At last month’s Casino Marketing Conference, Incredible Technologies (IT), a top arcade game manufacturer turned slot maker, gave a presentation on how marketing slot games should be a shared endeavor between the casino and manufacturer.

In the process, Dan Schrementi, the company’s director of gaming marketing and new media, discussed games of the future and what players will be looking for.

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"Games must be built to suit the needs of their players," Schrementi said. "And the needs of the ‘new generation’ player have more to do with marketing than they ever have before."

Schrementi suggested future slot players’ needs could parallel the needs of video game players. They include a sense of pride and competition, perceived skill and possibly a feeling of community involvement – all underscored by a compelling and entertaining experience.

Whether the attractions of video arcade games can be applied to electronic slot machines remains to be seen, but for Incredible Technologies the future is now with the debut of their first line of gaming machines.

Famous for its Golden Tee Golf arcade game, Incredible Technologies has created a suite of gaming machines under the Magic Touch brand, which includes video slots, poker and keno games.

The Magic Touch line has been approved by Gaming Laboratories International and is available in several jurisdictions, including tribal casinos in California, Michigan and Wisconsin, and in Illinois and Indiana. The company is also seeking regional approval in other jurisdictions and expects to enter new markets as those certifications are issued.

"Magic Touch has passed the test — it’s engaging players with its innovation and most importantly, it’s earning," said Elaine Hodgson, IT’s president and CEO. "Whether in amusement games or casinos, this is what our company is driven to do and now we’re ready to prove ourselves on casino floors across the country."

One of those casino floors is at the Barona Resort & Casino in San Diego, which became the first U.S. casino to launch Magic Touch games.

One of the features of the Magic Touch line that immediately caught players’ attention was the "Prize Guy," an animated character that offers players three ways to win: a low volatility game designed to pay off often; a medium volatility game, designed to win steadily; and a high volatility game, designed to win big but less often.

"The new Magic Touch game is one of the more exciting new products to launch at Barona because it empowers individual slot players to choose how they want to win," said Chuck Hickey, Barona’s vice president of sales. "We believe cutting edge technology is only good if it is good for our players. Magic Touch is both great and exciting for our players and adds to their overall gaming experience."

The new penny video slots feature state-of-the-art 3-D graphics, animations and digital sound. Players can choose from four different themes, including the buzzing and fast Cars, colorful Fish Store, wild and exotic Fruit and action-packed Money.

"If we’re not creating games that push the boundaries of imagination, we’re not doing our job," IT’s Hodgson said. "Much like us, Barona thrives on a spirit of innovation in entertainment, making them the premier partner to launch our Magic Touch video slot games."

Not long after the Magic Line was launched at Barona, it was honored at the Gaming Technology Summit as one of the industry’s Top 20 Most Innovative Gaming Technology Products of the Year.

"Our organization is founded on talented people with big ideas," Hodgson said. "And I’ve learned the best ideas require the biggest risks. To be able to celebrate some victories this early on as a new manufacturer in the gaming industry is motivational to our entire team."