music, movies and TV? From pets to the paranormal, and zoos to zombies, you’ll be hard pressed to find any subject on planet Earth that hasn’t been given the online treatment!

ASIAN SLOTS

There are more slots based on Asian and oriental culture than almost any other genre, because it’s one of the oldest slot themes of all. Luck and superstition are a pretty big deal in China and Japan, so the Asian theme is a perfect match for online slots.

No other category can match its distinctive red and gold colour scheme, nor its exotic symbols. If you want classic Asian slots featuring Chinese temples and mythical characters like dragons, you’ll be spoiled for choice, with Dragon’s Luck or Fortune House among the leading contenders. Dig deeper, reader-san and you’ll also find a more artistic subgenre of Asian slots represented by games like Thai Flower. Feeling a bit young and trendy? If the manga and animé side of contemporary Chinese and Japanese culture is your bag, there’s plenty on offer there too. We love Starlight Princess, Koi Princess and the legendary Astro Cat Deluxe.

IRISH SLOTS

Asian culture is not alone in loving a bit of luck, and none are more closely linked with luck than the Irish. Sure, many slots in this genre lean heavily into Celtic stereotypes, but with a rich tapestry of green fields, magical leprechauns, clovers, rainbows and pots of gold to choose from, you can hardly blame ‘em! And slots fans continue to vote with their fingers, ensuring the Irish slot theme remains one of the all-time greats.

For years, the Irish slots theme has been dominated by classic games like Rainbow Riches, but slots like Rainbow Jackpots, Lucky Wizard and Clover Rollover 2 have taken Irish slots into the 21st century. And even though Rainbow Riches will always be a fan favourite, new entries in the Irish slots theme like 9 Pots of Gold are staking their claim as the new kings of Celtic gaming.

TV SLOTS

The 21st century is a golden age of TV, and once you’ve binged on your favourite series, you might just get to play the official slot too. If there’s one thing that great slots need, it’s a character (or preferably a whole cast). Every TV show that’s worth watching has a theme, storyline, character and soundtrack, so they’re for slots providers like NetEnt and Red Tiger, they’re oven-ready!

This slot theme started out with game shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Deal or No Deal, coz they’re a natural fit. But now the category has been blown wide open with reality TV slots like The Masked Singer, prime time classics like Game of Thrones and adult animations like Rick & Morty. And we haven’t even mentioned movie slots like The Goonies, Ted or Anchorman.

FRUIT SLOTS

Ask anyone over the age of 40 what a slot machine looks like, and chances are they will describe a fruit slot (with a few bars and lucky 7s thrown in!). Old school slot providers like Barcrest made fruit machines famous, and although fruit slots are now only a nostalgic niche within the slots world, they will always be loved, and reinvented.

It’s almost 10 years old now, but with 243 ways to win, NetEnt’s Twin Spin is a perfect example of a classic slot theme with a new twist. NetEnt released Reel Rush and Fruit Shop in the same year, to cement their place as the apple of fruit machine fans’ eyes. These days, Play ‘N GO’s Fire Joker slot machine is top banana in the fruit slots theme, but Jammin’ Jars, Fruit Box and Laser Fruit are all plum choices if you’re looking for something extra juicy!

ADVENTURE SLOTS

Adventure is an interesting category that brings together a wide range of genres, from western to mystic to ancient Egypt. Slots adventures can take place anywhere, but they all have a few things in common. Adventure themed slots usually have a hero on a quest, or a villain to defeat, and many adventure slots use their bonus features to reveal the backstory.

Normally, it’s the symbols and wins that decide your fate as a player. But with adventure slots, the fate of your character is in your hands too. Perhaps the most famous adventure slot is Gonzo’s Quest slot machine, closely followed by Play ‘N GO’s famous adventurer, Rich Wilde. You could say games like Pirates Plenty, Jurassic Park, Tahiti Gold, Bonanza and even Secrets of the Forest all fall into the adventure slots genre too.

AZTEC SLOTS

Sticking with the adventure genre, Aztec slots like Gonzo’s Quest bring the steamy jungles of central America circa 1500 AD to life. From crumbling temples and terrifying golden masks to the gold and gem treasures looted by the Spanish conquistadores, the ancient Aztec civilisation has plenty of inspiration for slot designers.

Although Gonzo started the trend of world class Aztec online slots, games like Aztec Gold Megaways, Aztec Falls and the superb Ecuador Gold have taken over thanks to their incredible features. From Ghosting Wilds to Epic Symbols and Thundershots, there are many mysteries for you to discover when you explore our top 10 Aztec slots.

ANIMAL SLOTS

If slots providers make games based on what we love most, then as a planet of animal lovers, the animal slots theme is an obvious place to go! Fluffy Favourites aside, you won’t find many slots based on dogs, cats or hamsters, presumably because cute and cuddly creatures don’t make for thrilling gaming.

Can you guess what creature is top dog in the animal slots theme? If you’re a fan of the legendary Big Bass Bonanza and Fishin’ Frenzy, you probably got it right! After fish come the big beasts of the animal kingdom, with Primate King, Wolf Gold, Buffalo Rising and Raging Rhino all great examples of animal themed slots with a movie-style vibe. If cartoon animal slots are your thing, try Piggy Riches, Top Cat or Wild Toro!

CHRISTMAS SLOTS

We doubt any Christmas-themed slots are played outside of December, but when the bells start jingling and snow starts falling, you can bet that any slot with a wintery vibe will get a few extra spins.

Because Christmas slots are seasonal, dedicated games like Christmas Jackpot Bells and Christmas Carol Megaways are rare. This category is mostly packed full of either reskins of other games (like Santa vs Rudolf) or straight-up ‘Christmas Editions’ of popular games. From Christmas Big Bass Bonanza to Sweet Bonanza Xmas and A Very Foxin’ Christmas, every game provider has sprinkled some. But worry not, Christmas slots don’t just rely on festive designs and sounds, as most providers are kind enough to give us the gift of Christmas-themed bonus features.