Posted by We have all been glad of the escapism offered to us by games in the past 12 months in which we have been forced to spend more time indoors than ever before.
Industry statistics show that there was a 39% increase in the time spent playing games last year with people all over the planet turning to video games, board games and online slots to pass the time.
Out of all the types of games to have benefitted from the increase in playing time, themed-games were perhaps the most successful.
In this article we take a look at some of the most popular themed games tantalising players all over the globe.
If you have a favourite themed game that we don’t mention below, be sure to let us know what it is and why you love it so much in the comments section.
Guns ‘n’ Roses Slot Machine
Formed in 1985, Guns N’ Roses are one of the most popular rocks bands of all-time and have sold over 100 million records worldwide.
Such is the popularity and draw of the band that putting their name on anything is like having a licence to create money.
Which is why we have this Guns N’ Roses themed online slot, which you’ll get 10 free spins on if you play at Virgin Games and deposit £10.
The 20 payline slot features all the members of the band as well as the band’s famous music as backing tracks so you can rock out whilst you spin out.
If you’ve never played an online slot before you might think it odd to see one themed on a famous rock band from the 1980s.
However, it’s not odd at all as the vast majority of online slots attempt to theme themselves on whatever is popular to attract the maximum amount of players.
Slots are most usually themed on whatever is popular at the time of their release, so perhaps expect to see a TikTok themed slot on the horizon at some point!
GoldenEye 007
In 1997 Rare and Nintendo released Goldeneye 007 to their Nintendo 64 platform to great fanfare and acclaim.
The game based on the 1995 film of the same name was an industry breaking release that changed the course of gaming irrevocably.
Largely touted as the first mainstream first-person shooter, GoldenEye 007 would provide the inspiration for later titles such as Call of Duty and Battlefield.
At the time the game was a rip-roaring success gaining rave reviews from a range of publications including a 96/100 rating from Metacritic and a 9.8/10 from GameSpot.
Last year when large swathes of the public were asked to remain indoors, gamers of a certain age dug out their old N64 consoles and dusted off the GoldenEye 007 cartridge.
Younger players used adapters to play the game on their PCs and, according to social media, loved playing the game just as much as kids in 1997 did!
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
The first game in the Assassin’s Creed series was released in 2007 and saw players take on the role of Altair, a fictional historical character fighting against the Knights Templar during the Third Crusade in the Hold Land in 1191.
The game was lauded for its historical accuracy, detail and gameplay which encouraged the developers to forge on with the idea and create an engaging and exciting series that took players on a journey through different time periods.
In recent times thought the fare had gotten a little tough for Assassin’s Creed fans with the 2018 release Odyssey being a bit of a flop.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a return to form as players take control of Eivor, a Viking who lands in England just after the Great Heathen Army.
Commercially the game was a great success, selling more copies in its first week than any other game in the series. It has also received favourable reviews from reviewers who had been critical of the previous instalment of the game.
Ghost of Tsushima
Sticking with the historical theme we have Ghost of Tsuhima, a game released last year by Sucker Punch Productions. The game follows Jin Sakai, a Japanese samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan.
The game is open world and features stunning detail and graphics that make roaming around the island just as enjoyable as completing the missions.
Where the game excels is through the use of stealth and distraction, two arts that the player must master in order to help Jin Sakai repel the invading Mongols.
If you’re an experienced console player think Metal Gear Solid meets Assassin’s Creed…
Monopoly
No discussion of great themed games would be complete without a mention of the 86-year-old board game Monopoly.
Strangely the game was first thought up by anti-capitalist Lizzie Maggie who believed that the game would highlight the supposed pitfalls of living in a capitalist society where wealth creation was prioritised above all else.
In a cruel twist of fate for Maggie, the game would go on to become a global hit, selling millions and millions of copies – becoming a capitalist poster boy in some ways…
In recent decades the game has broadened its horizon by releasing new themes every year based on different locations around the planet or in fictional universes.
So, whether you’re a fan of Star Wars or an inhabitant of Huddersfield, England, there’s a themed Monopoly game for you!
Take a look at the official website to see the huge range of themes available to play.
