Popular Australian Poker Machines And Similar Online Pokies

If you are like me you pretty much like the same poker machines when you visit your local hotel, club or casino. I have a few that I like to play often, and each of them for a specific feature or simply because I like the theme.

For example, I really like the Aristocrat "243 Way" format and tend to gravitate towards machines like Wild Ways and 100 Pandas. But then again I like African animals so I'm always curious about any game with a Lion or a Zebra, hence my love for 50 Lions, also from Aristocrat.

But what if you real prefer machine at your local and you'd like to play it at online casinos? Well there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that while all the poker machine manufacturers like Aristocrat and Ainsworth have made their games available at online casinos, due to strict licensing conditions they require those internet sites to block us Aussies from playing their games at home with our feet up. That sucks, but here is the good news. You can almost always find an alternative at real money Australian casinos to your favorite poker machine online and in some cases, an even better one.

Lucky for you, I spend way too much time trying out the online pokies (and there are hundreds).

This article recommends solid online replacements for 20 of the most well known poker machines found here in Australia.

I don't suggest that these game listed below are the most popular based on any real deep scientific study, but I know what I see occupying the good positions in clubs and casinos and have verified this against data that the poker machine manufacturers make public.

Top 21 Pub, Club and Casino Pokies in Australia and Where You can Find Similar Replacements Online

So here we go. The top 20 pokies in our pubs and clubs and similar games that we think you must try online! (In no particular order).

1. Queen of the Nile

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

What is it with us Aussies and our love affair with this game? Whether you like the original, or Queen of the Nile 2 which has a gamble feature, this game is still going sting almost 15 years in. Walk into any pub or club and you'll find it.

Notable feature: 15 free game bonus, Gamble Feature
Theme: Ancient Egypt
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Rise of Egypt from Playson takes you into the ancient Egyptian world, deep within the belly of Bast’s temple. The Cat Goddess will aid you along your way, as she represents the wild symbol of the game. There is also a scatter symbol available which will launch you into free spins mode, with the opportunity to re-trigger the free spins. This slot offers 20 paylines and a plethora of opportunities to reach the Big Win combination!

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2. Year of the Tiger

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

We love a tiger. This game is especially popular in the casinos (Star City in Sydney and and with an Asian clientele.)

Notable Feature: Free Spins with retrigger
Theme: Chinese Zodiac, Tiger
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Tiger Treasures is from Realtime Gaming. The reels are set in the bamboo forests of China. The tiger is the wild symbol. It appears on only reels 2 and 4 in the base game but triples payouts when substituting in winning combinations. You can win up to 25 free spins with wild tigers on reel 3 as well. The free spins can be retriggered. The online pokie boasts of a randomly triggered progressive jackpot.

3. Royal Diamonds

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Diamonds are everybody's best friends if they line up on the reels. This is one of the most popular Ainsworth pokies at many hotels.
Ainsworth

Notable Feature: Double Hit series with progressives and bonus rounds
Theme: Diamonds, Wealth, Royalty
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Diamond Wild is from iSoftBet. It is a five reels pokie that uses classic symbols. You can win 8 free spins at doubled payouts. The scatter diamond symbol is the highlight. 3 and 4 of this symbol awards payouts multiplied by the total bet. 5 and more diamond symbols award increasingly larger progressive jackpots. But you need to play with maximum bet.

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4. Cash Adventures

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Notable Features: 50 lines with linked progressive and 3 local progressives
Theme: Money, Pirates, Adventure
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Cash Bandits 2 is a sequel pokie from Realtime Gaming with the popular bank heist theme. The comically crafted symbols are a scream. Stacked wilds help to deliver larger payouts but the real cash lies in the Vault Feature. You have to decipher the numeric codes to five vaults. The more safes that you crack open, the more free spins you will win. Hone up your safe breaking skills because you can win up to 190 free spins at up to 17x payout multiplier.

5. Jaws

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Our fascination with Sharks is well known. The original gem is the one that's popular here in Australia. The "Bounty Hunter" version is big in the US. Jaws runs on the 5 reel 25 line tried and tested format from Aristocrat.

Notable Features: Free spins
Theme: Sharks of course!
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Pool Shark is from the portfolio of Habanero. These sharks are aggressive pool players. The regular one is a stacked wild that doubles payouts in winning combinations. The hammerhead awards the top line payouts. The black ball awards 12 free spins in which the payout multiplier increases from 3x to 4x to 5x. A progressive jackpot can be randomly won after any spin. Watch out for some classy pool table animations.

