Best Slots of 2020 Awards
It’s time to give kudos to casino game developers for their outstanding work in 2020.
Despite all the obstacles, we have seen some very impressive titles this year. They are made by a wide range of studios so it’s not a coincidence that we also mention at least ten of them in these awards. Naturally, there was no way my team and I could highlight only one game. So instead of generalising, we’ve put together a top 10 that includes different categories ranging from the best for bonus experience to the best high volatility game. The best slots of 2020 list also includes the game of the year, the best live game and the best game provider of the turn of the new decade.
We had a lot of fun putting together the awards and encourage you to try all the games in this guide, which are widely available by now. Inevitably, there were some online slots that came very close to getting an award, so we made sure to include those as our honourable mentions. Without further ado, here are the best online slots that came out in 2020! 🔥
Featured casinos in this guide
T&C ApplyMaximum bonus is €/$123. Max bet with bonus is €/$5. No max cash out. Wagering is 50x – Skrill & Neteller excluded. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. New 18+ players only. Gamble responsibly. Full T&C apply.
T&C ApplyDeposit ÂŁ/€/$10 or more and get a 100% match bonus up to ÂŁ/€/$200, Freeroll tickets to play in up to 12 different Freeroll Battles per day for a period of 7 days and 11 Extra Spins in Starburst or Rook’s Revenge (if NetEnt not available). All Extra Spins are wager free. Match bonus wagering requirement: 35x your winnings. No max cashout limit. Time and game weighting limits apply. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
T&C ApplyWelcome bonus for new players only. Maximum bonus is 100% up to ÂŁ100. Min. deposit is ÂŁ10. No max cash out. Wagering is 40x bonus. Maximum bet while playing with a bonus is ÂŁ5. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded. Gamble responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Game of the Year – Punk Rocker xWays (Nolimit)
The Game of the Year award goes to an innovative and rebellious game made by Nolimit City – Punk Rocker xWays. The game which came out in February was the first in their portfolio to take their rather new xWays mechanic through the stratosphere. Rocking trendy high variance gameplay and high-octane features, this game is poised to offer a lot of bang for the buck for both casual players and the high rollers. All that coupled with great math and design (that is rough around the edges as opposed to a polished look), makes this game memorable and stand out from the crowd. All things considered, the Punk Rocker slot was our fondest memory from all this year’s best slot releases.
Maximum bonus is €/$123. Max bet with bonus is €/$5. No max cash out. Wagering is 50x – Skrill & Neteller excluded. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. New 18+ players only. Gamble responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Haunts My Dreams – Money Train 2 (Relax)
This is an award that goes to the best high volatility slot of the year. High risk and the huge maximum payout has been a popular course for slot developers for the past several months. Hence finding a game that would fit this category was quite simple. Despite numerous candidates, the slot which stands above the competition this year is Money Train 2 by Relax Gaming. Coming at you with a Mad Max-style, very high volatility and a bonus that gets triggered once in a blue moon without the Feature Buy, this sequel is all about the beasty free spins bonus. On numeral occasions, it has already triggered the promised maximum win of 50,000x bet! This 40-line slot still gets us goosebumps every time we play it.
Just use the link to register at the casino and you’ll get 25 Bonus Spins to use on Dead or Alive 2! Wagering requirement: 35x winnings. Conversion time limit: 7 days. No max win limit. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Starburst Lovers – Hotline 2 (NetEnt)
If you like slots that are less extreme, then this awards category is for you – the best low volatility slot of the year. In contrast to the above, true low-risk slots didn’t get much attention this year, because the medium is quickly becoming the new low. And what’s better than one of the hottest sequels of this year – the retro-cool 80’s themed Hotline 2 by NetEnt. Featuring outstanding graphics and dynamic features like the Bonus Bet and Buy Feature, on the Miami backdrop and a funky tune in the background, this online slot is a joy to play and reminiscent of the developer’s oldies. Hotline 2 dominates lower variance slots of this year so, ironically, it deserves the Starburst Lovers award like no other.
