The internet, phones, and gaming
I remember distinctly having my first web enabled phone. With a screen that was probably no more than an inch or so big, it was still useful enough to bring up things (very slowly) to have a read of (very slowly) on my tiny little phone. Just having the power of the internet in your pocket was enough to make you feel like one of the coolest people in the world.
Later on down the line, I also had the Nokia N-Gage – Nokia’s phone designed specifically for gaming, a truly experimental phone that was awesome to own. Because not only almost no one else had one, but also because I could play Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls, and The Sims on my phone, whenever I wanted. Talk, text, and game – what more could you want?! The next generation of N-Gage gaming even offered World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge, and let me tell you I have done a lot of computer poker playing in my life but it was awesome fun to be able to have it with you while on the go.
Nokie N-Gage This was a long shot and defined how wrong Nokia was getting things. |
Well, gaming on phones really took off when you combined these two types of technology – the internet and actual games (rather than just snake or whatever it was you had on your old phone). Firstly, as you were now able to download games directly to your phone. And latterly, as internet experience could be combined within your game itself.
While web enabled phone games that are popular for the average Jo Blow are things like Angry Birds and Candy Crush, for that little kick, others prefer immersive multiplayer games where you can play with friends (or strangers) like Minecraft or Modern Combat. There’s such a huge array of different game types out there, that there really is something for everyone.
Casino games: from casinos, to your desktop, to your phone
If you’re a fan of casino games, then you might be interested in learning about the experience on mobile. Many moons ago I was a programmer for a slot machine company that produced games that you’ll see in real casinos and gambling houses all over the world. It was always a bit of a thrill finding a game I’d produced somewhere in a casino far across the world.
For some people, it’d be a dream to play the pokies all day long and get to trigger jackpots whenever you pleased, however with the lack of motivation to win, I can tell you it got a little dull. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t have a flutter when I get to a real casino now. And it doesn’t mean that I haven’t given it a go on an online casino or two as well. It was interesting for me to see that there was pretty much zero difference between the gaming experience with an actual casino machine and the slot games that you can find on all the online casino sites.
I was surprised to find out that the first online slot game was released in 1998, from the world’s first online casino, Microgaming (established in 1994). Now, you can be assured that online slots have come a long way since those days! These days, online casino slot games can go head to head easily with a real machine. We no longer need a large machine to do the sort of operations that will power a slot style game – the only thing missing is the lights, decals, and proper buttons. Most online casinos will carry a range of different games, like slots, poker, roulette, and more.
Of course now we are spending more and more time on our mobile instead of our desktops – particularly when it comes to some fun little time wasters. These online casino houses have been paying attention, too. When your target audience moves to another platform, then you better make the move as well if you want to stay relevant.
Mobile experience vs desktop experience
You can play online casino games either through casino providers’ websites or through separate apps, which many companies have chosen to develop to help with providing a smooth, immersive mobile experience. Some companies may even only produce apps, with no desktop games available. Game titles across web and apps may vary, but if you’re playing through a browser, then the game will be exactly the same. Most casino game companies worth their weight have ensured that they have a responsive design for their browser-based game. This ensure that you’re getting an experience that looks and feels good on mobile too – fitting your screen correctly.
The differences between playing on a browser version of a game on your phone versus playing the browser version of the game on your desktop may vary from company to company as well as from game to game. It all depends on the amount of effort the company has put into making sure that you get a good gaming experience on your mobile phone. For the majority of casino houses they’ve made a fairly good effort to ensure game play is smooth, uninterrupted, and fits well on your screen. In Gonzo’s Quest from software provider Netent, for instance, there is no difference between the desktop and mobile gameplay whatsoever. There are many more examples and the best way to test them for yourself is to play for free using the free spins coupons you can find at this review site. Playing with free spins is one of the best ways to test casino games online.
If you’re playing casino games through an app then this is designed specifically for mobile and you’ll be receiving the best game play possible. However, both are good choices, and depending on your needs, wants, and the type and style that you want to play, both can be a good choice.
The type of phone you have will make a difference too
Depending on the type of mobile you have will dictate how good your experience of gambling will be on the device. It’s also depend how fast your download and uploads speeds are on whatever network you’re connected to. Playing on an old iPhone 4S will not be nowhere near as pleasant as playing on the latest Samsung Galaxy S8. This is due to differences in processor speed, graphics, screen size, touch, etc. etc. While you can play on both, the experience will be superior on the better phone.
If you’re looking for the best gaming phones for gaming in general, then check out the Samsung Galaxy S8+ (the larger size than the S8), the LG G6, or Huawei Mate 9. These are all well spec’d and will offer the smoothest gaming experience while not taking too much of a toll on the battery.
However, it’s not generally necessary to have a high power and graphically advanced phone to play online casino games on. The type of games that are truly taxing on a phone are the surreal first person style 3D games that you’d expect to see on a PlayStation. Generally, casino style games are a lot more basic and chew through a lot less power than these other style of games.
So, in summary: while it is true that the type of phone that you have can make a difference to your gaming experience, and the online casino company through which you play can make a difference, if you choose a house who are dedicated to bring about a good mobile experience for their customers then you won’t find much difference between playing on your laptop and playing on your phone. And for many people, the experience is more enjoyable because it’s right there in your pocket.