Williams Interactive is a leading provider of casino software for both land-based and online casinos. The company has a long history of innovative game production.
About WMS
Williams Interactive, or simply WMS as the company is more commonly known, has come a long way since its founding in 1943. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Williams Interactive went from making pinball machines to jukeboxes to coin-operated arcade games to slot machines to games for online casinos. The company has successfully adapted to the times and now, as a subsidiary of Scientific Games, it is still on the cutting-edge of designing games.
After an already long history of producing high-quality games, Williams got into the slot machine business in 1994. At that point, most slot machines had very simple graphics with similar symbols. Slot machines only used fruit, bells, card suits, and a few other stock symbols that are now synonymous with old-fashioned slot machines. In 1996, WMS used its video game background (they bought Midway games in the early 90s) to produce Reel It In, a video slot machine. This game was an enormous hit and the first in a long line of popular slot machines that WMS would make in the next few years.
After pioneering video slot machines, WMS became the leader of another big slot machine trend, official licenses. They started by making a wildly popular Monopoly slot machine. When that took off, they started entering into licensing agreements with other popular entertainment properties. Over the years, they have had hit slot games such as Men in Black, The Price is Right, the Dukes of Hazzard, the Wizard of Oz, and many more.
These gaming industry successes led to sustained growth throughout the first decade of the 2000s. In 2013, the company merged with Scientific Games (SG). They are now a wholly-owned subsidiary of that company but SG has kept the Williams Interactive name as a standalone brand because the company is so well-known in the industry as a leader in the field.
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Unique Features
Ever since developing their first hit slot machine game in 1996, WMS has been on the cutting-edge of casino gaming in two notable areas: top-notch video game-style graphics and the depth and breadth of their officially licensed title catalog. WMS is a top game developing company and all the features of their software outrank their competition.
Graphics and Gameplay
WMS builds its land-based casino slot games on the CPU-NXT platform. This platform uses gigabytes of RAM, the latest in 3D video game graphics cards, and top-of-the-line processors to deliver smooth and visually stunning games to players. With WMS’s history as a video game company, it is no surprise this is an area where they excel. In addition to video game quality graphics, the gameplay is outstanding which can be rare for slot machines.
Officially Licensed Games
The other place WMS sets themselves apart is with branded titles. They were the first to do it and now everyone seemingly has joined this trend, but WMS is still a leader in this area. Over the years, WMS has had too many hit titles to mention and continues to make deals with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Some of their biggest past titles include Match Game, Hollywood Squares, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Lee, Powerball, Top Gun, Star Trek, and Clue. Right now, some of their biggest hot games are officially licensed titles such as James Bond, Lord of the Rings, and The Flintstones.
Variety of Slots
One more area where WMS does well is its variety of games. They use a number of different formats for their games which helps differentiate them from one another. You can play multiple games from WMS and not feel as if you are just playing the same game over and over again. They offer traditional 3-reel and 5-reel slots as well as 7-reel and even games go with expanding paylines. The bonus rounds and levels for each game also feel unique from game to game and really fit the environment of each individual game in which the round exists. You will find stand-alone games from WMS as well as progressive jackpots where you can win some big prizes.
Software
Williams Interactive offers many different kinds of casino software. If you have played on several different land-based casino slots or either free or real money online casino slots, chances are you have played a WMS game at some point. Here are some of today’s top games from WMS.
Reel ‘Em In
Video technology and gameplay are more advanced in 2020 than in the mid-90s, but one of the first Williams Interactive games is still one of its most popular today. The game is simple and easy to play. It is a 5-reel, 20 payline game with a fish theme combined with traditional slot symbols like fruit and bells. It also has a silly but fun fishing bonus round where you can win big credits. Sometimes, you just don’t mess with success.
Jackpot Party
This is another one of WMS’s early hits and still one of their more popular games today. The main reason people like it so much is right in the name. The jackpots in this game are very nice. Today you will mostly find new generations of this classic game such as Super Jackpot Party, Jackpot Block Party, or Jackpot Party: Ultimate Party Spin. The 5-reel, 20 payline slot game has a party vibe and many bonus rounds to earn throughout the game. These bonus rounds are where you really feel like the jackpots are close.
James Bond
When you look at the WMS list of top games in 2020, you will see three different James Bond properties on this list, James Bond: Casino Royale, James Bond: Diamonds are Forever, and James Bond: Thunderball. These games offer something for every Bond fan. Whether you prefer the newer Daniel Craig Bond (Casino Royale) or the classic Sean Connery (Diamonds and Thunderbolt) you will find a game that you like here. Casino Royale and Thunderball are 5-reel machines with 25 paylines. The former is poker themed and the latter is underwater action-themed like their respective movies. Diamonds are Forever, like the movie, is an absolute classic with 3 reels and a great progressive jackpot.
The Lord of the Rings Rule Them All
Among all the WMS popular properties, their new Lord of the Rings game is one of their most popular right now. This is a simple 3-reel slot game that is very easy to master. It offers a lot of interesting multipliers, bonuses, bet levels, free spins, and other special features. The reason it is so entertaining and beloved by LOTR fans is the 4K UHD graphics and clips from the movies. If you like watching and playing with your favorite Tolkien characters while also winning money, this is the slot game for you!
Pros and Cons
Overall, WMS is one of the top developers of New Jersey casino software. They perform many aspects of game development incredibly well. That devotion to detail shows up when you play their games. Like any NJ casino software, though, there are always things they can improve on. Here are a few of the most noticeable pros and cons of Williams Interactive (WMS) casino software
Pros
- Great video game-style graphics and gameplay make for a very fun and engaging slot experience.
- The impressive number of officially branded titles WMS offers is quite large. Players generally have no problems finding a game from the company they enjoy.
- The variety of games WMS offers is fantastic. This applies both to the variety of styles of games they offer as well as the sheer number of titles.
- WMS creates casino software for both online and land-based casinos in New Jersey. This leads to some games you can play in both types of casinos for fun and convenience.
- Many of WMS’s games are available in both free and real money NJ casino formats which means you can try the games with no risk before you wager real money.
Cons
- Most of the WMS portfolio consists of slots games. While they do have some other casino games for New Jersey players, the vast majority are slots games. If you love slots, this isn’t necessarily a “con” but for those who like a more varied video casino software experience, it can be seen as a negative.
- They are no longer independent and are now owned by Scientific Games. This gives the company a bigger platform but also may lead to less innovation down the line. Brands like SG and Bally’s are under the same umbrella so the games from these brands may start to look similar in time.
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