Detective Slots is a video slot game developed by Playson, a renowned online casino software provider. Released in 2019, it has been making waves among slot enthusiasts for its intriguing theme and engaging gameplay mechanics. In this review, we will delve into the intricacies of the game to understand what makes it tick.
Theme and Design
As implied by its name, Detective Slots is a detective-themed game that transports players to the gritty world of crime-solving. The reels are set against a dark and moody backdrop featuring Detective Slots casino cityscape silhouettes, while the symbols include iconic elements such as magnifying glasses, detective hats, and wanted posters. The overall aesthetic evokes the classic noir style often associated with film noir movies.
Symbols
The game features an array of low-paying and high-paying symbols that fit seamlessly into its detective theme. Low-paying symbols are represented by nine-to-five workers in suits and fedoras, which offer meager rewards. Conversely, high-paying symbols take on a more significant role in the story. These include:
- Detective Icon: This is the highest paying symbol, offering up to 500 coins for landing five matching icons.
- Magnifying Glass: When two or three of these appear together, players can unlock bigger wins and initiate bonus features.
- Wanted Poster: As a middle-of-the-road icon, this offers payouts ranging from 100 to 200 times the initial bet.
Payouts
The payout structure in Detective Slots is well-balanced and varied, giving players a sense of anticipation as they play on. The highest paying combination – five detective icons landing together – yields an impressive 2,000 coins, equating approximately $10 per spin at maximum stakes. While this might not be groundbreaking for some high-rollers accustomed to larger max payouts, it remains reasonably competitive in the world of online slots.
Wilds
In line with many other video slot games from Playson, Detective Slots includes a Wild icon that can appear anywhere on the reels (3×5 grid) during any game cycle. This character takes on various forms – an unidentifiable silhouette initially seen without a magnifying glass overlay, only for it to morph into its final form once all six icons are collected.
These six icons display distinct faces of detectives sporting various disguises (three each from the top and bottom rows). Whenever three or more Wild icons appear together in any configuration on adjacent reels (going upwards), players enter a round of up to 25 free spins, as described below.
Scatters
A Scatter icon is present in Detective Slots – another magnifying glass symbol. Collecting at least two Scatters anywhere within the grid initiates either the ‘Bonus Spins’ or ‘Free Games Round,’ but depending on how many you’ve collected (exceeds three for Bonus, two otherwise), with 3-5 winning symbols needed to win a different award.
Bonus Features
There are several bonus features in Detective Slots:
- Magnifying Glass Wild : One Wild symbol will transform into a ‘Genuine Magnifying Glass’ and increase its value.
- Scatters & Bonus Spins/Free Games Round: Two or more Scatters activate the corresponding feature based on their quantity collected – either 10-30 free spins with three, six reels fully covering with wins that appear after five bonus plays when four or five are in hand respectively plus up-to eight ‘rewards’ possible during rounds of play and others not covered by these but described later.