Gold Rush is the next installment in the Reel Deal series of casino games. Rather than replacing the last two years’ installments, it adds a completely new floor to the online casino and fits together with all of the other games from the past two years. This includes prior casino games as well as the slots-only games that are also released annually (including Reel Deal Slots Ghost Town, this year’s edition). From one convenient menu, you can reach any table game, poker game, or slot of any of the Reel Deal games you own. Both the hard copy games and the download slots are high in quality compared to the competing casino software out there. This game sets the bar in the gambling game genre.

You may play this game either offline or in a "massive multiplayer online" experience that includes play with other live players, experience points, and leveling up to earn new rewards. There are frequent updates. The first month of online play is a free trial; however, after the first month it costs $9.99, for the full experience. It is a good value, especially considering it also includes a brand new slot download each month for free that would cost $5.99 if downloaded separately. The slots you receive during your subscription are yours to keep forever, even if you cancel your subscription. How many other subscription games give you content to keep and use offline?

 

I have been subscribing to the Reel Deal online casino for two years, eclipsing the amount of time I’ve ever paid for an MMO subscription before. The frequent updates and new download content every single month keep the game fresh. But if subscriptions are just not for you, there is also online multiplayer "free" mode with Gold Rush, with limited access that includes live play with other players on table games.

There are so many individual tables and machines that you always have a dizzying array of choices. The slot machines include three reelers, as well as a lot of themed video slots with elaborate bonus rounds that play out as different minigames. Each one is unique and the artistic quality is high. There are some slots on Gold Rush, but if you want more add Ghost Town, the slot-exclusive game. As for the table games, I am disappointed that my favorite table game is not available (Caribbean Stud), however, I can forgive that omission when there are so many great others, including the old standbys like Black Jack and Roulette and rare games like Sic Bo and Faro. There are 36 casino games on Gold Rush. But my favorite feature is the Sports Book, where you can bet on real NFL, MLB, and NHL games (with your in-game money), and results are the actual results of the real games. As a rabid Patriots fan the opportunity to bet on my team each week adds excitement to the football game. There is also a Race Book with horse and greyhound racing, and in game races you can bet on. This version is far superior to some other casino games that show plastic models of horses circling around a plastic track. There’s a video feed on a monitor, a photo finish monitor, and a track with realistic-looking horses or hounds.

As you play on the online MMO game you earn experience points and level up, and with leveling, comes rewards. These perks include becoming a “whale” and being comped by a casino host to your own private suite (which you can decorate with furniture and casino games you can buy at the in-game mall), raises in table limits, and access to new areas and new stores. It’s exciting to earn new stuff, and it keeps the game fresh, but it can get tedious leveling and grinding if you have a level goal in mind to earn something specific. The game is a lot more fun if you aren’t worried about your level. Unfortunately the rewards can be tantalizing making that difficult sometimes...