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6. 100 Pandas

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Notable features: Low to mid stakes, stacked wilds, free spins with 2x multiplier
Theme: Pandas. A hundred of them.
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Panda Party is from Rival Gaming. The bamboo forest has been turned into a party zone. There are pandas all around awarding line payouts, wild multipliers and free spins. The party goes into top gear when the Pndamonium Round is triggered. Pandas change to drop icons. They get replaced after a winning combination. Repeated winning combinations in the same spin are paid with increasing multipliers.

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7. Dragon Master

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Notable Features: 10 re-triggered free spins, play for 1c per line
Theme: Dragons, Asian
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Dragons Wild is an online pokie from Cayetano Gaming. Become the knight in white armour. Slay the dragon and its riches are yours. The dragon’s eye awards a jackpot payout of 10,000 coins. One of the bonus features awards 10 free spins with a payout multiplier of up to 5x. The other feature is a bonus wheel. You spin it to win cash prizes up to 250x times the bet.

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8. Indian Dreaming

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This was one of the first games I ever played using Aristocrats "243 Way" configuration (I'm giving away my age as this must have been around 2000). It remains a very popular game and you can win up to 20 free spins with a X5 multiplier during the feature round.

Notable features: Multiway, x5 multiplier
Theme: Native American
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
There is a similarity between natives of America and Australia, so Rain Dance is a popular pokie at Australian online casinos. It is from Realtime Gaming. The chief is the wild symbol that doubles payouts. You can win up to 100 free spins with up to 5x multiplier. There are respins within this feature that award more scatter payouts. A randomly triggered progressive jackpot is also there to be hit.

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9. King Of The Nile

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Well if there was a Queen there had to be a King. King of the Nile hit the clubs and hotels in around 2002. It's a no-nonsense 20-line format. What I love about the game is that you could get a second chance at the end of your free spins round. You can either take the free spins, gamble, or pick the mystery prize.

Notable features: second chance option in free spins
Theme: Egypt
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Ramses is one of the most well-known pharaohs of Egypt and you can play Ramses Book online pokie developed by Gamomat. The pharaoh awards the highest line payouts. Rameses Book is the wild symbol and it also triggers 10 free spins. In this feature, one of the symbols is randomly selected to be the bonus symbol and it can award additional payouts. You can go for higher payouts if you dare by activating the gamble game after any win.

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10. Dragons

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Aristocrats Reel Power series introduced multi-way play and also multiple bonus rounds.

Notable features: Multiple free games to choose from
Theme: Dragons!
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Dragons can be medieval or Oriental. iSoftBet features the Oriental kind in Red Dragon Wild. The dragon master is an expanded wild. The red dragon can turn random symbols into a wild blue dragon. The game logo triggers the bonus feature. You smash crates and win free spins. If you pick the right crates then you can win 20 free spins.

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11. More Chilli

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This game was the first to introduce a new concept fro Aristocrat. The "Power Pay bet: allows you to collect Chilli symbols which unlock additional reels where you can win easier with guaranteed wilds.

Notable Feature: Power Play, Guaranteed wilds
Theme: Food, Mexico
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Aztecs were also from Mexico. Therefore play Aztec Magic Deluxe from Bgaming. The chief is the symbol you will want most often. It is the wild that triples payouts and it also awards the top line payouts. The priestess is also not that bad. It awards scatter payouts multiplied by the total bet and also awards 10 free spins. And if you want more then you can activate the Gambling Round after any winning spin.

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12. Lucky 88

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Lucky 88 broke new ground with its possible X88 multiplier during the free spins.

Theme: Asian
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
You could try your luck at fishing with The Angler online pokie from Betsoft. You will reel in the cash with 3D symbols and awesome win animations. The octopus is the wild symbol. The pearl triggers the free spins in which the wilds cling to the reels for the remainder of the feature. Your fishing skills will be tested in the bonus feature. The more fish you catch, the bigger will be your bonus.

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13. Show Me The Money

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This gem was the first ever to allow you to pick your free spins. You had options of 20 @ X2, 15 @ X3, 10 @ X5, 5 @ X10 and 3 @ X15.

Notable Feature: Choose your multiplier during free spins, up to x15
Theme: Money
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Multiplier Man is a super hero that not only fights crime but delivers big bucks. The online pokie is from Revolver Gaming. Colourful graphics and awesome animations apart, the pokie has interesting gaming features. Three or more scatter symbols award up to 20 free spins with stacked wilds. The Quick Change bonus is a hi-lo game that awards payouts multiplied by the total bet. The X-Ray bonus is yet another feature in this online pokie.

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14. Super Bucks

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Super Bucks is typically available only in denominations of 50c or higher and also allows you to choose between a range of free spin options.

Notable Feature: Pick your free spins
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Mister Money is loaded with super bucks as you can tell from his mansion, private jet and swanky car. You too can become like him by playing this online pokie from Realtime Gaming. The white diamond is a wild that also awards a top payout of 5000 coins. The red diamonds leads you to pick cash bags that reveal free spins or payout multipliers. There is a randomly triggered progressive jackpot as well.

