TBGs – Turn-based games operate precisely as their namesake suggests. Players take sequential turns making decisions while playing a game. This differs dramatically from real-time games, which require players to act immediately. Players carefully, methodically, and deliberately plan their moves with turn-based games. We see this all the time in a wide variety of entertainment attractions. Many high-profile games are built on a turn-based model, and each one requires players to wait for opponents, real or game AI, to respond before the next action.
TBGs abound with an extraordinary collection of ranking titles. They include role-playing games, board games, and strategy games. Several notable examples come to mind:
- Chess Games – Whether digital or traditional, chess games require players to wait for their opponent to make a move before they can. The objective of this strategy-based game is to plan to outmaneuver your opponent.
- Civilization – This strategy-based game requires players to build empires. It’s also deeply rooted in players learning to make diplomatic decisions while engaging in turn-based battles. Civilization’s popularity is off the charts.
- Hearthstone – Digital card games like Hearthstone utilize playing cards. Players take turns to play cards, attack enemies, and develop winning strategies. Players fight one-on-one in card battles across many different gaming modes.
- Final Fantasy Tactics – This turn-based game requires placing characters on a grid while taking turns to attack or defend their positions. Skills and abilities, tactics and strategies play an integral part in proceedings. Final Fantasy Tactics is yet another hugely popular turn-based game.
How Turn-Based Elements Weave Their Way Into Casino Games
BLACKJACK: We see TBGs at social casinos too. Many card games, table games, and slot games have thought-driven actions in play. Blackjack is a classic example of a turn-based game. The action begins in earnest when you place chips on the table.
The blackjack dealer, typically a computer program with algorithmically driven randomizing elements, issues two cards face up to players. Players must make decisions based on these cards and the dealer’s upcard. The typical blackjack options include Hit, Stand, Double, and Insurance.
In other words, players do not make decisions based solely on the first two cards they are dealt. It’s a strategy-based game that requires careful and methodical play. Bankroll management, card counting, and the dealer’s upcard are factored into the equation.
Note that online blackjack is typically played with multiple players at the table. However, the cards that other players are holding are irrelevant in online blackjack games. The only interaction that matters is the dynamic between the player’s and the dealer’s hands.
SLOTS: If you were to quiz 100 people about whether there is any strategic element to playing slots, 99 of them would say no. Slots may not be turn-based in the traditional sense, but certain features introduce decision-making moments that resemble TBG mechanics. However, strategy doesn’t necessarily take place only while playing a game; it is often the overriding consideration before a game is selected.
Strategy-based slots players will always assess a game on its merits. Considerations include RTP (higher is always better), minimum/maximum coin, values, volatility/variance with payouts, and the availability of the game, jackpot rounds, pick’em features, or challenges. Whenever additional elements are included in slot games, they become turn-based attractions.
Consider the case where a spin yields a winning outcome, and this activates a bonus round where you are required to pick red or black from a selection of cards that come up on the screen. You can forgo the bonus option or try your luck and boost your bankroll balance.
Granted, the nature of casino games is such that the house always has a built-in advantage. Players can never change the odds, but it is possible to manage expectations, increase/decrease risk, and budget allocations per game.
ROULETTE: Here is another variant of a turn-based game where players must wait before placing chips on specific numbers, columns, rows, selections, etcetera. Granted, players only have one turn to place their chips on the table – the roulette deck – between each round of play.
There are specific cases where the roulette ball lands on a number selection, and players must wait for the wheel spin to be finalized before deciding on their following action. For example, the En Prison rule in French Roulette keeps the chips locked until the next spin. In other words, a series of player versus dealer interactions requires both parties to wait for the other to complete actions.
Based on what we know, blackjack, video poker, and poker are the most famous turn-based social casino games. This is particularly true of poker, where every action hinges upon other players’ posturing, psychology, or performance. There are several notable characteristics of turn-based games, including the following:
- Asynchronous gameplay – This simply means that TBGs allow players to take turns at their convenience. This is preferred for casual gaming purposes.
- Computer or multiplayer opponents – This aspect of TBGs is most applicable to poker and blackjack games or other tournament-style attractions.
- Strategy over reflexes – Every TBG, without fail, depends on tactics, techniques, and thought processes. It’s not about quick reactions; it’s about carefully calculated decision-making.
TBG action is invariably at work whenever multiplayer strategy modes are implemented as part of social casino games. It is undeniable that the vast majority of social casino games are purely about luck. However, there are certain games with strategic elements that attract turn-based gamers.
Overall, the Vegas-style gaming industry has a propensity for strategy-based game elements. While social casino games are primarily luck-based, the rise of strategy elements, from blackjack to strategic slot decisions, signals an evolving landscape where turn-based gamers may find more engagement.