Focus On: Relax Gaming

Next up in our ‘Focus On’ series, the spotlight shines on Relax Gaming – a development company whose rise has been meteoric, to say the least. 

A truly unique developer

If you’ve browsed a casino or 2, you'll likely have come across this award-winning studio's work. 

Relax Gaming sports an impressive network of poker, bingo and casino games, with familiar franchises, record-breaking network promotions, and ground-breaking visuals. 

Recent noteworthy awards include:

• Best Mobile Gaming Software Provider – 2022 EGR B2B Awards
• Product Launch of the Year for Dream Drop Jackpots – 2023 Global Gaming Awards
• Skill Games Supplier – 2023 EGR B2B Awards

Despite their name, there’s nothing particularly relaxed about Relax Gaming’s work ethic. In fact, this is one of the most prolific modern developers on the scene – a company at the very top of its game.

“delivery of unique content at an unrivalled speed-to-market”

Relax Gaming has gained a reputation for producing slots, which are innovative in their underlying mechanics and features, and always offer incredible audiovisual elements. Quality comes first, but still, Relax Gaming manages to turn around games at a truly impressive rate.

Looking back…

Patrik Österåker and Jani Tekoniemi founded Relax Gaming in 2010 with the intention of providing high-quality games in a business-to-business capacity. Over the next couple of years, they put together a crack development team and opened their flagship office in Tallinn, Estonia.

The company’s focus gradually shifted from providing high-quality gaming solutions on the technological side of things to aggregating and creating top slots. This proved to be a winning move as Relax Gaming soon had a collection of big wins to its name.

Early victories included successful online poker and bingo platforms, as well as a few fun slots. Relax Gaming has flourished and now boasts a truly international presence, with employees in Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Malta, Serbia and Sweden. 

The highlights

Players who are new to Relax Gaming will find plenty to like. Here are a few of the things that really stand out for us: 

High-end graphics

Ask any slots aficionado what comes to mind when they think of Relax Gaming, and they’re likely to mention the visuals. Relax Gaming cuts no corners when it comes to graphics, consistently demonstrating high levels of quality and innovation. This approach gives many of its slots a more immersive and engaging experience than many of the company’s competitors.

Gripping mechanics

Relax Gaming really goes the whole hog when it comes to in-game mechanics. Its base games are fun to play, rather than simply being something to navigate through in search of the bonus round. But, when that bonus round does arrive, it really arrives! Some of Relax Gaming’s innovative mechanics and bonus rounds, such as those in the popular Money Train games, have a wide range of possible outcomes which boosts the thrill of the ride.

Rapid production cycle

The efficiency of Relax Gaming’s workflow enables its developers to release new titles at an impressive rate – meaning they stay on top of current trends and respond quickly to shifts in player and casino preference. 

Dream Drop Jackpots

Relax Gaming launched Dream Drop Jackpots in May 2022. This progressive network jackpot has five tiers, and constitutes the “biggest must-hit jackpot to date”. With Rapid, Midi, Maxi, Major and Mega jackpots available to players, Dream Drop made eight millionaires and awarded two million prizes in its first year after release.

Landmark games

As with any developer, there are a few games that make Relax Gaming who they are. Here are just some of the titles that really define this ground-breaking company.

Hellcatraz

Hellcatraz is a volatile six-reel slot with 46,656 pay lines and some unique graphics. Set on the notorious Alcatraz Island prison, populated with crooks and coppers, Hellcatraz challenges players to collect cell keys. Gather enough cell keys and you’ll unlock the Mystery Reveal and Super Free Spins bonus features. 

The design of this game really sets it apart from the majority of Relax Gaming’s offerings, most of which feature luscious visuals. Hellcatraz’s graphics are intentionally simplistic, and are laced with fun, retro 8-bit video game nostalgia.

Name:

Hellcatraz

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

96.46%

Max payout:

51,840x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

6

Win lines:

46,656

Theme:

Action, Crime, Gaming

Release date:

4th May 2020

Play Hellcatraz here:

Dead Riders Trail

Dead Riders Trail is a thrilling 2022 release from Relax Gaming. It operates on a 6x6 grid and features an impressive 96.2% RTP. Destroying all of the stone blocks in the grid will unlock a feature wheel, which will either award the player some free spins, or launch them onto the bonus trail, giving them the opportunity to score up to 50,000x their stake.

