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History: The MERKUR KOMET

Find out more about the MERKUR KOMET – a machine that made the MERKUR GROUP shine.

approx. 3 min.
History: The MERKUR KOMET
Johnny Johnny

Scaling new peaks of success with the MERKUR KOMET.

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Seeing a comet in the night sky is always a rare and magical event, and the MERKUR KOMET was no different. As the successor to the legendary MERKUR B, this machine became a cornerstone of the MERKUR GROUP's (then known as the Gauselmann Group) rapid growth and dominance throughout the 1980s and 90s.MERKUR KOMET. The successor to the famous MERKUR B played a major role in the success and rise of the MERKUR GROUP (then Gauselmann Group) during the 1980s and 1990s.

Due to its immense popularity with players, the KOMET was released in several different iterations to keep the excitement fresh. These variations included the RUBIN KOMET, BRILLANT KOMET, SUPER KOMET, and BLITZ KOMET.

Following in the footsteps of the MERKUR B, the KOMET featured the signature “MERKUR bag” symbol—a three-reel win icon shaped like a pouch. However, its true innovation was the comet's tail trailing from the MERKUR sun; this was the very first time the 'risk ladder,' a feature patented by Paul Gauselmann in 1979, was introduced to the game.

The Risk Ladder

The Risk Ladder acts as a bonus game that players can manually trigger. Depending on how well they did in the main game, they start at a specific level on the ladder and then gamble to climb higher or risk dropping down. While modern slots might offer prizes up to 14,000 bits, the ultimate goal on the MERKUR KOMET was winning 100 free games. In newer MERKUR titles, this feature often appears as 'Risk+,' where the potential payout can reach 30,000 bits. Risk Ladder is a game within the game, which can be triggered by the player. The entry level on the risk ladder is determined by success in the base game. Within the ladder, the player can then gamble to move one step up or down. In modern slot machines, up to 14,000 bits can be won, while in the MERKUR KOMET the best possible outcome is 100 free games. In many MERKUR products, the risk ladder is also available as Risk+. Here, the maximum win is 30,000 bits.

A machine of superlatives

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To celebrate the KOMET's massive commercial success, MERKUR decided to go big—literally. In 1983, they spent four months building a giant version of the machine that was 64 times the size of a standard unit. Standing 3.5 meters tall and 2.5 meters wide, it officially entered the Guinness Book of Records. Because it weighed 1,300 kilograms, the company had to buy a specialized vehicle just to transport it to trade shows. While other Gauselmann machines were also scaled up, these behemoths eventually disappeared because they were simply too difficult to move. Thus, the era of the MERKUR KOMET faded away, leaving behind a sparkling legacy in the company's history.

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