Very few people realise what a brief part of North American history that era really was. The images of leather-faced, brown-dirt cowboys riding off into the sunset, dusky saloons, piano-players, dusty, sunburnt cowboys downing bourbon served by barmaids, shots ringing, people, good and bad, lying dead are all too familiar thanks to a movie industry that created a multitude of heroes and anti-heroes who lived and died as states of the north American continent slowly turned into a federation. Perhaps even fewer realise how recent the introduction of horses to this part of the world actually was.  Can you even begin to imagine the vast plains of central and North America barren of horses? Well, not so very long ago it was. It was only just over 500 years ago the majestic American icon was brought over from the Iberian peninsula in herds with the Spanish and were known as the Colonial horses which were, and still are to this day, among the best breed of horses in the world. These were let loose, along with other thoroughbreds, to become the big but Quarter Horse, or the iconic Mustang we know them as today. Second only to the Bald Eagle, the Mustang is today what probably represents the epitome of adaptation and prosperity when it comes to immigration from all parts of the world which went on to create the United States, the most prosperous multinational nation to date. It is this creature which helped build this nation and without whom history, not only of the Americas, but also the world, would have evolved differently. Here Pragmatic Play brings to the reels an era when in the Americas this creation was, without a doubt, at its highest prestige and demand. Travel became a way of life and the theft of horses was unforgivable. So, get them spurs on and remember, never squat when they’re on!

Yeehaw! And away we go!

This slot game comprises 25 paylines spread over 3 rows on 5 reels and has a bet range that goes from a single coin to 10. Apart from the regular Wild and Scatter it also includes in its inventory complementary collect cards, as well as money cards which will be mentioned in more detail later. White horses, black horses, cowboys and cowgals are the higher value symbols and, as the story goes, the black jack suits are the lower value symbols. In this particular Wild West theme, which leans heavily on saloons, notorious for bourbon, black jack and barmaids, playing cards are a welcomed sight and a very appropriate choice of symbols. Perhaps a bottle of bourbon would have also fallen right into place here, but let’s take a quick looks at some values. The two horses score the highest..However, life isn’t always fair and for 5 of the same kind, it’s 5 coins for the white mustang and 3 coins for the black. Baffling, I’d have thought black horses were safer and more sought after in a time where highway bandits ruled the nights.  Next come the guys and the gals! You get 2.50 coins for the cowboy, but only 2 for the gal. The black jack suits all stand the same at 1 coin for a set of five. Then again, bear in mind, this is a slot with 5 jackpots, so in order to make frequent payouts, they would have to be on the lower side to remain viable for the bigger, more lucrative jackpots. In this way the punter remains engaged and is given a longer stretch for his money. But ... hold your horses! There’s plenty more in the bag.

Wild Mustang Gold and Camp Fire Scatter

The Mustang Gold card, which appears only on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5, is the wild in this slot game and appears only reels 2, 3, 4 and 5. As always it substitutes for all symbols, except for the Money symbol, the Scatter and the Collect cards, to help create, or complete winning combinations. The camp fire is the scatter card and lands only on the middle reels, namely 2, 3, and 4. It main function is as a multiplier as well as a trigger which sets off the free spin feature when three of them land on the reels.

Special Features

The horseshoe, or the Money symbol, as it is called in this slot, takes on a different random value when it lands depending on what value is indicated on it at the time, or jackpot it lands with. However, the Money symbol only appears on reels 1, 2, 3 and 4, but never on five. Nevertheless, a different symbol falls on the 5^th reel, and only on the 5^th and this is the Collect, which is portrayed as the sheriff’s badge. When this badge appears together with one or more horseshoe Money symbols, the value of all the Money symbols are added up and paid out!  Additionally, should these appear in conjunction with a Jackpot hit, it then awards the player a Jackpot Reveal Bonus Game for every horseshoe which appears on the reels in sequence, which sets the game off ‘buckin’ an’ rearin’.

Showdown, conclusion.

Well, who would turn their backs on a heeled curly wolf! This slot game powered by Pragmatic Play has been put together well and has one or two unique features which, when you consider the number of slot games that are being launched, give it an original twist that is hard to come by. The graphics and interface in general are not out of this world, but the simple and unpretentious design makes it truly what it should be, plain, raw, rough and tough. Worth a mention also, is the soundtrack which is not only appropriate to the theme, but relaxing and very typical of those western movies we love to watch. Listen to those galloping hooves go when ‘them reels are a-spinnin’!  On the other hand, an RTP of 96.53 is not exactly a rodeo event, or even the best Pragmatic Play has ever had to offer, but again. A medium Variance game with five jackpots may pay off, if you hang in there long enough. Fun to play, lil’ hard to pay, I’d say.