If you’ve ever enjoyed television shows such as Deal or No Deal, Big Brother, or Fear Factor, then you’re already familiar with the most popular creations of the Dutch TV production company known as Endemol. Founded in 1994, the firm has developed some of the world’s most successful game shows, as well as a variety of dramas and comedic programming. Their UK subsidiary is the studio formerly known as Broadcast Communications, and is today known for programmes including The House that £100k Built, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and The Million Pound Drop. Today, the group is owned by a partnership between 21^st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management.

Like some other production companies, Endemol had looked for ways to use their properties outside of airing their shows in various markets around the world. One such alternative vertical has been the online gambling industry, where the company has created a collection of games based on their most popular franchises and other brands. The result are a number of highly popular selections that bring some of the world’s most beloved game shows to life for gamblers in the UK and around the world.

The heart of the Endemol slots collection are their game show-based machines. In general, these machines offer relatively standard basic features: they tend to be five-reel, multiple payline slots with some number of special features added on. It’s these bonus rounds that really set these games apart, as they tend to fully bring out the flavour of the programmes they are based on. Let’s take a look at a few of these titles:

The Million Pound Drop: This game – like others, if we don’t state differently – is a five-reel slot with 20 win lines and three symbol positions on each reel, which can be considered this provider’s standard setup. There are two special bonus rounds that are related to the show. The first is the Drop Bonus, in which you’ll play through a simulation of the game show, in which your cash must be placed on various trap doors in the hopes that you’ll keep at least some of your earnings. Each time you keep at least something, you’ll move on to an additional round, with the potential there to win up to eight rounds. A second Security Passes feature allows you the chance to take some free spins with a multiplier, with the number of spins and the increase in your winnings determined through a pick ‘em round.

Big Brother: The favourite reality television show of voyeurs everywhere, Big Brother has become incredibly popular in a number of nations around the world, as audiences can’t seem to get enough of watching contestants get sick and tired of each other series after series. The Housemates’ Tasks feature sees you picking three envelopes from a total of nine, each of which instantly reveals a prize that is added to your balance. There’s also a free spins round; much like in The Million Pound Drop, you’ll first pick some hidden elements (this time, rooms in the Big Brother house) to reveal how many spins you’ll get and what your multiplier will be.

Catch Phrase: This classic television game has been translated into a slot machine that attempts to capture the magic of the original show. Hit three Mr. Chips symbols, and you’ll enter the Catch Phrase round in which you’ll win prizes as contestants correctly solve puzzles, while a pyramid style game allows you to earn larger and larger rewards as you move up towards the top. Finally, there’s once again a free spins round with – you guessed it! – a pick ‘em round beforehand to determine just how lucrative this feature will be.

But it’s important to note that Endemol doesn’t just build slots based on their own television properties. They also have the rights to a number of other brands that they have turned into machines, and depending on your interests, these games might appeal to you even more than the ones we’ve mentioned above.

For instance, fans of classic wrestling will be drawn to Hulkamania, a machine that counts on nostalgia for the career of one Hulk Hogan to draw in fans – but one that also delivers with some awesome bonus rounds, including one in which you’ll have to guide Hogan through a full wrestling match in order to try to score a big prize. MMA aficionados might want to try the UFC slot, in which you’ll train and fight with a number of the world’s best mixed martial artists. And for football supporters, what better way to show your passion for the Three Lions than with Come on England!, the official slot machine of English football.

This might come as a bit of a surprise, considering that Endemol is a small developer with games that tend to be focused on a particular niche, but the provider has also created a couple of games that are rather innovative when compared to what you’ll see from most companies. Both are table games that are based on the Deal or No Deal game show, with elements of the programme being used in order to spice up classic casino favourites.

First, there’s Deal or No Deal Blackjack. In this game, players are given a “banker’s offer” after receiving their initial cards and seeing the dealer’s up card. The offer is based on the chances of winning that particular hand, and taking the deal is essentially a surrender option that varies in value based on the cards on the table. Other than that, this is a standard blackjack game, but the offers are still a nice twist.

Next up is Deal or No Deal Roulette. At its heart, this is essentially a single-zero roulette game, and can be played that way. However, the twist comes from a special bonus bet that can trigger two different special features. In one, you’ll basically play through a round of the television show, opening suitcases and being given offers based on the remaining prizes. The other has you spinning roulette wheels that award prizes, with the option of “rejecting” those rewards a couple times if you want to take a shot at a bigger payday.

Endemol has done an admirable job of taking some beloved properties and turning them into enjoyable online casino games. The slots typically have a mix of rather mundane features and at least one very thematic bonus round, while the special table games offer unique twists that allow them to be played as either standard versions or with the added features that add a real Deal or No Deal feel to the proceedings.

One thing that must be pointed out is that we’re talking about a very limited number of games here: in the UK market, there are fewer than a dozen titles available from Endemol, with only a few others being offered in other countries. That means that this developer certainly can’t carry a site on its own. But the titles they do offer are quite solid, and they make a welcome addition to any site for players who enjoy playing games that feature familiar brands and franchises.