PlayPearls Review - Developer That Brings Real Casinos to the Computer Screen
PlayPearls is a software developer that appeared in the iGaming industry in 2012. Although considered to be a relatively small company, PlayPearls made its mark by being one of the few providers of authentic live casino games. The company is licensed, certified, and considered to be one of the most successful “newcomers” on the iGaming scene, and today continues to offer a variety of games and services. In this article, we uncover what kind of company PlayPearls is, and which of the products and services it offers are preferred by the best new casinos online.
The Games – A Lean Selection
This developer has decided to go all out, which is why they offer slot games, live dealer titles, instant win games, and others online casino games as well. Overall, there are around 90 games to choose from, and if we are to count out a few exceptions, all of the themes here will be original.
The interesting fact here is that all live games are streamed from the gambling floors of actual land-based casinos! Granted, this has its benefits and drawbacks, which we have explored in this review, later on. For now, we will take an in-depth look at the RNG side of the developer’s portfolio.
The Slots Are Fun
Although there are many original visual themes, some of the slots are modelled after licensed franchises. Currently sporting around 55 titles, the slot portfolio of PlayPearls is quite impressive when it comes to quantity and variety. On the other hand, we have noticed that the majority of this developer’s slot games feature only one reel pattern profile (a 5x3), and the same types of additional gaming features. We have taken a more extensive look at some of the best PlayPearls slots below, check them out.
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“Reality Stars”
This slot is carrying a “reality show” visual theme, and a 5x3 reel pattern. When the game is initiated, the player can choose a “host character” which will serve as a “wild symbol” – they can change the host at any time during gameplay as well. The other special symbols present in the game are two types of “bonus”, as well as a “free spins” (FS) symbol. Depending on which bonus symbol is landed in a winning combination, the slot will initiate a mini-game that will grant instant monetary rewards or multiplied win prizes. Successful FS symbol combinations can give up to 30 free spins! Reality Stars has 25 fixed pay lines and an RTP of 95.51%.
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“Star Trex”
A game styled after “dinosaurs in space”, this 5x3 slot is another standard slot by PlayPearl, featuring 25 fixed pay lines, two types of bonus symbols, wilds, free spins, and two types of bonus games. In the first one, the player will “spin” a single reel that will decide a battle between two dinosaurs. Every successful hit to the opponent will secure a prize amount. The second bonus mini-game also provides instant prize wins; however, they come with a winnings multiplier. Star Trex has a 95.47% RTP rate.
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“Wild School”
This game dons a “raunchy” theme and a number of special features. The slot has a regular 5x3 reel pattern and an RTP of 95.32%. There are two bonus games, one of which is a “model competition” of three rounds, where players “choose a girl” in three consecutive stages. The game will determine a winner every time, and if it coincides with the player’s choice, they will receive the maximum prize amount. The second bonus game resembles a “dating simulator” which grants prize winnings based on how well the player performed. The game also features a storyboard comic, that unlocks additional pages the more plays are made.
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“Freya Arrow of the North”
Sporting an RTP rate of 97.05% and a classic 5x3 pattern, Freya Arrow of the North offers two mini-games; the first one is a dice game, and the second one is a “boss battle”. Like the majority of other slots of PlayPearls, this one also features two types of bonus, free spins, and wild symbols.
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“Iron Sky: The Coming Race”
Based on the licensed “Iron Sky” franchise, this 5x3 slot will grant up to 30 free spins to players who land a winning combination of the special symbols. There are wild symbols, and bonus games that grant additional wins. Iron Sky has 25 fixed pay lines, and an RTP rate of 97.05%.
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“Heavy Metal Princess”
One of the more different slots of PlayPearl, this slot might feature five reels and three rows; however, the additional bonus features make it interesting and fun to play. There are free spins, wild symbols, and two types of bonus games which provide monetary prizes. Although this game also has only 25 fixed pay lines, what separates Heavy Metal Princess from other slots, is the “mystery jackpot” feature that can grant players winnings of up to €5,000.
Instant Win Games Are Mostly Scratch Cards
Currently, there are six scratch card titles, and a single video poker game (“Jacks or Better Saloon”) produced by PlayPearls. What is interesting to note, is that all of the scratchcard games have the same 3x3 symbol grid, and their gameplay is essentially the same – the player adjusts their bet, purchases a card, and reveals the hidden symbols. If three of the same symbols are revealed, then the player would receive the amount designated in that symbol.
