New Game Review

by Frank Legato

Aristocrat Gaming’s new Dune Class III slot game is an industry first, according to the company, in that the slot game’s release to casinos was synced to the October 22 U.S. theatrical release of the motion picture Dune, which is the first of a two-part film based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel set in the far future on an inhospitable desert planet.

Dune the slot game features sights and sounds directly from the film, with themed game play unique to the game. Also unique to Dune the slot game are new mechanics such as full-reel multiplier stacks and frequent scatter-triggered features—such as free spins on three sets of reels, an expanding reel feature in which the reels rise to eight rows high with cash-on-reels symbols (the “Sandworm Feature”), and a unique Hold & Spin feature (the “Duncan Feature”).

Dune is featured on Aristocrat’s new Neptune Double cabinet, its stacked, curved 49-inch 4K monitors perfect to provide an immersive, theatrical visual experience, along with state-of-the-art sound, and a custom-designed, adjustable sound chair.

The primary game is in a “Reel Power” ways-to-win format on a four-by-five reel array, which yields a possible 1,024 ways to win on each spin. The game features a multi-site progressive jackpot that resets at $500,000, and a secondary near-area progressive resetting at $1,000.

Manufacturer: Aristocrat Gaming

Platform: Neptune Double

Format: Five-reel, 1,024-ways-towin video slot

Denomination: .01, .02, .05, .10

Max Bet: 880, 720, 640, 400

Top Award: Progressive; $500,000 reset

Hit Frequency: Approximately 30%

Theoretical Hold: 6.01%-12.16%

These sister games on Everi’s Empire Flex cabinet feature unique wheel bonuses offering multipliers and multiple wheel bonus awards.

Both base games are in a 243-ways-to-win format, with 15 individual symbol eliminates all static reels set in a three-by-five array.

The wheel bonus on each game is triggered with at least six bonus the wheel, leaving only the top symbols scattered on the screen. More than six bonus symbols in the trig- four levels, for which the player gering spin unlock special features on each game. In Super Buffalo, each spins again. bonus symbol beyond six increases the multiplier applied to the wheel bonus, up to 10X. In Super Buffalo, the extra symbols add extra wheel awards—up to 10 slices on the bonus wheel can yield the combined prizes that are displayed.

Both themes have a progressive bonus feature similar to the progressive bonus in the award-winning Smokin’ Hot Stuff Wicked Wheel game, but in a wheel format. The player locks in a progressive and then spins the inner wheel to either win that progressive or land an “Upgrade” symbol. The Upgrade symbol eliminates all static awards and the lower tiers from the wheel, leaving only the top four levels, for which the player spins again.

Manufacturer: Everi Holdings

Platform: Empire Flex

Format: 15-reel, 243-ways-to-win video slot

Denomination: .01 through 5.00

Max Bet: 350, 375

Top Award: Progressive; $15,000 reset

Hit Frequency: 30%

Theoretical Hold: 5%-17%

IGT continues the 25th anniversary year of the iconic Wheel of Fortune franchise by applying its unique 3D and “True4D” technologies to make the famous game show come alive.

The player can adjust the intensity of the 3D effect on this game, and the True4D technology adds midair haptic capabilities— the player affects certain game aspects by waving hands through the air or pointing, placing them in the middle of an immersive game experience.

The base game is a five-reel, 243-ways-to-win video slot on IGT’s CrystalCurve True4D cabinet. The familiar Wheel Bonus is played across the entire bank, creating a striking sight on the casino floor.

High-paying free games and stacked symbols in the base game provide anticipation on every spin. In the coin collection feature, players land gold coins with values on them that are added to the pots above the reels. The pots build until a gold coin with “Collect” lands on a reel, awarding the amount in the pot above that reel.

In the free games feature, the pot values are locked in place and can be collected multiple times in one spin—and don’t reset after collecting.

Landing three, four or five bonus symbols triggers the wheel, where credits or free games are awarded. Players win the top Wheel of Fortune jackpot when playing at 300 credits or higher. The multi-site top jackpot resets at $500,000.

Manufacturer: IGT

Platform: CrystalCurve True4D

Format: Five-reel, 243-ways-towin video slot

Denomination: .01

Max Bet: 500

Top Award: Progressive; $2,000 reset

Hit Frequency: Approximately 30%

Theoretical Hold: 4%-12%

This reboot of one of the legendary titles from the original WMS Gaming reprises the comical animated fishing bonus that propelled the legacy manufacturer into the multi-line video slot genre that previously had been dominated by Aristocrat, which had yet to be licensed in Nevada at the time of its 1997 release.

Reel ‘Em In was pioneering for its time, not only for the multi-line format, but as one of the earliest games offering a second-screen bonus. It was a funny sequence in which the player’s fisherman or fisher-woman narrated, in a thick Chicago accent (WMS was headquartered in Chicago), as the line was lowered into a lake to nab bonus credits.

Here, the game is re-created on the grand new Mural cabinet, featuring dual stacked 55-inch 4K curved monitors—that’s 110 inches of game real estate, the most in the business—in a presentation that rises 11 feet.

The slot successfully recreates the old fishing bonus with modern game mechanics. When the bonus is triggered, the line drops into the lake looking not only for credit awards—top prizes are in the thousands of dollars—but a variety of freespin awards, some featuring more than 30 spins.

The slot features three dynamic progressives, and jackpot prizes. With the fisherman’s Wild Bobbers holding all credit value prizes in the Money Stacks Free Spins or multiplier values in the Multi-Stacks Free Spins, there is a variety of prizes the player can reel in.

The Fishing Contest Free Spins is where a player chooses a character to compete with four others to see who can catch the most fish for a chance to win one, two or three fish in the Vacation Lake Bonus.

The base game is a 40-line video slot on a four-byfive reel array. There is an expanding reels feature that can double the size of the reel array, doubling the paylines and increasing pay opportunities.

Manufacturer: Scientific Games

Platform: Mural Format: Five-reel, 40-line video slot

Denomination: .01, .02, .05

Max Bet: 600

Top Award: Progressive; $2,000 reset

Hit Frequency: 28.4%

Theoretical Hold: 4%-12%