Japan-O-Rama Slots is a low budget Asian themed game that manages to have a lot of charm despite it’s minimal aesthetics. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with it, mostly wishing that they’d done a little more with the Japanese theme, as some of it looks dated or irrelevant now that times have moved on from the dancing robot era and flip phones. If you like inside jokes, Japanese culture, and subdued color palettes, you’ll love the hell out of this fun and fast paced slot game.
Premise
The premise of Japan-O-Rama Slots is, as you might expect, the land of the rising sun. Geisha, robots, and oddly mostly technology items little the reels as you make spin after spin with Kanji along the outside rim. It’s an odd Americanized take on the culture that isn’t quite a spoof or parody, but manages to get close. They captured a certain take on the culture that still manages to be fun, likely even for Japanese people should they get a chance to play it. It’s like a 90s take on what Japan was like.
Presentation
Graphics in Japan-O-Rama Slots are great despite their limited budget. Everything is crisp, clear, colorful, and compelling to look at, which makes your time spent playing all the easier because of how easy they are on the eyes. The Kanji around the rim are especially appreciated, as most games let their UI fall off the deep end to look like crap. Everything here looks really great, the colors pop without being overbearing, and the designs they used—while lacking a little expressiveness—do capture the oddly minimal look that Japan is known for.
Mechanics
Gameplay in Japan-O-Rama Slots is standard, but not bad. At 5 reels and 20 pay lines, it does not break the mold there, chosing instead to keep things classy in ways we can respect.
Betting here begins at a penny, making this an accessible slot that anyone can jump into in hopes of winning a lot of money without worrying about necessarily breaking the bank in the process. Max bets cap out at the low end, which tends to be how we rolled when we played it a bunch for our review. It’s a thrifty game that anyone can jump into and enjoy in a carefree way.
Geishas get you up to 20 free spins, and also pay a 3x multiplier. Jackpots max out at 1000x, which our wallets appreciate.
Likes
+ Solid and classic play mechanics
+ Decent payouts
Dislikes
- Gameplay is not very innovative
- Can be a little addicting at times for obvious reasons
Who is this Game For?
This game is suitable for players of all types. In particular, it should appeal to:
* Players new to digital slots and looking for something relatively accessible
* Moderate intensity players that have gotten their feet plenty wet in the online slots world and are looking for something a little more involved
* Jaded slot vets
* People that mostly want to win a bunch of money playing digital slot games
* Players looking for slot nostalgia for the similarities and differences this slot has to other games
* People more used to normal video games that are looking to get their feet wet in the world of online slots
Who is the Game NOT For?
Although we enjoy this slot, it is not for everybody. In particular, it may not be your cup of tea if this describes you in any fashion:
* Averse to winning money online
* Looking for something truly innovative in the genre
* You find the theme in any way offputting
Is it Buggy?
In the time we spent playing this game, we did not encounter any bugs, problems, or errors. The same cannot be said for all slots of this genre, so we commend the developers for a job well done on that. We also encountered no issues in processing winnings or payments, and everything ran very smooth just like you would expect across many varied devices in a variety of ecosystems and operating systems.
Conclusion
Japan-O-Rama Slots is an odd 90s take on what Japanese culture would soon be like in a subdued way. With accessible betting amounts, lots of charisma, and a keen attention to detail, you can do a lot worse than playing the check out of this game. It doesn’t quite sing or soar when it comes to capturing what makes Japan unique, but it is a valid take on their aesthetic that is fittingly minimal without being sparse. We recommend giving it a go and seeing what you think. We promise it plays better than it looks, which is saying a lot since it still looks pretty damn good.
