History of Plinko
The beloved Plinko game has had an interesting and rich history. It started as a part of a game show and immediately caught the attention of the public, with its suspense and appealing prizes. Over the years the game has changed and moved on from its TV origins, but it remains a pop culture phenomenon.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the history of Plinko including how it changed and adapted to new technologies to find new players in the world of online gambling. We’ll explore how and why the game with such a simple concept became a staple of online betting.
The Beginning of Plinko
Plinko’s story begins in the 1980s on a TV show “The Price is Right”. Bob Stewart, who created the show, created the game as well. The goal was to add an exciting and unpredictable break to an already popular and established game show. Since Plinko is based on luck alone and is fun to watch – it fits the bill.
The name Plinko came from the sound the chips made when they bounced off the peg as they were on the way down to the prize section.
The concept behind the game was simple but effective. The contestant on the Price is Right game show would stand at the top of a vertical board, armed with a small disc or chip, and release it into the board. The chips would bounce off the pegs and land at the bottom, onto the sections marked with the prizes the players won.
The game was so popular because the outcome was uncertain to everyone including the players and the viewers. Watching the chips bounce and fall to determine the prize brought a sense of excitement and luck to the game.
How Plinko Evolved
Over the years Plinko evolved greatly from its simple setup. Today the game is a spectacle with many moving parts and dazzling graphics. The game is also played as a betting game far away from the initial game show concept. It has also embraced new technologies such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a way to bet on the outcome of the Plinko game.
The initial changes to the Plinko game were about the design of the wheel and pegs. It included flashing lights, innovative sound effects, as well as the introduction of multipliers and other gameplay elements similar to those found in slots.
After a while, Plinko introduced bonus rounds and special challenges. It added new layers to the game and prevented it from becoming stale. Contestants had to navigate different trivia tests and other games of skill, thus moving away from the initial, simple game of luck.
The changes Plinko went through reflect the ever-changing nature of the entertainment business. If an initial concept is solid enough, it’s always possible to add more layers to it and make it more complex once the audience is used to it.
Going Beyond the Game Show
Plinko quickly became something more than a game show and players started betting on Plinko games in online casinos. As online casinos started to accept cryptocurrencies as a payment option Plinko Bitcoin game took off. It ensured that players could bet on Plinko online regardless of where they were and without having to provide personal information.
An online version of Plinko quickly became popular, as nostalgia for the 80s took over the popularity. That, combined with the simplicity of the game and the chance of large winnings, turned the online Plinko game into a big hit.
The Game Mechanics
While the offline version of the game, the one from the game show, depends on letting the chips hit the right pegs, the online version is more sophisticated. It’s based on a random number generator that determines the outcome of each spin. In both cases, the players rely on luck to guess the outcome.
Since the outcome of each spin is determined by an RNG, it means that the players shouldn’t try to chase their losses after a few bad turns. The player isn’t owed a win after a few losses, since each spin is a separate game of its own.
How Plinko Impacted Other Shows
Plinko influenced a lot of different game shows at the time, due to its popularity and simplicity of its concept. The game has left a mark on the game shows that came after it and many have tried to copy and mimic its success.
The audience was captivated by the game from the start. After a while, The Price is Right introduced flashing lights and a good sound design, which added to the suspense of the section. The overall look and feel of the Plinko game reminded everyone of a game of slots.
The “Wall” was a popular game show that took its cue from Plinko. The contesters dropped a ball and it bounced to the area designated to represent different prizes. The concept is almost the same, but it didn’t catch on behind the game show itself.
“Minutes to Win” was a game show that featured a variety of short challenges. Some of the challenges featured games similar to Plinko as the players dropped chips and other objects and it determined their winnings.
“The Drop” was another game show that completely adopted the Plinko idea. However, Plinko was just a part of The Price is Right, while the drop was all about one game based on luck.
None of these games stuck around and became something more than game shows, unlike Plinko which is still played as a betting game.
Plinko Events and Merchandise
Over the years Plinko games expanded beyond the game show and beyond Plinko Bitcoin games that players can bet on online. It inspired a host of different offline events. These have most often been used for the purposes of collecting charitable donations. The events were set up just as the game show, with celebrity hosts and guests and the winnings used for charitable causes.
A variety of Plinko-related merchandise also followed after the game show became so popular. The most widely used were toys that operated on the same principle as the game but without the prizes.
Casinos also established slot games that have incorporated the Plinko theme. These were not exactly the same as a Plinko Bitcoin game one can play today since they operated on the same principle as other slot games, but they did capitalize on the popularity of the game show.
The popularity of these events and toys goes to show how widely accepted Plinko was as something more than just a part of the game show.
To Sum Up
Plinko games began in the 80s as a part of the game show The Price is Right. The game was simple but exciting and it quickly became popular with the viewers. This has led many game shows to try to mimic the game and set up similar shows of their own.
Now, Plinko has found its way to merchandise toys, as well as to an online version of the game. It uses all the advantages of modern online gambling, such as random number generators and the ability to bet cryptocurrencies instead of traditional fiat money. Plinko has remained a cultural phenomenon through all these changes.
