We know it’s still a little early to predict what the best slots of 2017 will turn out to be, namely because we still have a whole half a year left, and dozens of games, still to come.
But hey, as we write this, a sunny day in June, we can’t help but look back on what’s been a cracking year so far, and write about the phone slots that we are still playing today.
The Best 2017 mobile slots by software
In order to make this fair, we’ve broken down the section by some of our favourite casino software.
Mostly it’s to give you variety, but also so that the biggest game software don’t dominate this best online slots list.
After all, a smaller game studio like Thunderkick, who release maybe a slot a month, would find it hard to have as many entries as someone like Microgaming, who can release 5 slots a month.
That’s not to say these won’t be any good
Not all game providers make an appearance, because frankly not all of the studios made enough effort.
Basically, these are the online mobile slot games which, months later, once the marketing and buzz has died down, we are still playing.
Best New Microgaming slot 2017
This was the hardest to write; mostly because Microgaming games are some of the biggest names around, so how could we not include it in our list?
But truth is, we haven’t been playing on that many new Microgaming slots lately.
The best, however, probably has to be when they upgraded the Cool Buck slot from 3 reels to 5.
Two familiar names on the list
The graphics are still pretty poor, but the game mechanics are brilliant. They’ve added stacked wilds, multipliers, free spins, and best of all: all wins pay more than your bet.
However, if we are going to be honest, we’ve mostly been spinning on the Immortal Romance mobile slot which finally came to all instant play casinos earlier this year.
Honourable mention: as we write this the Jurassic World slot is just out and it’s been brilliant. But we’ll save that for the next list.
Best new NetEnt slot 2017
You’d think this would be a hard one to call, seeing as there’s been so many great new slot games from NetEntertainment.
But, you’ll be wrong, we knew exactly which one would make it to the top of our list, and that would be the volatile Jungle Spirit Call of the Wild slot.
Why? It’s not just the pretty 3D graphics and 243 ways to win that swayed us. Instead it’s the way the symbols can expand to help you create multiple wins, at any point during the game.
We love any slot that gives you the opportunity to win big on every single spin.
Honourable mention: The brilliant jackpot slot Hall of Gods was made mobile, and the Fairytale Legends Hansel and Gretel game is really good if you love lots of bonus features.
Best new Yggdrasil slot 2017
This one was a really really hard to call, because it came down to two sequels.
In the end, we decided to go with what, to most, would be the less popular vote, and that would be the Chibeasties 2 slot.
It didn’t get the recognition it probably deserved, which is a shame as this has unique mechanics you won’t find anywhere else.
So many wild combos, it’s hard to count
They’ve kept the same cute graphics from the original Chibeasties slot machine, except have added a whole host of bonus features, thanks to your ability to enter 4 different realms.
Each realm has 4 different types of wilds, and these realms can combine to give you multiple wild combos.
It’s a little crazy, but it’s well worth exploring these fantasy woods.
Honourable mention: The second game on our list was the Vikings Go Berzerk slot, the follow up to Vikings Go Wild. Equally good, but it wasn’t different enough to warrant best of the best 2017.
Best new Playtech slot 2017
Playtech have been on a mission to release as many games as possible this year, mostly due to one company: Marvel.
They lost their Marvel games, which meant replacing all of them with their Age of Gods greek series.
But that’s not who made our list. Because Marvel’s loss is DC’s gain, as Playtech also got the license to all the movie film slots that could create in a year.
But only one superhero took the crown
That meant, amongst many other, the brilliant Superman slot game, based on the original movie with Christopher Reeves.
Not only are the graphics brilliant, and the music epic, but you get big bonus games that just keep on coming, giving you free spin after free-spin, all perfectly matched to the original movie theme.
Honourable mention: We mentioned Playtech were on a mission? That means they’ve released a whole host of DC tv and film games, including some fun retro ones with the classic Batman 1960s show.
Check out Batman and the Joker Jewels whilst you chase down Superman.