15. Wild Ways

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This 243 Ways game with its African theme is very popular in most pubs, clubs and casinos around Australia. Three sunset symbols trigger 15 free spins with a multiplier that goes up to X15.

Notable Feature: multi-way, increasing multiplier
Theme: Jungle
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
243 ways online pokies are very popular because they deliver more frequent payouts. Try out Alkemors Tower pokie from Betsoft. Conjure big wins by using the Elemental Spells that turn symbols into wilds. The Nature Floor awards up to 15 free spins. You will find some vicious plants there, but they only add to the payouts. A similar set of free spins are available on the Celestial Floor. And you can try to double your payouts after each winning spin.

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16. Where's the Gold?

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This game has a unique twist on free spins. When the free spin found is triggered, random symbols drop into the screen. These become wild during the bonus round.

Notable Feature: Free spins with random wilds
Theme: Gold, Money, Wealth
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
There was plenty of the yellow metal in ancient Egypt and you can discover some in Cleopatra’s Gold online pokie from Realtime Gaming. Cleopatra is the wild symbol. She doubles payouts and awards the top payline win of 10,000 coins. The pyramid triggers 15 free spins in which all payouts are tripled. The final opportunity to hit gold comes from the randomly triggered progressive jackpot.

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17. Big Red

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This Aussie themed game is typically only available on 50c and $1 denominations, the bonus round pays up to $2,500 in extra wins.

Notable Feature: High denomination, free games
Theme: Aussie!
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Red Sands from Realtime Gaming also has an Aussie theme. The reels are set in the red sand deserts Down Under. The high paying symbols are Australian animals like echidna, wombat and koala. The kangaroo is the wild symbol and also awards the top line payouts. The moonscape symbol awards a unique Respin Feature. The reels with the moonscape symbols are held while the remaining reels respin up to 10 times. Only scatter payouts are awarded in the respins.

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18. Prize Fight

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Notable feature: free spins with x3 multiplier
Theme: Boxing
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Lucha Libre 2 from Realtime Gaming takes you to the world of Mexican wrestling, which many find more exciting than boxing. The wrestler wild symbols appear stacked on reel 3 and can multiply payouts up to 10x. In the Time to Rumble feature you try and defeat your opponent in a bout and win a free spins feature based on your success. The online pokie is classier than the original Lucha Libre.

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19. Mr Cashman

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

Make a side bet in this game and you could activate the bonus round.

Notable Feature: Multiple bonus rounds
Theme: Money, Wealth
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
You can live like Mr Cashman by playing The Glam Life online pokie from Betsoft. Your private jet can take you to 5 free spins. The diamond triggers a match bonus game. The necklace activates a pick me bonus. The mansion triggers the best feature, which is Travel Around the World second screen bonus. Attend three gala events in global hot spots and return loaded.

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20. Penguin Pays

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

This game is great fun. The Penguin wild comes to life during the bound round and plays as a wild. And it's cute :)

Notable Feature: Multiple bonus rounds
Theme: Penguins
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
Ice Pirates is an online pokie from Endorphina. It features cutthroat buccaneers in the frozen zone along with a penguin and polar bear. Payouts are made for only three or four like symbols on active lines. The fifth reel contains a payout multiplier. If the multiplier is frozen then it will not apply. The bonus feature awards 12 free spins with all multipliers unfrozen. There is an optional gamble game as well.

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21. 50 Lions

If you like this poker machine:	We recommend this online pokie:

The first 50 line video slot to be released. 50 Lions instantly looks different from all other games as 20 symbols are displayed on the screen instead of the normal 15. The game also has groups of the top paying lion symbol on each reel so it is possible to get a whole screen of the same symbol.

Notable feature: 50 lines
Theme: Lions
Recommended games with similar features and theme:
The King from iSoftBet features the lion, who is the ruler of the beasts, as the stacked wild symbol. His subjects include elephant, rhino, buffalo and zebra. The lion’s paw scatter symbol awards 8 free spins. The cash wheel symbol triggers a respins feature. You spin the cash wheel and win up to 100,000 coins.

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There are hundreds of different games available in Australia, but I have tried to pick out some of those that I have known well and annoyed for many years. In my next article I will look at some of the lesser know games from IGT and Bally and their alternatives. This article might lean a bit hazily towards Aristocrat's games but IGT and Bally (less known here in Australia until a couple of year ago) have some cracking poker machines out there.

If you would like me to make specific suggestions based on games you like at your local, drop me a line: sharon@casinoshortlist.net.

AuthorSharon Kingsby

Sharon lives and breathes online casinos. She answers all your how, why, where questions to make your online gambling journey fun and successful. read more about the author