Dark Knight Slots

The Dark Knight swung into theaters in 2008, and it became one of the highest-grossing superhero movies of all time. Directed by Christopher Nolan, it deals with Batman (Christian Bale) and his relentless fight against crime in Gotham City, especially a chaotic new enemy known as the Joker (Heath Ledger).

Most popular movies or TV shows wind up licensed by one gaming manufacturer at a time, but that wasn't the case with The Dark Knight slots. Microgaming handled the development of the online game, while IGT put their technicians to work building a model for land-based casino customers.

In the end, both games wound up being similar, although there were still more than enough differences to allow players to tell them apart. In this article, we'll look at each version and discuss their reel symbols, jackpots, special features, and bonus rounds. I've also thrown in some extra information about the franchise near the end of the article; hopefully it should prove enjoyable to both newcomers and hardcore fans of the franchise.

Similar Slot Games

The Dark Knight from IGT

This land-based slot machine from IGT is built to accommodate five people, and each player gets an individual screen and also shares a single 100-inch display. As you might expect, the game focuses on the battle between Batman and Joker for Gotham City, and the player must choose a side before beginning play. While the pay tables are the same for both characters, it does affect the icons displayed on the reels.

The penny denomination machine is most popular, although others can be found. In this version, the maximum wager is 250 credits.

There are three bonus rounds in the game. Each of these can be triggered by getting bonus symbols on the middle three reels, and they can also be activated from within the other bonus rounds. They include the following:

Agents of Chaos

In this bonus, 12 Joker masks are displayed on the screen. As you touch the masks, they'll turn around to reveal a hidden cash value. You can continue to make selections until you reveal the one that reads "Party's Over." At this point, the bonus round ends and the value of the others masks is added up and applied to your total.

Sleight of Hand Bonus

Twenty playing cards are displayed, and it's up to the player to swipe their hand across the screen and flip over multiple cards. Rewards associated with the cards can include credits, additional bonus games, or community coins that are shared with other players sitting next to you (who are also playing The Dark Knight).

Sonar Vision Bonus

This bonus takes you deep into the Batcave, where the Dark Knight stands in front of a massive bank of monitors. Your goal is to choose from 12 different monitors, with each one revealing a hidden prize. When you uncover matching symbols, the round ends.

In addition to the bonus rounds available to individual players, The Dark Knight also includes a community bonus.

Battle for Gotham

In order to play this bonus, you'll need to collect coins during the base game. These coins can be redeemed immediately, or you can choose to save them and initiate the bonus game later. For each coin you collect, your bonus multiplier in the community round is increased. The bonus involves a white-knuckle race between Batman and the Joker. As they burn rubber through Gotham City, they'll collect credits and jackpots by driving over coins and being the first to reach select checkpoints.

The Dark Knight from Microgaming

While the IGT version is available at land-based casinos, Microgaming created their Batman slot for online play. It's similar to the competing game in many ways, although a number of important differences remain.

Since it's a licensed product, The Dark Knight has numerous audio and video clips from the Christopher Nolan film. All the reel symbols have some relationship to the movie, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a slot that places greater emphasis on the source material.

There are four progressive jackpots available in the game, and each can be randomly triggered. When this occurs, the player is required to choose either Batman or the Joker prior to spinning a wheel of fortune. With a little luck, you'll walk away with one of the following:

Mini Jackpot
Micro Jackpot
Major Jackpot
Mega Jackpot

All of these jackpots are tied into Microgaming's Mega-Moolah progressive network, meaning a life-changing payday could be just around the corner.

In addition to the progressives, the base game of this slot includes 243 different ways to win. Each winning combination results in a scene from the movie being played, which should be welcome news for fans of Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart.

Some of the more notable features of the game include the following:

Scatter Symbols – The Joker is the scatter symbol, which is only appropriate considering his chaotic nature. If three or more appear on the reels at the same time, then the Free Spin feature is triggered.
Free Spins – This feature allows the player to spin 15 times for free, with all winnings being doubled. The Joker and Batman may also appear at random, awarding additional spins or multipliers.
Wild Symbols – Batman serves as the wild symbol in the game, and he substitutes for all other icons except the scatter symbol. The Joker also acts in the same capacity on occasion, unexpectedly blowing up a symbol and replacing it with a wild.

Did You Know? The Dark Knight Trivia

Since the film was a major hit with fans and critics, it continues to be discussed and debated by everyone from comic book geeks to members of the general public. If you want to stand out during one of these geeky discussions, try sprinkling in a few of the following pieces of trivia:

In order to prepare for the role of the Joker, Heath Ledger lived alone in a hotel room for a month and kept an in-character diary.

Before Aaron Eckhart was cast, Hugh Jackman and Mark Ruffalo were considered for the role of Harvey Dent.

Italian crime boss Sal Maroni is played by Eric Roberts, but Bob Hoskins and James Gandolfini also auditioned for the role.

While The Dark Knight was filming in Chicago, the city added several thousand new jobs and received $45 million for the local economy.

During the scene where the Joker is dressed as a nurse, the nametag on his uniform reads "Matilda." This was a nod to the actor's real-life daughter, Matilda Ledger.

In 2011, The Dark Knight became the first film to be released on a social networking site when it was made available via digital distribution on Facebook.

Heath Ledger designed the Joker's makeup himself, using a combination of drugstore cosmetics and white clown makeup.

When filming was underway in Chicago, the project was given the fake name Rory's First Kiss to cut down on potential onlookers.

Ledger's Best Supporting Actor Oscar marks the first time a comic book movie has received an Academy Award in a major category.

Musician/actor Dwight Yoakam was approached on two occasions about a small role in the film. He declined both, opting instead to work on a Buck Owens tribute album.

Quotes from The Dark Knight

If you're fond of working movie quotes into your conversations, then I suggest memorizing the following. Fans of the film are bound to recognize them, while everyone else may wind up thinking you're crazy. Either way, you're sure to have a good time.

"Why so serious?" (Joker)
"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." (Harvey Dent/Two-Face)
"Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!" (Joker)
"Gotham needs a hero with a face." (Bruce Wayne/Batman)
"The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming." (Harvey Dent/Two-Face)
"Wanna know how I got these scars?" (Joker)
"Well, I grew up in Gotham, and I turned out all right." (Bruce Wayne/Batman)

Dark Knight Slots: A Summary

The Dark Knight has become one of the biggest box-office hits in history, so it should come as no surprise that the slot machine version has been embraced by gamblers around the world. Both IGT and Microgaming adapted the Batman movie into slot machines, and the two games wound up being similar in many regards. No matter which one you choose to play, prepare yourself for big payouts and lots of clips from the source material.