With its fast-paced action, heart-pumping score, gritty crime theme and intense visuals, Dead Riders Trail cements Relax Gaming’s position as a high-end developer of slots with serious, ‘grown up’ themes.

Name:

Dead Riders Trail

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

96.20%

Max payout:

50,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

6

Win lines:

46,656

Theme:

Action, Crime

Release date:

24th Aug 2022

Play Dead Riders Trail here:

Money Train 2

Relax Gaming’s Money Train 2 is a five-reel slot with 40 paylines. Despite the grimy steampunk setting, this game has a really polished feel. Money Train 2 has become a bit of a flagship for Relax Gaming, marking an early foray into the world of franchises.

Money Train 2’s Money Cart bonus round can be triggered by landing three or more bonus symbols on any reels. This fun feature boasts 11 different possible outcomes which span multipliers, free spins, respins and more. Unsurprisingly, the success of Money Train 2 prompted Relax Gaming to release Money Train 3, which hit casino libraries back in 2022.

Name:

Money Train 2

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

96.40%

Max payout:

50,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

40

Theme:

Crime, Steampunk, Wild West

Release date:

2nd Sep 2020

Play Money Train 2 here:

Alternative Games

Some players like to stick to the flagship games, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But it can sometimes be beneficial to explore a little further, and Relax Gaming’s library offers plenty of scope for this.

Money Train Origins Dream Drop

We’ve mentioned the Money Train franchise already, but Money Train Origins Dream Drop should be considered separately. This is essentially a spinoff which combines Money Train’s winning formula with Relax Gaming’s top progressive network jackpot. Whilst the RTP is a little low at 94%, the max win is 10,000x your stake. Fans of the series will be pleased to learn that this is a prequel game, set in the pre-cyberpunk Wild West.

Name:

Money Train Origins Dream Drop

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

94.00%

Max payout:

10,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Jackpot:

Dream Drop Jackpot

Reels:

5

Win lines:

40

Theme:

Adventure, Wild West

Release date:

8th Jun 2023

Play Money Train Origins Dream Drop here:

Neko Night Dream Drop

Neko Night Dream Drop takes players on a journey to neon-lit Tokyo, providing a stimulating atmosphere full of auspicious cats and other Asian symbols of good fortune. This is another title which incorporates the excellent Dream Drop network jackpot, so there are plenty of chances to score some massive wins. In fact, this title has already made a few millionaires.

Name:

Neko Night: Dream Drop

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

93.89%

Max payout:

20,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Jackpot:

Dream Drop Jackpot

Reels:

5

Win lines:

1,024

Theme:

Oriental

Release date:

7th Sep 2022

Play Neko Night: Dream Drop here:

Temple Tumble Megaways

Temple Tumble isn’t actually all that alternative – it’s pretty recognisable – but it does need to be mentioned. Players are invited to venture into the treacherous Cambodian jungle in search of riches, but should be wary of what lies in wait… Temple Tumble Megaways came out in early 2019, and was Relax Gaming’s first Megaways title. Needless to say, they nailed it, and Temple Tumble Megaways has aged extremely well.

Name:

Temple Tumble Megaways

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

96.25%

Max payout:

7,767x stake

Volatility:

Medium-High

Reels:

6

Win lines:

46,656

Theme:

Adventure

Release date:

6th Feb 2019

Play Temple Tumble Megaways here:

Where to play

Relax Gaming takes great pride in its broad, expansive distribution network, and so it should! As a result of its many contacts, Relax Gaming’s slots can be found on various excellent sites. You can even pick up welcome bonuses that let you play some of the above games for free!

Looking forward...

Relax Gaming has clearly done some great work, and has a very bright future ahead of it. This is an innovative, forward-thinking company which understands that variety is the spice of life, and its policy of prioritising “driving differentiation” has served it well.

With a passion for quality and diversity, Relax Gaming has scored a number of big award wins at the EGR Awards and Global Gaming Awards over the past few years. This winning streak, along with Relax Gaming’s enviable success rate, is destined to continue.