No wagering requirements on this signup bonus. Rewards must be claimed within 7 days. No code needed. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
The Einstein Award – Infinity Reels (ReelPlay)
Choosing the best innovation in slots this year was not a walk in the park. From Big Time Gaming to Nolimit City, there was no shortage of unique features which, as Tarantino would put it, had our curiosity, but now have our attention. The Einstein Award of the year goes to an Australian developer ReelPlay for their creative Infinity Reels mechanic that can stretch reels to unseen proportions, and grow a nice win multiplier along the way. The feature is available in a whole series of slots, including El Dorado and Giza Infinity Reels, and is this year’s most noteworthy innovation which also stands out with its simplicity.
Honourable mention: Star Clusters MegaClusters (Big Time Gaming).
Deposit £/€/$10 or more and get a 100% match bonus up to £/€/$200, Freeroll tickets to play in up to 12 different Freeroll Battles per day for a period of 7 days and 11 Extra Spins in Starburst or Rook’s Revenge (if NetEnt not available). All Extra Spins are wager free. Match bonus wagering requirement: 35x your winnings. No max cashout limit. Time and game weighting limits apply. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Labor of Love – Piggy Riches MegaWays (Red Tiger/NetEnt)
Labor of Love is an award that goes to a cult slot which has made a big comeback in one form or another. This year we’ve seen numerous sequels, reconstructions and expansions of our favourite slots. While there were many interesting ones that had a nostalgic effect, one game we were particularly looking forward to seeing since the day when Red Tiger and NetEnt shook hands to start making games together. Yes, we are talking about Piggy Riches MegaWays! The developers took the good stuff from the original and gave it a modern foundation, which was later also successfully applied to other NetEnt classics like Gonzo’s Quest MW. And what a nice way to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary!
Deposit £/€/$10 or more and get a 100% match bonus up to £/€/$200, Freeroll tickets to play in up to 12 different Freeroll Battles per day for a period of 7 days and 11 Extra Spins in Starburst or Rook’s Revenge (if NetEnt not available). All Extra Spins are wager free. Match bonus wagering requirement: 35x your winnings. No max cashout limit. Time and game weighting limits apply. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Bonus Madness – Nitropolis (ELK Studios)
The Bonus Madness award goes to a slot which oozes with bonus features without making any compromises to the overall experience. Nitropolis by ELK Studios is our Bonus Madness slot of the year, leaving a strong impression every time we want to play a game that is a little over the top. While it is capable of producing up to 85,155,840 ways to win, everything from the humour-dipped animations to the arcade-type music adds to the sick experience that each spin delivers. The team’s first slot with the Nitro Reels feature can also produce some very welcoming 10,000x wins or up to £1,000,000, whichever comes first. Either way, Nitropolis offers a lot of bang for the buck and should be on your must-play slots of the year.
Honourable mention: Rick and Morty (Blueprint Gaming).
Welcome bonus for new players only. Maximum bonus is 100% up to ÂŁ100. Min. deposit is ÂŁ10. No max cash out. Wagering is 40x bonus. Maximum bet while playing with a bonus is ÂŁ5. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded. Gamble responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Hollywood Hills – Rick and Morty (Blueprint Gaming)
This special award goes to the best branded online slot – Rick and Morty from the bright minds at Blueprint Gaming. The company is renowned for their skills at creating epic slots with the world’s most renowned movie studios. This also explains why the animated series of a mad scientist Rick and his teenage grandson Morty was one of this year’s highlights not only on Netflix but also at online casinos in the UK and overseas. Whether you prefer the gutsier MegaWays version or the 20 liner with a gazillion bonuses, these two casino slot variations of the interdimensional adventures turned out to be not only this year’s best branded production but also came remarkably close in our “slots academy” categories.
18+. New depositors only. UK residents only. Minimum deposit ÂŁ10. Free Spins are valid only on Starburst and expire in 7 days. 10x wagering apply. Certain deposit types are excluded. T&Cs apply.
