HTML5 gaming has made some very big strides of late, but it's more than just traditional platforming that's getting in on this particular blast of action. Indeed, it's also the gambling kind of gaming that's been getting advantages from HTML5 development, sufficiently so in fact that Microgaming has brought out game number 40 for its HTML5 platform in the form of “Reel Thunder.”

“Reel Thunder” represents not only a milestone for Microgaming, but it also represents another brick in the wall that is an impressive 2013 for the company as well. So far in 2013, according to Microgaming's Neill Whyte, the company has brought out 21 different HTML5 games, and all of said games were “designed meticulously to provide the best possible mobile experience.” This isn't the end of the road, either, as Whyte went on to further describe how 2014 was going to be even bigger, promising “…a more aggressive rollout of games, as well as the release of some exciting features designed to maximize the player experience.”

“Reel Thunder,” in terms of its play style, is a five-reel slot that uses nine separate paylines and includes both Scatter symbols and Wild symbols, allowing for a maximum payout of 10,000 coins. It also represents just a part of the company's work in HTML5, as the company also added HTML5 capability to its download app, allowing for simultaneous releases to the HTML5 platform and the mobile download platform at the same time.

It really doesn't matter if it's slot machines or running, gunning and jumping; HTML5 has offered some substantial advantages for game developers, and in turn, for game players almost since its inception. While there have been some stumbles along the way, HTML5 is making a lot of great moves and increasingly showing itself to be a worthwhile and indispensable part of the gaming process. It's brought decreased development time and greater development efficiency to a great many studios, and that's often meant more games for the players to enjoy.

That's a point that's being made perfectly clear right now at the DevCon 5 event, currently taking place through today at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City. Yesterday featured a keynote address from Nickelodeon's director of game development, Nate Altschul, in which he described the role of HTML5 in game development, as well as developing for cross-platform systems. Beyond that, however, there's a lot going on in the field of HTML5 development, and DevCon 5 will show that off. There have been panels addressing graphics issues, the mobile market as a whole, the future of HTML5 and beyond, with several panels still running later today.

Given that Nickelodeon was also recently spotted developing with Ludei in HTML5 for the Nick App, it's clear Nickelodeon has plenty invested in HTML5 development itself. Nickelodeon clearly isn't alone in this market, as Microgaming is also making clear with its development in the HTML5 field. There's plenty of room in this market, and it's working to make gaming better for all concerned.