Best new Thunderkick slot 2017
Thunderkick studios have been producing many news games this year, but not all of them have hit the right note.
Most are very playable but not many are quite good enough to compete with some of the big names on this list.
Which is why we were so pleasantly surprised by the Turning Totems slot game.
But this isn’t a new game…
Actually you’re wrong. They retired the old Turning Totems game, and re-released it with new paylines, new features, and new bonus games.
The only thing they kept was the cute American Indian theme.
And boy did they improve it, with wilds that wake up on a clap of thunder and free spins that can literally rain cash.
Best new Play’n GO slot 2017
Now, we know we are not meant to have favourites, but there’s just some slots software that just hit the right notes.
And Play’n GO studios are one of them we have to admit.
They’ve also managed to create what is probably our favourite slot of 2017 so far the Viking Runecraft game.
A very different kind of slot game
It’s a little hard to describe, namely because it’s so very unusual.
Played on a 7×7 grid, there are over 10,000 potential levels you can climb up, as you start your casino adventure as a journeyman, through to Viking warrior, and finally to Valhalla.
But don’t worry, they haven’t swapped substance for dazzle, as not only is this visually stunning, but with a multitude of bonus features and mini-jackpots.
There’s big prizes for those brave enough to try something a little bit different.
Best new Williams slot 2017
WMS phone slots always tend to be popular, if nothing else because they are so familiar to gamblers all over the world.
And no brand is more familiar than that of their most famous leprechaun; The Rainbow Riches slot series.
There was an addition this year back in March which lived up to the most famous of Irish games, and easily made our list.
Take a leprechaun, add a some free spins…
The Rainbow Riches Free Spins slot game pretty much give away its secret weapon in the title.
Whilst the original merely had a couple of bonus click me features, this follow up game strips back the complications and keeps things as simple as possible.
This is basically a 5 reel, 10 payline slot game with wilds, scatters and free spins.
Refreshing in a casino world where every slot is trying to put as many bonus features as possible.
Best new IGT slot 2017
IGT, much like WMS, release so many new games each month, it’s hard to keep all but the very best in mind.
And the contenders for best IGT slots in 2017 so far came to two big name games.
However, we decided that the Megajackpots Star Lantern slot should be out of the running, as it’s really just a copy of the Balloonies slot, but with a progressive jackpot.
That’s not to say the winner is an original
Technically, you could argue that Siberian Storm Dual Play slot isn’t an original either. After all, it’s basically the original Siberian Storm game, but with two sets of reels.
But we feel we are right to stick with our guns, as the game-play experience here feels very different.
That’s thanks to that centre reel that is 10 symbols high, covers both sets of reels, and comes full of stacked symbols and stacked wilds, giving you a wonderfully fun added dimension to an old favourite.
Best new NextGen slot 2017
NextGen gaming have been having an amazing year, with lots of games we could have picked for the top slots of 2017.
But only one could be the winner and that one has to be the Justice League slot game.
Before any of you film buffs get excited, you should know that this is based on the original New 52 DC comic book series, rather than the upcoming movie with Ben Affleck.
But you know what? Who cares? All the familiar characters are on the reels, you have less symbols, many of which come stacked for a multitude of wins.
Add a ‘super spin’ free spins, where you can collect sticky win symbols, and this is a heroic slot in the best sense of the word.
Best new Quickspin slot 2017
We end our list with a provider that most of you might have only started paying attention to, but who have made interesting headway over the last year.
That might be because Quickspin gaming were bought by Playtech, but also because they have a certain visual style that is eye catching – and that’s before you start spinning.
A game that is so hard to explain
We love it when studios try to do things a little differently, but it makes it so hard to then try and describe it in words.
Which is where we stand with this Hot Sync video slot. An unusual creation which looks simple on the surface, with Fruits, Sevens and Wilds over 5 reels and 20 paylines, but is deceptively complex.
Just trust us. Once you start spinning on these hot wild cloning reels, you’ll wonder why every other slot out there doesn’t copy the unusual, but fun, feature.
