Every holiday season, software providers are scrambling to deliver the most exciting new title that honours the holiday in question. With Black Friday around the corner, there must be at least a dozen fresh releases that play around with every shopper's most sacred day of the year.
Black Friday Cart Craze is one of the new slots covering the topic, and it's definitely the game that caught our attention and deserves a deeper dive.
That is why we decided to sit down with Craig Asling, Director of Games at Booming Games, and pick his brain about the studio's latest drop.
Hello, and thank you for taking a chunk of your time to talk to AskGamblers. Let's start by asking: Who is the biggest fan of Black Friday at Booming Games, and who came up with the initial idea?
It's hard to name just one biggest fan, honestly, the whole team has got a real buzz from Black Friday! It's such a fun, high-energy theme that everyone was immediately excited about bringing it to life as a game.
The initial spark actually came from discussions with some of our customers. One of them floated the idea of a Black Friday-themed slot, and it instantly clicked.
When we looked into it, we realised that almost no one had explored this concept before, despite Black Friday being a global phenomenon and a major seasonal event on everyone's calendar.
That gap in the market really inspired us. I started developing a concept that captured all the excitement, competitiveness, and chaos of the shopping frenzy, and from there, the game was born, a truly original release that we're incredibly proud of.
How did you decide on the core mechanics of the game (for example, how players navigate shopping chaos, any power-ups or obstacles), and what player experience did you aim to deliver through those choices?
When people think of Black Friday, the first thing that comes to mind is chaos, crowds of determined shoppers doing whatever it takes to grab the best deals. We wanted to capture that same sense of energy and excitement in the gameplay.
With that in mind, we built the game around two animated shoppers racing through the aisles, collecting symbols to trigger features.
Players can trigger the Cart Craze Collect feature and the Super Sale Free Spins bonus, which really amplifies the "shopping frenzy" feel.
During Free Spins, Wins with low pay symbols are marked as "SOLD," removed from the reels, and High Pays are upgraded to pay double and to top it all off, WILDs are collected and dropped onto the reels in the final spin for massive win potential. The goal was to deliver an experience that's fast-paced, fun, and full of anticipation, just like the real Black Friday madness.
What was the biggest design or development challenge you faced during the project, and how did you overcome it?
Our biggest challenge was timing. The game wasn't originally part of our roadmap, so we had to move quickly on every front: art, design, development, and delivery. But that's where our team truly shines.
Everyone at Booming Games is deeply passionate about what we do, and our shared drive to deliver top-quality, engaging content pushed us to make it happen. The entire team came together brilliantly under pressure, and the final result really speaks for itself.
Who is your target audience for the game, and how do you believe it stands out from other games with similar themes or genres?
This game has wide appeal, from casual players looking for a fun, light-hearted experience to high rollers chasing those big wins. Up until now, there haven't really been any Black Friday-themed slots, aside from one very recent release from another provider.
We saw that as an opportunity to bring something totally fresh to the market. The game bursts with energy, humour, and personality, which makes it stand out from anything else out there. I honestly believe this release will inspire others to explore the Black Friday concept and help establish it as a new seasonal staple in the slots world.
Looking ahead, is there potential for this game to evolve further with a sequel that boasts additional features?
Absolutely. The characters and theme are so full of life that there's plenty of room to build on this foundation. The existing features are proven favourites, and I already have a ton of ideas for new mechanics and bonus twists we could introduce in a sequel. My hope is that this game becomes an annual event that both operators and players look forward to, a "Black Friday tradition" in the slots calendar.
With the end of the year coming, what can we expect from Booming Games in 2026?
2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for Booming Games. We're increasing our release schedule starting early in the year, so players can expect more frequent, high-quality titles packed with creativity and excitement.
Our roadmap includes follow-ups to our popular releases, such as the Buffalo Hold and Win and Fish Tales series, as well as a lineup of brand-new IPs featuring innovative mechanics we're really excited to unveil. It's going to be a year full of fresh ideas, bold concepts, and plenty of surprises for our players.
