Titan 360 or Crystal Cyclone: What is that Behemoth at Pala?

Last Tuesday when my husband and I stopped at Pala Casino, one of the four Native American casinos along HWY 76 where we frequently play, we noticed that workers were hard at work installing a huge new multi-station game, a game that is so large it totally filled the space the casino uses for their automobile give aways.  What is this behemoth gaming device? The men installing it didn't seem to know what it was called or how long it will be in Pala, but there are only two possibilities.  Either Pala is a little late getting a chance to display Konami's Titan 360 which Pechanga premiered in So Cal about 2 years ago and nationally in 2013. Or perhaps Pala is ahead of the curve this time and is installing the second generation Titan machine unveiled to gamers who attended G2E 2016 in Las Vegas last September.called the Crystal Cyclone. 

AZ Gaming Guide had an article on the Titan 360 in the September issue of its magazine. The Titan 360, according to the writers, is a limited edition product by Konami, weighing nearly 3 tons and one of the biggest slots in the world.  Just 26 of these machines were ever made. The super-slot features a large multi-station progressive bonus game built upon multiple video slot game bases. Standing nearly 12 feet tall the games central bonusing unit leverages a mechanical wheel and large rolling mechanical ball to determine bonus award amounts.  Titan 360 uses popular 30 line Konami video titles such as Golden Pumpkin, Dragon Celebration, and others all familiar to slot players everywhere.

When the bonus is triggered, the entire central unit swivels around to place the wheel in front of the winner's machine. A physical ball launches from one side and swoops back and forth seeking a pocket to land in. If the pocket contains a dollar amount, the players win that prize.  The ball can land in 20, 30, 40, 200, or 500 credit pockets on the bonus ring, where the player wins the amount shown times their bet amount. However, if the ball lands in a green, yellow, or blue pocket the player wins a mini, maxi, or major jackpot respectively.  And if the ball lands in a red diamond pocket, there is an opportunity to to play on a new big money ring where prizes are multiplied by 10 and the jackpots are even bigger.  Players must bet all lines and the extra Titan 360 wager to be eligible for the bonus. The Titan 360 attracted a lot of attention everywhere is was displayed.

Perhaps, however, the new machine being installed by Pala is not the original Titan 360. Perhaps it is the new second generation machine called the Crystal Cyclone which was previewed at G2E this fall.

Calling once again on its amusement-game roots, Konami has adapted a concept popular in Japanese amusement arcades to create Crystal Cyclone, another arcade-style game that launches balls into a giant roulette-like wheel for payoffs.

The Titan 360 was a hit, but its size limited volume sales. Titan 360 attracted crowds, but due primarily to its size, it was a limited-release product with less than 30 units manufactured. But  casino customers are very interested in this high-entertainment, multi-station product niche, and so Konami has created the second generation game: the Crystal Cyclone.

Crystal Cyclone features personal video slot stations around a central bonus arena that players access during random feature events. The machine can release as many as 60 balls around a slotted circular track with colorful light and high-impact sound. “It has even more collaborative effect because the bonuses can be simultaneous for all players.  Anyone who attended this year’s show can speak to the energy and attention this game creates.

Videographers at G2E film the new games released there so the rest of us can share the experience before the games appear in the casinos.  I am providing a link to the film of the Crystal Cyclone from YouTube, and after I find out from Pala which game - the original Titan 360 or the Crystal Cyclone - they are installing, I'll be back to update this post. Stay tuned for more.

 https://youtu.be/8pd7MvkbV5U