Although many slots game players enjoy the numerous modern perks of online play, for many, the nostalgic longing for the reel-life spinning reels of a bygone era remains.
Such players will be pleased to discover that Microgaming has developed a simple online slots game that combines the old and the new. Retro Reels is a fresh five-reel, 20-payline slot with the classic look and feel of the three-reel fruit machines of 1940s Las Vegas.
Retro Reels Design and Symbols
Remaining true to the slot’s old-type theme, Microgaming have gone with a very simple layout for Retro Reels. The reels appear to be set in a traditional fruit machine console – all that’s missing is a big metal lever on the side of the computer – except that there are now five reels instead of the original three.
None of the weird and wonderful symbols of present-day video slots are in evidence in Retro Reels – only the red cherries, purple plums, yellow lemons, and single, double and triple bars that first made casino slots so popular. Nor does Retro Reels feature any animations – the reels appear just as they would in real life.
Standing in another room, one would be forgiven for thinking that there is an actual casino next door, owing to the merry, arcade-style tune that plays in the background. The same goes for the chiming of various bells that can be heard when a winning Retro Reels payline is landed.
Free Spins from Scatter Symbols
One modern element of Retro Reels comes in the form of free spins, which are awarded to players when two or more scatter symbols appear. These scatter symbols are easy to identify because they take the form of the Retro Reels free spins logo. Five free spins are awarded per scatter symbol and a 2x multiplier is applied to all wins on free spins.
The Retro Reels scatter symbols also have their own value. Although this isn’t very much – with the maximum five scatters paying out just 100 coins – they do not have to appear on active paylines to qualify, which means wins occur more frequently.
The Retro Reels Re-Spin Feature
Another modern feature included in Retro Reels is still fairly rare, even in recently released titles. This is the option the re-spin any one reel, at an additional cost, after each spin.
A “RESPIN” button – as well as an indication of the cost of the re-spin – appears beneath each of the reels. The cost involved in utilising a re-spin are not constant in Retro Reels; they vary, depending on the likelihood that the reel in question will yield a winning payline. The greater this likelihood, the greater the cost of a re-spin in this slot at https://onlineslotsca.com/microgaming.
In Retro Reels, only the wins that involve the re-spun reel are paid out and the option ceases to be valid if betting limits are changed. The re-spin feature is also not available in the Retro Reels free spins bonus round.
Jackpot, Coin Values and Bet Limits
The maximum Retro Reels jackpot is a tidy 10 000 coins with the second-highest payout standing at 500 coins, extending the game’s appeal beyond a walk down memory lane. Retro Reels betting options vary extensively, with five coin denominations ranging from 0.01 to 0.25 and the bet max set at 20 coins per payline.