Slot or Not: Fight evil fruits backed by your slot machine of weapons

The success of Balatro and CloverPit has prompted a wave of roguelike games inspired by gambling mechanics. As the name suggests, Slot or Not features a twist on turn-based combat because the action is focused around a charismatic slot machine that you use to build your deck of weapons that are used in duels. 

There are multiple layers to the Slot or Not gameplay, and we’ve explained all the key mechanics, so you’re ready to embark on a new roguelike adventure full of upgrades and unusual characters. 

What is Slot or Not?

Slot or Not sees you take control of a hare named Bun Dorian, who is accompanied on a quest by a slot machine called Slottie. The Slot or Not demo depicts a world almost completely destroyed, but a surviving, mutated species has formed tribes that are attempting to rebuild society. Bun Dorian is the only son of the leader of the hare tribe, and after discovering his royal ties, he goes on a journey to fulfill his father’s last wish of retaking the throne. 

Bun Dorian and Slottie must take down hostile creatures they encounter in turn-based battles, but the moves you’ll perform during encounters are dictated by spinning Slottie the slot machine. Slot or Not gameplay begins with swords, shields, and bombs in your inventory. The items in your inventory can be selected and placed into the slot machine, which will show you the chance of each item appearing after a spin. Bun Dorian will then perform the outcome of your spin against the opponent. 

However, the enemy will place an obstacle in your slot machine, which can block you from matching symbols, therefore stopping you from unleashing powerful combinations. Each action also takes energy that you’ll have to manage. The enemies in the demo are mostly wacky fruits, but the boss fight features a slot machine with a gun that can spawn fruit minions. After coming out victorious in a battle, you will bank yourself some coins and get the option to choose an item to add to your slot machine. 

Items include an Antidote that heals one to two health and removes poison effects, a Flux Scythe that deals four to six damage with a 50% chance to hit all enemies, and even Lightning in the Bag that gives one energy for two turns.

Progress through the Slot or Not game is done via a progression tree that takes you through a biome. On your path, you will fight enemies, get the opportunity to visit a dealer, heal at campfires, and meet with traders. The dealer has items for sale, as well as trinkets, purchased with the coins you earn from battle. 

Trinkets act as power-ups with trade-offs, and include the likes of Steel Vitality that prevents one fatal hit, but breaks after use, Armor Catcher that sees shields remain between turns, but are 60% less effective, and more. Along the way, you will also get to visit the Slot Station that allows for Slottie to be upgraded in terms of extending the slot machine’s columns and rows. Ultimately, this grants you more room to score and achieve hard-hitting combinations.

The end goal of the Slot or Not roguelike is to defeat all the opponents you come across on your adventure to complete the story. The full game will feature over 30 items to choose from and input into the slot machine, as well as over 25 trinkets to strategize with.

Who is the developer of Slot or Not?

The Slot or Not developer is an indie studio known as MakoTeam. This developer has previously participated in game jams and showcased their work through the beat-em-up Kollector, a dark narrative adventure named Insert Human Only, and the bug collector Frogonomicon. Slot or Not is set to be MakoTeam’s first fully developed and published game.

When will Slot or Not be released?

The Slot or Not release date is May 2026, but a specific day has yet to be announced. The game was originally slated to launch in February, but it was delayed for undisclosed reasons. When the game debuts, it will be available to play on PC via Steam and Itch.io.  

Are there any other roguelike slot machine games?

Other roguelike slot machine games include CloverPit, which places you in a cell with nothing but a slot machine, an ATM, and a store containing lucky charms. You must pay off your debts at the ATM to a mysterious captor using winnings from the slot machine, but to reach the increasing targets you’re assigned, you’ll need to manipulate the machine and combine various synergies in order to escape. 

Additionally, Fate Architect is an upcoming roguelike deckbuilder where you build your very own slot machine to reach a set number of points that grows with every level. The game loop combines strategy with the choice and modification of symbols to create powerful combinations, while also incorporating the unpredictability inherent in the mechanics of a slot machine. Although Slot or Not gameplay revolves around a slot machine, the focus is to use the slot machine to generate weapons, shields, and heals to defeat enemies in turn-based battles.