Software Providers: Yggdrasil
Some say the Casino Veteran’s only real friends are the cards in his hand, but don’t be fooled. He is a social creature and has taken to the social gaming age as well as anyone. This is an area in which Yggdrasil Gaming is making some serious waves in bringing social interaction to online gambling.
Some say the Casino Veteran is to online casinos what Gordon Ramsay is to restaurants. When the Casino Veteran walks in through the door, the operators know what will happen if they serve up last year’s reheated games. While Chef Ramsay is all about the ingredients, the Casino Veteran knows that choosing the right game developers lies at the heart of a successful menu. Here, he offers his perspective on Yggdrasil Gaming. Just don’t ask him to pronounce it.
About Yggdrasil Gaming
Yggdrasil Gaming is a relatively new entrant into the market, having only appeared on the scene in 2013. However, it has consistently released games that have hit the spot among casino goers. In fact, there is a good chance that gamers have been playing Yggdrasil Gaming creations without even knowing it.
Before we get into that, though, let’s clarify the name. “Yggdrasil” might sound like a little-known village in the Welsh countryside, but the name actually derives from ancient Norse. It refers to an immense tree that forms the interface of the nine worlds of Norse cosmology. The company has Swedish roots but, like many of the major gaming developers in the online casino sector, is based in Malta.
Among the games that have proved the most popular are Beauty and the Beast, Sunny Shores and the Chibeasties series.
Yggdrasil Gaming is shaking up the traditional casino sector
The above are all well-known slots that feature in a number of the most popular online casinos, including Mr Green, Bwin and numerous others. Earlier this year, however, the company decided to branch out into more traditional areas of gaming, launching a range that provided a unique take on table games.
The first to hit the internet was Blackjack, offered in both conventional RNG format or as a live gaming experience. Experienced casino goers will know that to make a success here, the devil is in the detail. Nobody wants their blackjack game to be messed around with in terms of the gameplay, so it is all about focusing on the value-added aspects that enhance the user experience.
Yggdrasil Gaming has certainly pulled out all the stops here. The developer has used a new technology called REDUX to focus on 3D and virtual reality gaming. The dealers have nuanced and detailed characteristics in terms of their facial expressions and hand movements. The Casino Veteran describes these dealers as more human than some he has come across in brick-and-mortar casinos.
The live casino and virtual reality experiences will not be restricted to Blackjack, and there are already roulette and baccarat versions being developed.
Other Yggdrasil new releases
While all the buzz in 2018 has been about Yggdrasil Gaming’s foray into the world of table gaming, the developers in their core market of slots have not been twiddling their thumbs. Here are two of the most recent games that have been launched onto an unsuspecting public:
- Hanzo’s Dojo – some say the Casino Veteran is a lover, not a fighter, but even he is willing to try his hand at martial arts if there is a tempting jackpot and a good bonus game involved. Hanzo’s Dojo offers both. In fact, it offers so much, it is hard to know where to start. Multiple free spin bonuses, a rooftop bonus game that would be a great stand-alone, and some handy boosters all make this one of the most entertaining slots out there – it was released in July 2018, so watch out for it in your favourite online casinos.
- Vikings Go to Hell – given its Nordic roots, it is unsurprising that Yggdrasil Gaming likes nothing better than a Viking-themed game. This is the third in a series that began with Vikings Go Berzerk and Vikings Go Wild. Speaking at the launch, Yggdrasil Gaming’s Head of Slots Jonas Strandman said that the game builds on the themes of its two predecessors but will be bigger and better in terms of the visuals, the sounds and the wins.
Yggdrasil Gaming has something for everyone and their friends
For sure, the slots games for which it has built up a reputation continue to be released at a rate of around one per month, but it is the company’s foray into table gaming that is the biggest news of 2018. It is no exaggeration to say that the developments that it is coming up with could revolutionise the way that both the Casino Veteran and casino newbies play blackjack, roulette and baccarat.