As the range of online slot games continues to expand, there are now more characters and settings than ever before. Yet, British casino players still love to follow the ongoing adventures of one of the industry’s most enduring characters, a Spanish explorer named Gonzo.
Who Is Gonzo?
The real money online casino at Paddy Power includes several games featuring this conquistador. Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt is the original game based on the character. We can also see slots like Gonzo’s Quest Megaways and Gonzita’s Quest. As well as the slots, Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt Live is a game show-style effort from Evolution with a live human presenter.
Back in 2011, online slots were beginning to make their mark, but the list of available games was a lot shorter and less varied than it is now. NetEnt created Gonzo’s Quest and released it that year, based on Gonzo’s adventures as he was one of the many 16th-century Spanish conquistadors searching for the legendary city of El Dorado in the Americas.
Why Has He Become So Important?
It’s difficult to know why some games become incredibly popular while others fail to provoke the same sort of reaction. In the case of Gonzo’s Quest, it was one of the most attractive games when released and has stood the test of time well. While the colourful blocks showing images based on pre-Columbian art look great, it’s the figure of Gonzo standing at the side of the screen that helps to add extra charm to the game.
This slot also marked an important milestone in the way slots are played online, as it was one of the first to use the avalanche feature where winning symbols are removed to be replaced by others. The gameplay struck the right balance between simplicity and excitement for a lot of players, meaning that it quickly became one of the top slots at a time when many people were trying online casinos for the first time.
“Aztec Calandar Sun Stone” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by Kim Alaniz
Gonzo’s Recurring Appearances
The way that the public fell in love with this swashbuckling conquistador meant that it was only a matter of time before he featured in new adventures. By 2020, NetEnt and Red Tiger were part of the same game group and Gonzo’s Quest Megaways was released under the latter brand. It’s similar to the original in many ways but with the Megaways engine used to make the reels change their format on every spin.
The franchise took an unexpected twist with the release of Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt Live. Evolution is a leading live game provider and when they bought the NetEnt brand in 2020, this was the first live title they brought out based on one of NetEnt’s popular slots. A live dealer presents the game with an animated version of Gonzo joining the action as players try to find hidden treasures on the wall of symbols.
Gonzo has been one of the most easily recognisable online casino characters for over a decade and seems set to continue attracting players who want to join him in his adventures in the jungles of the New World.
