In an increasingly saturated market, visual identity is a key differentiator and retention tool. Olga Ermel, Sales Manager at Kendoo, explores how the slot studio approaches art direction, animation, character design and UI clarity when developing new titles. Using recent game launch, Coin Dragon as a key example, Olga examines how cohesive visual storytelling supports gameplay mechanics, strengthens brand recognition and enhances player immersion.
- How has the role of visual identity in slot development evolved over the past few years?
Over the past few years, we’ve placed a much stronger emphasis on animation. Our goal is to deliver the same level of visual excitement in web-based slots as players would expect from land-based machines.
At the same time, web games come with a key limitation, mainly file size and performance. Animations must not impact loading speed or responsiveness, so we constantly balance visual richness with technical efficiency. 
On one hand, the experience needs to feel vibrant and engaging: animations should be rich, effects should amplify wins, and characters should feel alive and emotionally connected to the player. On the other hand, the game must remain smooth and accessible across all devices, regardless of hardware performance or internet speed.
So while visual identity has become increasingly important, achieving the right balance between quality and performance is even more critical, and that’s where we continue to focus our efforts.
- Using Coin Dragon as a recent example, what were the key visual pillars you wanted to establish from the outset?
From the very beginning, we knew the dragon couldn’t be a static visual element; it had to feel alive and meaningful. We aimed to give it a wide range of engaging animations, but each one had to serve a purpose and support key player moments.
Every animation was carefully tied to important in-game events, ensuring it enhances the experience without distracting from gameplay. We explored multiple approaches, tested different variations, and continuously refined the balance until we reached a result that felt both impactful and cohesive.
- How do you ensure that art direction and animation enhance gameplay mechanics rather than distract from them?
We rely heavily on player data and usage patterns. Since the majority of players engage with our games on mobile devices, we take a mobile-first approach from the very early stages of concept development.
Our goal is to ensure that visuals and animations always support the gameplay rather than interfere with it. We carefully design every element to enhance clarity, reinforce key mechanics, and maintain a smooth, comfortable playing experience.
Ultimately, we want our games to be engaging not only in terms of mechanics and visuals, but also in how effortless and enjoyable they feel to play.
4. How were the core mechanics of Coin Dragon designed to complement the game’s overall player experience?
Coin Dragon was designed around familiar Hold & Win gameplay to ensure immediate accessibility, while structuring the experience to keep players continuously engaged and moving from one rewarding moment to the next.
The Hit the Bonus mechanic provides a clear and intuitive trigger, giving players a defined goal from the start. Once activated, the Hold & Win feature shifts the game into a progression-driven mode, where respins and symbol collection gradually build intensity.
Features like Collect and multipliers are introduced to enhance this progression without adding unnecessary complexity. They amplify rewards at key moments, making each symbol feel impactful and maintaining a strong sense of momentum throughout the feature.
Combining Hold & Win with line wins ensures a seamless connection between the base game and bonus rounds, creating a cohesive and consistent player experience.
5. Coin Dragon leans heavily into a rich, aesthetic-driven theme. How do you balance highly detailed visuals with UI clarity and ease of play, particularly on mobile?
We prioritise clarity by focusing visual attention on the most important gameplay elements. Both in art and animation, key features such as Bonus symbols are designed to stand out through stronger contrast, richer detail and more dynamic effects.
At the same time, secondary elements are intentionally simplified and pushed into the background, with lighter, more subtle animations. This helps maintain visual hierarchy and ensures players are not overwhelmed.
This approach allows us to deliver a visually rich experience while keeping the interface clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, especially on mobile devices.
6. Looking ahead, what visual design principles are shaping Kendoo’s creative roadmap?
Before starting any new project, we always ask ourselves a simple question: will players enjoy this game?
Everything we create, from art and animation to features, is designed with the player experience in mind. Viewing the game through this lens helps guide our creative decisions.
For example, a dragon that simply sits idle would quickly feel dull, so we avoid that approach. Instead, we look for opportunities to make the experience more dynamic and memorable, like having the dragon fly across the screen before a bonus round, adding excitement and a sense of spectacle.
Moving forward, our focus remains on creating visually engaging, emotionally resonant experiences that feel rewarding, immersive, and fun.
7. Why did you choose this mechanic for Coin Dragon?
We continuously aim to diversify our portfolio with new mechanics. While Pots and Hold & Win have rightfully secured a strong position in the market, there is still a significant audience looking for something different.
With Coin Dragon, we wanted to strike a balance between familiarity and innovation — offering players a recognizable core experience while introducing a fresh twist. For this game, we chose a Hit the Bonus approach. The base game does not feature traditional line wins, which allows us to significantly increase the frequency of bonus triggers — the moments players are truly excited about.
One of the bonus modes, the Golden Bonus Game, builds on the popular Hold & Win mechanic, enhanced with Collect and Multiplier features to deepen engagement and reward potential.
At the same time, we didn’t want to rely solely on familiar mechanics. To bring something new into the mix, we introduced a second bonus mode — the Dragon Bonus Game — featuring line-based wins. This adds variety and caters to players who enjoy the thrill of big line wins alongside Hold & Win gameplay.
As a result, bonus rounds are triggered more than twice as often compared to traditional Pots games, while still delivering diverse gameplay experiences.
Ultimately, our goal is to satisfy players not only through high-quality visuals and animation, but also through engaging mechanics and a well-balanced mathematical model.
