At some point in the last ten years, Asian slot machines became a big deal in America. Casinos, both online and brick and mortar, started offering first a few and then a lot of slots with Asian themes and in Asian styles.
As a frequent casino guest, I’ve played quite a few Asian slot machine games. I don’t play as much online as I used to, but I have tried a couple of online Chinese slot machines as well.
This post is all about Asian slots. I’ll cover the basics, describe how they compare to a typical American slot, and identify a few of my favorite Asian slot games along the way.
Table of Contents
What’s an Asian Slot Machine?
I feel like I can’t turn around twice in a casino without seeing an Asian slot machine. I’m not in any way mad about that. I’m all for more variety among the slots.
So, what’s an Asian slot machine, anyway?
An Asian slot machines is any slot game designed with an Asian theme or in the style of a Chinese slot game. It’s a broad definition, I know, but that’s about the best I can do.
Also, I’d like to start off with a big clarification.
When people say, “Asian slots” or “Asian style slot machines,” they’re really talking about Chinese style slot games. Japan’s slot industry exists, but pachinko is the big game there. Korean doesn’t have its own slot industry to speak of. So, as I write about “Asian slots,” I’m really writing about slot games made in the Chinese style.
Macau, one of the world’s great gambling destinations, is essentially a gambling paradise designed for Chinese citizens. In most years, Macau’s gambling market is bigger than Vegas and Atlantic City combined.
One definition of an Asian slot machine is any slot machine with typically Asian themes, colors, symbols, and features. There’s a rich tradition of gambling among Chinese people, and among people in many parts of southeast Asia.
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Asian style slots are now big business in the US. Most slot designers in America, Australia, and the UK have already released games in the Chinese or Asian style. Not all of these games are geared toward Chinese consumers. In fact, Asian slots have become so popular, slot designers in the West are releasing Asian slots specifically for their non Chinese clientele.
Why Are Asian Slot Machines So Popular?
I didn’t lay eyes on a Chinese-themed or Asian style slot machine until around the year 2000. Back then, it was a big novelty. The flashing gold coins, bright colors, and unfamiliar characters and symbols were attractive just because they were new.
Why are Asian slot machines so popular?
Asian slot machines are popular for a few different reasons. I’ll try to give my best answers below:
Asian slots are popular among Asian tourists (who really like to gamble). In parts of Asia, there’s no easy access to casino-style gambling. When Chinese tourists come to America, it’s natural for them to want to play slots and other games they may not be able to play at home. Gambling is a big deal in most of Southeast Asia. These are slots fans who really like to play, and casinos honor that by providing them more games they like to play.
Asian slots are popular because they’re still pretty new. You’ll still find lots of slots players in America who haven’t really given Asian slots a try. That means the styles are new, and slots players love just about anything new.
Asian slots are popular because Asian culture is having an “in” moment in America. Between K Pop, Pokémon, anime, and Chinese horror movies, there’s almost no segment of the US entertainment industry unaffected by our sudden cultural obsession with southeast Asia. American gamblers love playing Asian slots just as much as visitors to our country. We just like it.
Comparing Asian Slots to American Slots
Honestly, there isn’t much difference between a typical Asian slot and a typical American slot game.
Asian style slots have a different color scheme than American slots. The colors red, gold, and yellow are the most prominent. These are considered lucky colors in most of southeast Asia. But I’ve played plenty of US slots with red, gold, and yellow colors, too.
Most Asian slots have different symbols than you’ll find on an American slot machine. Don’t expect the typical fruit symbols and playing card symbols. You’re more likely to see coins, dragons, fish, gold bars, and firecrackers.
You’ll also notice certain numbers coming up a lot on an Asian-style slot game. This is especially true of the numbers 8 and 2. Lots of Asian slots have the number 8 or multiple number 8s in the name.
Asian slots games have different bonus features than US slot games, but they’re really not all that different. US slot designers have been borrowing from Asian slots for so long that you’ve probably seen similar bonuses and features on your favorite US slot games before.
One thing to be aware of – Chinese slots typically have a lower average RTP than American slot games. We’re talking a matter of 1-2%. That’s significant to advantage gamblers, but probably not a big deal for your average recreational slots player. If you want to know more about slot machine RTP, read my post about slot machines and house edge.
The 3 Best Asian Slot Machines to Play in 2022
Here are my three favorite Asian slots to play in 2022. You’ll find these at most big US casinos (and plenty of smaller casinos as well). Not every one of them has an online version, but lots of Asian style slots are available online, too.
1. 88 Fortunes by SG Gaming
88 Fortunes was SG Gaming’s first big Asian style slot game. Notice the two 8’s in the name? That’s typical of Asian slot machine games.
88 Fortunes is a 5 reel slot that uses a 243 Ways to Win system for its pay line structure. The minimum bet is $0.88, and the max bet is $88 per spin. It has a progressive jackpot and a max fixed payout of 1,000x your bet.
Lining up three gong symbols activates the scatter bonus game. This is just a free spins round – you get ten spins, free of charge, and you can retrigger the bonus during those rounds. During those free spins, all the low-value symbols are replaced by higher-value ones.
2. Fu Dao Le by Bally
Bally’s Fu Dao Le slot is a typical Asian style slot in that it’s a 5 reel game with a 243 Ways to Win setup. It also has a very typical Asian slot average RTP of right at 96%. It’s a somewhat volatile game that’s geared toward players with larger bankrolls.
Fu Dao Le has a progressive jackpot, a free spin bonus round, and wild multipliers that appear randomly and increasing your winnings. That’s also pretty typical for Asian-theme slot machines made by Western game designers.
I really like the bonus features on this Asian slot. If you line up green gong scatter symbols on an active line, you get to the free spins round. But there are some other goodies waiting for you – the green gong symbol appears on all reels during the free spins round, substituting to form winning combos. You’ll also see wild multipliers during this round that can increase your prize by 2x or 3x.
3. Prosperity Twin by NextGen Gaming
Prosperity Twin is another 5 reel Asian styled slot that uses the 243 Ways to Win setup. It has an average RTP of around 96%, according to the manufacturer. The game you play may be a bit higher or lower than that.
I also like Prosperity Twin’s “play both ways” system. You can bet more to win combinations paying left to right or right to left.
The big draw here is the game’s wild multiplier symbols. These substitute for other symbols to help you form winning combos and they also multiply any winnings by between 2x and 8x.
Slots players are also drawn to Prosperity Twin for its free spins feature. Land three or more scatter symbols and you get an instant credit prize (up to 288 credits) and up to 28 free spins. Wild multiplier symbols continue to appear during the free spins round.
The Chinese theme is nice but not overbearing. You’ll see lots of red and gold (both lucky colors in China) as well as the typical coin and fish symbols found on lots of Asian slots.
Conclusion
That sums up all my thoughts on the subject of Asian slot machines.
Asian slots really are everywhere. It’s true – you’re seeing more and more of them, but that just means they’re popular. Casino owners aren’t going to increase their holdings in a particular style unless they’re making money on it.
If you haven’t stepped up to an Asian slot machine yet, you should give it a try. They have all the same bonus features you’ll find on a typical American slot plus a few more.
Just know what you’re getting into. Approach an Asian style slot the same way you would a new traditional American game. It’s true that average returns on Asian slots are typically lower than American slot machines, but it’s not an across the board fact. You can find plenty of fun Asian slots at your nearest casino or online.
