Atomic Slot Lab, backed by Bragg Gaming Group, is back with another dynamic slot, marking the release of its third game featuring the popular Connect & Collect mechanic. Following the success of Cai Fu Emperor Ways and 7 Shields of Fortune, the almighty Pegasus takes center stage, promising action-packed gameplay with jackpots of up to 4,000x the bet, cash prizes, and helpful Wild symbols.
The Connect & Collect mechanic sets this game apart from traditional slots, and we're keen to explore this exciting feature further. We had the opportunity to interview Aleksandar Dašić, Product Marketing Manager at Bragg Gaming Group. Stay tuned for a Q&A to find out more about this lucrative gaming experience!
Hi Aleksandar, thank you for taking part in this interview about your upcoming slot, Almighty Pegasus! We're excited to discuss the game and its innovative Connect & Collect feature.
Q: What makes the Connect & Collect feature so special?
A: Many slot games today can be quite complex with random features, a dizzying number of ways to win, or a highly unique game or win mechanic that is sometimes difficult to understand or see. Connect & Collect took a different approach and created an innovation around the win mechanic. It is quite visual as there is a feeling of accomplishment as you connect the symbols in a path to a reward position. This means that the players can see feature progression as it’s presented in a very evident way and the game retains a dynamic element of clearly highlighting to the player what either was or could have been won on any given spin. The mechanic feels quite tactile, almost like you’re solving a mini-puzzle within the spin. It’s not just about landing symbols: it’s about how they link up.
The Connect & Collect mechanic is a very flexible one: we can modify all parts of the game to build upon the mechanic with new features or introduce mini-features as we did with Almighty Pegasus. The reel format may change down the road, but the team continues to look at different options as the 1,875 ways to win, combined with varying free game types, allows so much creativity with just the current iteration. The mechanic is flexible from a player’s perspective, too, as the rewards aren’t fixed to a single outcome. Depending on the game and the connection’s endpoint, they might get anything from a handful of free spins to a massive jackpot multiplier. The visual feedback of connecting symbols ramps up the excitement, turning a standard spin into a mini-event with tangible progression.
Q: Can you share any specific challenges faced while developing the Connect & Collect feature?
A: Our Connect & Collect feature is the result of several years of trial and error. Our initial idea for this project was quite different from what you see today. The connection element was initially “pipes” where we could make connections from one side of the screen to the other. Visually it looked beautiful in the static mock-up as an Asian-inspired theme with bamboo pipes would connect water to various prize buckets. This became quite complicated as 36 different types of connection symbols existed in our designs creating both visual and mathematical challenges.
There was a lot of prototyping in various parts of the game to get the right balance and the unique reel layout of five positions per reel with the top and bottom positions of reel three as reward positions along with all on reel six. We re-grouped and developed a product that utilizes all the core design components, simplifying it and the result is the Connect & Collect feature you see today. The next fun challenge became all the elements we wanted to incorporate as awards and prizes, such as the Respin feature, Free Games, Jackpots and so much more to come.
Q: What inspired the theme and design of Almighty Pegasus?
A: As our game portfolio continues to grow, we want to design a range of art styles that will appeal to various players. In the Connect & Collect product family, we launched with a rich Asian theme in CaiFu Emperor Ways and 7 Shields of Fortune which features a bit of a cartoony King in medieval times as the key character. We wanted to focus on a powerful animal, and decided to go down the mythical path (as we haven’t seen a horse with wings in real life yet). The studio wanted to represent something particularly strong and the Pegasus really stood out and then tied in the mystical nature to incorporate lighting to randomly deliver added Wild, Pegasus, and Connect & Collect symbols. The concepting process brought us several more ideas on both art styles and new features we may incorporate into further Connect & Collect games.
Q: How does Almighty Pegasus compare to your previous games with this Connect & Collect feature?
A: Almighty Pegasus has certain key features, such as an emphasis on Connect & Collect and Free Games similar to other Connect & Connect games in the family, but this one delivers several new twists. One new change was the addition of values on some of the basic Connect & Collect symbols, meaning a player can now win credits without connecting to a special prize position. The Free Games can now be triggered by landing 3 Scattered symbols instead of via Connect and Collect creating multiple ways to get to free games. Two other significant changes were the introduction of a Mini Feature where Connect & Collect, Wilds or Pegasus symbols could be added generating significant wins, but the design in the pay table really matched up with the art style as well. Certainly, there is a lot of action for the player, but we’ve kept it simple enough along the way.
Q: Can we expect to see more of the Connect & Collect feature in future releases?
A: Absolutely! The brand resonates with players well in multiple regions and as the concept continues to evolve, we see a lot of value in different ways Bragg can reward and excite players. Several more games are in the design phase now and we are really excited to prototype new reward options along with differentiating some of the Free Game experiences.
Those who like Almighty Pegasus, should certainly give Cai Fu Emperor Ways a go!
We want to thank Aleksandar and Atomic Slot Lab for participating in this interview and for sharing such exciting information.
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