Extravaganza – Hades Gigablox (Yggdrasil)
Speaking of motion pictures and cinematic experiences, there was no way we could do without a dedicated category for the most outstanding visual experience in an online slot game. And this year it doesn’t get any better than Yggdrasil’s stunning adaptation of the god of the dead and the king of the underworld – Hades with the signature Gigablox feature! While there are tens or even hundreds of visually marvellous games out there, Hades takes slot VFX to a whole new level. Just as importantly, the graphics fit hand in glove with the rest of the features and the theme, creating an aura that almost sucks you into the turquoise inferno. Not to mention the striking features like Free Spins and Wilds that are aptly bent around the 6×6 Gigablox mayhem. As a nice bonus, you can also strike up to 9,000x bet when Hades’ Wild Hunt goes just right.
18+. New customers only. 35x wagering of bonus (% game weightings and play restrictions apply). Max bonus bet £5. 15 days to accept. 30 days to complete. Free Spins on Starburst: 10p per spin. 7 days to use. Max withdrawal from winnings for each bonus is £500. Full T&C’s apply.
Jackpot Mania – Wheel of Wishes (Alchemy Gaming/Microgaming)
It’s been a big year for progressive jackpot slots and this award is dedicated to the best of them. One developer has really pushed it this year, publishing one major progressive game after another. Out best jackpot slot of the year goes to Wheel of Wishes, made by Microgaming’s skilful Alchemy Gaming studio. Featuring Stacked Wilds, a Power Mode with Giant 3×3 symbols, and the biggest mega jackpot which seeds at €2,000,000, called WowPot! All the while, the game is played at very low volatility, which makes it accessible to a broader audience. That is not something that you’ll find every day and quite a “successor” to the Mega Moolah series.
#AD Wagering requirement: 25x bonus within 30 days (game weighting restrictions apply). Min deposit: €/$10. Skrill, Neteller and Paysafe deposits excluded. New 18+ customers only. www.begambleaware.org. Full T&C apply.
Live Game of the Year – Crazy Time (Evolution Gaming)
Live casino games have tremendously evolved over the years and mean way more than just blackjack or roulette. A new game shows concept has been taking centre stage, some of which can be put somewhere between table games and slots. One such game that once again blurs the lines between analogue and virtual reality is Crazy Time by Evolution Gaming! Hosted by a live presenter, this 5-in-1 game has been a chart-topper ever since it was released in the summer. Whenever we are in a company of friends and want a different type of entertainment versus slots, this is the game that we have turned to the most this year.
The spins are playable on different NetEnt slots (Starburst, Mega Fortune Dreams, Jack and the Beanstalk, Warlords, Twin Spin, and Swipe and Roll). No wagering requirements. Use within 3 days. No maximum win limit. No code needed. New 18+ customers only. Play responsibly. Full T&C apply.
Developer of the Year – Nolimit City
The developer of the year category had many serious candidates. But we felt very strongly about one nominee which has gained a lot of attention this year in particular. Our top game studio of the year is unarguably Nolimit City! Our top pick of the year, Punk Rocker, as well as Deadwood and Book of Shadows are just a few of the games that have become some of our favourites over the recent months. We enjoy the creativity behind the X-features, like xWays and xNudge, but also that out of the box thinking that each new release brings with it. They have surprised us on many occasions this year so we cannot wait to see what else they will come up with in 2021.
Honourable mention: Relax Gaming.
Welcome bonus for new players only. Maximum bonus is 100% up to ÂŁ100. Min. deposit is ÂŁ10. No max cash out. Wagering is 40x bonus. Maximum bet while playing with a bonus is ÂŁ5. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded. Gamble responsibly. Full T&C apply.
About the Awards
Mvideoslots.com is an independent site that operates separately from any casino or game provider. Everything we say is our honest opinion. And both the casinos and game developers are seeing the content published for the first time, right alongside you.
The awards were picked by a team of experts and slot critics, who have been following the industry for a long time and actually playing the games at the casinos. We hope that you enjoy our picks as they are easy to find across slot sites globally and we hope that with your support we can include your vote in our next year’s lists. If you liked these awards, then be sure to check out our all-time best slots which we had fun to compile for you as well.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!