Back in the dark ages of the internet, when dial-up screeched like a dying robot and a single webpage took longer to load than your grandma’s Windows 95 PC, online slot games were born. And let’s be real, those first games were rough. Graphics? More pixelated than a Minecraft fever dream. Animations? If you were lucky, the reels actually spun instead of just changing numbers. Sound effects? Probably stolen from a Casio keyboard demo track. But as we start to get over 80s nostalgia, the 90s are suddenly in and those old slots may just be cool again.

Now, I’m not saying Novomatic sat down and said, ‘Let’s bring back the golden age of janky online slots,’ but the Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot sure feels like a deliberate throwback.

90’s here we come

The Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot from Novomatic features 10 paylines spread across five reels that occupy close to every inch of the window. Betting starts at just $0.10, with a maximum limit of $50. If you’re betting at the maximum amount, you stand a chance to win up to $321,100, thanks to the 6,422x maximum multiplier. The slot has high volatility, meaning wins may be less frequent but can be substantial when they are hit. The slot’s RTP is 92.13%.

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The Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot is a classic “Book Of” slot, sticking closely to the genre’s standard formula. These slots typically feature a small number of paylines and a free spins round with an expanding symbol, which is chosen just before the feature begins. Bonus features in the base game are usually limited to a wild symbol that substitutes for others to complete or enhance winning combinations.

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Novomatic didn’t stray far from this blueprint when designing the Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot. It includes all the familiar elements, with the only notable addition being a Buy Bonus feature, making it one of the few differences from a standard “Book Of” slot.

Is the Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot old-school cool?

I wasn’t in the game when Microgaming dropped the first online slot in 1994. In fact, I was just six when that milestone rolled around. But over the years, I’ve had the pleasure (and occasional horror) of playing plenty of 90s-born slots, and yeah, there’s some undeniable nostalgic charm there.

That said, creating a modern slot that deliberately leans into those 90s vibes? Didn’t see that coming. And honestly? I’m not sure it works. At first, the throwback aesthetic pulled me in, and I happily spun through a dozen or so rounds. But after that? The appeal wore off fast. The Golden Ark Buy Bonus slot gets a solid five out of ten—one point for nostalgia, the rest for sheer stubbornness.

If you’re looking for a few other Novomatic slots to try out for a few spins, I recommend Aztec Eclipse Hold & Win and Chicago.