Few companies have shaped online gambling as much as Microgaming. It joined the Interactive Gaming Council, a non-profit body that promotes fairness and transparency in the industry, in 1996, and in 2003 it was among the founding members of eCOGRA, the independent organisation that oversees fair gaming, player protection and responsible operator conduct.
Its catalogue also became a showcase for partner studios. Many games that players associate with Microgaming were built by independent developers and distributed through its network, and since 2022 that content portfolio has been distributed by Games Global. This article covers ten titles, in-house and partner-made, that operators still recognise.
Microgaming milestones
- 1996: joins the Interactive Gaming Council.
- 2003: becomes a founding member of eCOGRA.
- 2004: launches its first mobile casino game.
- 2015: its Mega Moolah progressive jackpot pays out £13,213,838.68, which Guinness World Records recognised as the largest online slot jackpot payout at the time.
- 2022: distribution of the content portfolio moves to Games Global.
Microgaming's games were long a fixture in casinos that built their entire lobby around a single supplier, a sign of how much operators trusted the quality of its software.
What defines Microgaming-era slots
- Old school and new school. Earlier releases typically use 10 to 15 traditional paylines, while games from around 2014 onwards often offer up to 243 ways to win, in line with what the market came to expect.
- Long-cycle maths. Many titles are built for longer sessions: wins arrive less often, but they pay more when they land.
- Higher volatility. That design means higher volatility. It does not make winning more likely; it shifts the balance towards fewer, bigger wins, which suits players chasing large payouts more than those who want frequent small returns.
Ten slots from the Microgaming catalogue
The selection mixes the most famous titles, the games players returned to most often and those with the highest win potential. They are grouped by the studio behind them, which matters when you check current availability.
Thunderstruck II
Thunderstruck II is a journey through Norse mythology on a 5x3 grid with 243 ways to win. Thor, Odin, Loki and the other gods line up for wins and unlock four different free spins features, each with its own multipliers. The maximum win is 8,000x the stake, and the game remains one of the best-known slots of the Microgaming era.
Book of Oz
Book of Oz invites players into the enchanted land of the wizard and his potions, inspired by the famous film. It runs on a standard 5x3 grid with ten paylines and combines high volatility with respins, free spins, wilds and scatters, a feature set that made it one of the most popular slots in the catalogue.
Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs
The third Lara Croft slot from Microgaming plays on a 5x3 grid with 243 ways to win. Its free spins bonus can award up to 32 free rounds with multipliers that climb as high as 15x, and a jackpot feature offers Minor, Major and Grand prizes, with a top payout of 5,000x the stake.
9 Masks of Fire
9 Masks of Fire draws on African tribal imagery, with drums and fire masks on five reels and 20 paylines. Three or more scatters start a bonus wheel that can award up to 30 free spins and a 3x multiplier, and the top prize is worth 6,000x the bet. Its RTP is 96.24% and its volatility is medium, which makes it more balanced than most titles on this list.
Links of Ra
Links of Ra was developed for Microgaming by Slingshot Studios. The Egyptian-themed game uses a 5x4 grid with 40 paylines and detailed artwork. Its Power Stacks feature fills every reel with super-stacked symbols, and four jackpots are on offer, with a top payout of 5,000x the stake.
Wanted Dead or a Wild
Created by Hacksaw Gaming, Wanted Dead or a Wild is a Wild West slot on a 5x5 grid. Three separate bonus rounds can deliver multipliers of up to 100x, and the maximum win of 12,500x the stake put it among the highest-paying slots of its time.
Joker Bombs
Joker Bombs is another Hacksaw Gaming release. Its candy-coloured look recalls Sweet Bonanza, but the twist is on the 6x5 grid: cascading wins are joined by Multiplier Bombs that can land at any moment and reveal multipliers of up to 50x. The maximum win of 5,000x is lower than many modern slots offer.
Extra Chilli
Extra Chilli, from Big Time Gaming, celebrates Mexican food and its famous heat. It runs on the Megaways engine with six reels plus a horizontal reel, for up to 117,649 ways to win. Win multipliers and a free spins gamble feature let players decide how much risk to take on in the bonus.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Megaways
Based on the long-running TV quiz show, this Big Time Gaming title was among the most played slots in the catalogue for years. Six reels and an extra horizontal reel create up to 117,649 ways to win, backed by wilds, scatters, multipliers and a special bonus feature.
Bonanza Megaways
Bonanza is the Big Time Gaming slot that introduced the Megaways mechanic in 2016. Its gem-mining theme plays out on six reels with up to 117,649 ways to win, along with wilds, scatters and other special symbols. It is still the reference point for the many Megaways games that followed.
The ten slots side by side
| Slot | Studio | Format | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstruck II | Microgaming | 5x3, 243 ways | 8,000x |
| Book of Oz | Microgaming | 5x3, 10 lines | – |
| Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs | Microgaming | 5x3, 243 ways | 5,000x |
| 9 Masks of Fire | Microgaming | 5 reels, 20 lines | 6,000x |
| Links of Ra | Slingshot Studios | 5x4, 40 lines | 5,000x |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | Hacksaw Gaming | 5x5 | 12,500x |
| Joker Bombs | Hacksaw Gaming | 6x5, cascading wins | 5,000x |
| Extra Chilli | Big Time Gaming | Megaways, up to 117,649 ways | – |
| Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Megaways | Big Time Gaming | Megaways, up to 117,649 ways | – |
| Bonanza Megaways | Big Time Gaming | Megaways, up to 117,649 ways | – |
Using these games in your lobby
- Check who supplies what. Several of these titles come from partner studios, so confirm the current supplier and certification for each market before you list them.
- Balance volatility. Pair high-volatility hits such as Wanted Dead or a Wild with steadier games like 9 Masks of Fire.
- Group by mechanic. Megaways, book-style and jackpot sections help players find their favourite formats quickly.
Adding these slots to your casino
Several of the studios behind this list, including Big Time Gaming, Hacksaw Gaming and Slingshot Studios, have profiles in our provider directory, and our casino games integration connects 3,600+ games from 170+ providers through one API. Our article on Microgaming mobile games covers the mobile side of the catalogue. Contact our team to check which titles are available for your markets.
Written and reviewed by the iGaming Software Solutions Editorial Team.
