No download slots are online slot machine games that you can play in your browser with a software platform called Flash, which you can download for free here.
Because Flash allows for complex animation and effects without the need for a download, it is one of the most popular platforms for online casino design.
What Is Flash and How Does It Work?
Flash is a type of software used to deliver video to users’ computers over the Internet. It is a software product produced by the Adobe Corp., though it used to be owned by a company called Macromedia.
This platform isn’t limited to desktop or laptop use—you can watch Flash videos on certain other devices that have Internet access. But not all Web-capable gadgets are Flash-compatible; Android and Apple’s lack of support for the software on their phones and tablets are the most notorious examples.
How Do No Download Slots Work?
No download slots are actually video files with a user interaction aspect. These videos are delivered to your computer (or your mobile device) through a designated Flash server.
Some of this interaction happens behind the scenes without your active participation. In fact, most players don’t even know that it happens.
Before you start playing a slot machine game, your device begins with a virtual handshake with the server. That’s what creates the connection between the device and the server—video and audio content flow through this connection.
The Adobe Flash Player software decodes this information on your computer and shows it to you in the desired format. In other words, without the Flash Player software, you don’t have a slot machine game at all—just a video file you can’t open.
Luckily, this all happens seamlessly on most computers via a plug-in that your Web browser probably already has.
The Benefits of Flash
The Flash platform is fast and the content is high quality. In fact, it offers higher quality and faster delivery than other platforms. The software accomplishes this by using a vector-based animation that requires less storage space than other forms of video software. That’s how they achieve such speed and that signature crisp look.
Also, the vector animation allows for smooth re-sizing of the video images. Other file types have more trouble with this sort of re-sizing. Flash slots, as a result, look good on any kind of device you can think of, including:
- Smart Phones
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Desktop Computers
Even though all of those devices have different screen sizes, you still get a great looking game to play.
But a more important benefit is the widespread nature of its adoption. You can view the statistics on how many people use Flash here. Most computers and mobile devices already have Flash software installed when you buy them. Developers have little choice but to design content for it, because that’s what everyone expects.
The Drawbacks of Flash
The biggest disadvantage to slot machine play via Flash is the lack of support for this kind of animation on some brands of smartphones.
Apple’s iPhone and iPad don’t support Flash. You can get around this by using jailbreaks and downloads of certain apps, but that can void your warranty. In most cases, it doesn’t look so great anyway.
In other words, for some people, reduced quality graphics, sound, and animations might be a problem. But that’s only when you compare those games to the full-feature downloadable version. Instant play considerations might outweigh flawless appearance, but that’s a decision you’ll want to make based on what kind of device you’re using.
No Download Slot Machine Games Available
A LOT of devices are compatible with this format. As a result, Internet slot machine designers have produced a correspondingly large number of games for this software.
Here are three examples of major casino software designers who offer Flash format games:
- Bally hosts ALL their slot machine games (and their other casino games) in Flash. Bally did a great job translating these games to mobile and desktop formats. In fact, I’d argue that Bally has the best-looking flash games in the gambling market.
- Microgaming also offers almost their entire library in this format, depending on which casino you’re dealing with. They’ve been at it since 1994, which makes them one of the oldest participants in this market. They do not offer real money games to United States players.
- NetEntertainment hosts games exclusively on Flash, too. Some of the biggest names in European’s gambling industry use NetEntertainment to power their games. Like Microgaming, they don’t accept real money players from the United States.
Conclusion
Online slots that use Flash aren’t going anywhere. Not for a long time, anyway. In terms of ever-present and readily available software for video, Flash is the undisputed king—at least for now. It’s a great tool for casino game designers, and most games for this platform are of high quality.