The Live Casino Portfolio
The live dealer games offered by PlayPearls, are streamed from three specific casino resorts – the Portomaso Casino in Malta, the Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club in Ireland, and the Oracle Casino, again, in Malta. When it comes to experiencing the “real deal” online, nothing can come closer than placing a real wager on a land-based casino floor; however, due to the nature of that gaming system, there are some restrictions.
The first one is the fact that there are only five available streams for all three casinos, and they are only of roulette tables. Another minor drawback is that due to the fact that land-based casinos have some kind of a working schedule, which means that the roulette tables won’t be available at all times.
The Licenses and Certificates of PlayPearls
PlayPearls possesses an eGaming License from Curacao Interactive Licensing (CIL). The developer is also licensed and regulated by the Autonomous Administration of the State Monopolies of Italy (AAMS). An interesting fact here, is that the license possessed from (CIL) is actually considered to be a “sublicense” which is given by a “master license holder” which in this case is the CIL administration.
All of the gaming software developed and produced by PlayPearls has been tested, audited, and certified to be safe and fair by two separate companies. The first one, NMI, is a renowned agency that was acquired by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI); the second one, is the highly renowned testing laboratory QUINEL with ID (J20010908_R001_RNG_REV.1). As part of the licensing agreement with different jurisdictions, PlayPearls regularly has its products and services tested for quality and validity!
Mobile Platform Compatibility and Additional Platform Support
A bit of a concern here, is the fact the live dealer games interface was developed on the software platform Flash, which is incompatible with mobile devices. Unfortunately, live casino gaming will be available only to players who use Windows or macOS-based computers. On the other hand, all of the slot games released by PlayPearls, are developed with the use of HTML5, which makes them fully compatible with all modern mobile browsers, and devices that run on Android and iOS.
On an “up note”, we determined that the company advertises its use of HTML5 technology in several places. We managed to find out that when the company initially started out, a good portion of their gaming software was based only on Flash. With the latest updates in development technology, we could determine that PlayPearls has begun to rework the majority of its games into a new superior platform format.
Brief Company History and Company Mission Statement
With offices located in Poland, Malta, Cyprus, and Finland, PlayPearls most certainly has a good reach to distribute its own products and services. The website of PlayPearls went live a year after the company was established. An interesting fact is that when the company started offering its services for the first time, their live dealer platform still consisted of streams from land-based casinos!
PlayPearls has released a lengthy statement, explaining their mission and vision as a company. To make a long story short, the business voices its dedication to the needs of its customers, regardless of how big or small they are; furthermore, they strive to achieve excellence and innovation through the superior organisation of its own resources. Today, PlayPearls continues to release new online casino games while trying to introduce new and improved gaming features.
News Section and Additional Information Sources
PlayPearls has a dedicated news section on its official homepage; however, there is barely any information in it. The developer has chosen two social media platforms where they post additional information on new projects, business developments, and gaming releases. PlayPearls also has a LinkedIn account, which will contain general information about the company itself.
How Does PlayPearls Compare to Others in the Industry?
Although the company is not considered to be “big”, PlayPearls has managed to make itself known to the best new casinos online in the UK and the EU for offering both instant games and live dealer solutions. Although the developer kind of “lacks” in offering a substantial variety in terms of gaming, it is still considered to reach “above average” standards. If we are to judge by the company’s progress history, we would say that PlayPearls is yet to achieve its full potential.
Gambling and Care for the Players
In its mission statement, the company declares that they are dedicated to “responsible gambling”, which is why they spread awareness of the potential issues that a player can face if they lose control, and fall into the dark side of gambling addiction. It is exactly for this purpose, that PlayPearls associates with several mental health organisations tasked with assisting people in need. Both GambleAware and GamCare are renowned as being incredibly dedicated to helping players who experience difficulties with their gambling addiction tendencies, which is why the links to their websites are listed on PlayPearls’ official page.
Partnerships with Casinos and Other Companies
In addition to being in a business alliance with a number of online casino brands, perhaps, the most important relationship PlayPearls has, is with the company InBet. InBet is a software developer and distributor as well, that has provided more than 80 RNG instant games to PlayPearls’ aggregation platform. As a live dealer provider that specialises in the provision of real casino streaming services, PlayPearls are always looking for new venues!
PlayPearls Has a Lot of Potential
So far, things do seem a bit slow for the company, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t moving forward. The introduction of a “comic storyline” to the slots might have seemed to provide a “unique touch” to the gaming genre as a whole. On the other hand, however, PlayPearls will need to work toward the expansion of both their RNG and live dealer portfolio, as not to get “buried under the competition”. We are more than certain that at some point in the future, PlayPearls will manage to further impress the players, and the best new casinos online!