So, it’s back to 1950’s and the American economy is booming as the whole of Europe owes the United States big time! Surplus war time military paints and dyes are slowly beginning to run low in supply and new vibrant colours are starting to be seen on anything from clothes to cars. Whole urban areas are given a fresh coat of almost forgotten shades of pale pinks, blues, yellows and a generation of carefree Pepsi-Cola rock and rollers is born. Ice-cream parlours flourish and of course the jukebox becomes the then media lifeline, second only to the shortwave radio. But perhaps, when one wades through the pages of history, one may find that there may very well have been another, very underestimated commodity developing along with the others during that era, and which may have opened new dimensions to prepaid entertainment The slot machine, or as others may know it, the One Armed Bandit. This is as close as it gets to the real thing! Three rows on three reels, but set at angles to incorporate five set win lines from which you could rake in a maximum of 160x you stake on a single line.

Spinning with the reels

Fewer, reels, fewer rows and fewer symbols that all go to reflect a less complicated lifestyle. Designed on the more authentic symbols of the time when gambling was prohibited and slot machines paid out in candy. Cherries, grapes, melons, bells, the legendary sevens and diamonds adorn the reels and increase in their payout value respectively. Top payouts come from 3 of a kind to filling all three reels with identical symbols. However, one may have to spin those reels for a while before any really significant winnings can be collected. Top payout for 3 diamonds will throw back at you a hefty 160x your stake and a full house of stacked diamonds will land you a windfall of no less than 800x your bet , but that’s as good as it gets for a set of three as other trios or full stacks don’t pay so generously. For instance, three cherries will only return 1x stake. But what do you expect for three cherries! Having said that, those are the basic pay table stats and it must also be said that all winnings can be boosted due to a couple of interesting features the makers have installed into the machine of this slot game. So fear not the best is yet to come!

The Scatter symbol

This is where Diamond Duke strays away from the traditional classic mechanical one armed heap of metal and begins to morph into a 21^st Century dash of ingenuity. Land two scatter symbols on the reels and a new page in the game is opened to the tune of a 4x multiplier, as well as a spin of the Bonus Wheel which awards you a further multiplier, one that can be  anywhere between 2x and all the way up to 10x. And it doesn’t have to stop there, either. It can get better, the innovative Pick and Click feature!

Pick and Click Feature

This is the feature which gives the player the simple task of making a choice. However the value of that choice depends on your stake bet, and which either ends by being promoted to another stage of the game where the winning is increased in a compound manner, or by collecting what the punter would have collected up to that stage. Either way, it’s a win-win situation. It’s just a matter of how well you have picked and how much. Just hope lady luck is looking at you favourably at the time. There are three stages you can make it to that all go to make this slot game rather lucrative . The first level offers multipliers of between 2x and 7x the bet. The second stage pushes those multipliers to anywhere from 2x to 15x your bet. Whereas the third and highest level will give you a minimum of 5x your stake, but can also go as high as 100x the bet. In addition, whenever you manage to land 3 wheel symbols on those reels, you will have just won a cocktail of features, spins and multipliers which altogether will most certainly add up to a substantial build up of payouts, the highest that can be reached in this slot game. All the above mentioned, plus a run on the multiplier wheel.

The opinion

Many have tried to capture the spirit of the good old coin machines, some have managed to a lesser or a greater point. Quickspin have had a shot and have come up with a game that is, to a degree, reminiscent of the golden 50’s. Is it the best? Well, I don’t know about that. The game has its charm and it is faithful to what it was designed to represent. The 3 rows on 3 reels was a unusual, if not risky decision, but perhaps one that has paid off. Few gaming companies offer the opportunity to enable new generation punters a true feel of the old world 3x3 interface, fewer would even consider it. Of course, some necessary ingenious adjustments had to be made to meet today’s high tech gamers’ expectations, and I would say they work fine. But a closer look at the slot game’s stats leaves a little to be desired. The 96.23% RTP is rather lower than similar themed games you find on line today. The graphics are as they are, adequate for the era they portray. The jazzy soundtrack fits well, too, An echo from the old Rat Pack days in Las Vegas when the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr ruled the casinos along the strip. It’s all there, but perhaps better suited for those who want to enjoy a replica of a world that once was, rather than those who would prefer playing the odds for more substantial pay outs. This slot game may not become your favourite, but you will certainly miss out if you don’t give it a go.