Turkey Shoot Slots
The Turkey Shoot video slot is a classic one armed bandit with some surprisingly punchy payouts up its one armed sleeve. This fruit machine hosts a 3 reel, 1 payline game, but boasts up to 15,000 coins in top jackpot prizes.
With software by WGS, it's part of their Wild X series. The series is popular because it offers impressive multipliers for a higher payout rate. The straightforward gameplay is spiced up with the multiplier action and proves to be a pleasant surprise.
There's also a bonus mini game to take advantage of, promising a top 500 coin payout. Shoot your turkey for your roast, and then pluck the real cash prize for your efforts.
A typical 3 reel betting structure offers three levels of coin for three levels of prizes. Gamblers can also select coin value from 0.01 - 5.00, though for a broader range of bets. Play, therefore, starts from as little as 0.01 per spin to a max bet of 15.00.
Gameplay also offers a gamble feature, for players who enjoy a riskier edge to their game. It's a classic feature for a classic fruit machine game. Everything about the free Turkey Shoot slot is styled to look just like a traditional one armed bandit on a casino floor. Even though, ironically, the developers only have an online presence at the moment.
WGS is only a decade old, but it has hefty industry experience from its former company, Vegas Technology. They are taking advantage of newly relaxed US gaming laws, to offer their popular and classic 3 and 5 reel online slots. The Wild X series is being added to all the time, and Turkey Shoot is just one of the latest releases in its popular range.
Hunting Turkey Multipliers for Big Rewards
WGS have plumped for a classic style to complement the classic mechanics and action in the free Turkey Shoot slot. The image of a cabinet with metal trim and push buttons for functions is very photo-realistic. This could be a snapshot from a Vegas casino floor.
Above the reels autumnal leaves surround the cheerful turkey, clearly unaware of his fate. The three short, white reels dominate the centre of the screen, with a single white payline drawn horizontally across.
The symbols that fall onto the reels are just as traditional, ranging through cherries, bars, bells and sevens. It's the multipliers at the top of the paytable where this slot gets really interesting.
There's a 2x multiplier wild symbol which offers double your bet. This is followed by a game's logo wild symbol which offers a 5x multiplier. A combination of these symbols pays 2,000x or 4,000x your line bet.
However, a full three of a kind of the game's logo 5x wilds pays 5,000x, 10,000x or 15,000x your line bet. In real cash terms, if playing on a max line bet of 5.00, that's a prize of 75,000.00. Mighty impressive for such low stakes.
Fr a clear breakdown, the paytable displays all the prizes on offer for each coin level. It's worth noting that the second and third credit levels offer no difference in payout, until you reach the top prize. Only by playing all three coins can you achieve the 15,000 coin jackpot for three game's logo wilds.
Bonus Fun for a Playful Boost
Typical 3 reel slots, of course, don't feature any mini games or side screens. The original physical mechanics of the machine didn't allow that. It's only since the birth of the online video slot that bonus features have got so varied and exciting.
WGS take advantage of this and have added a mini game to enhance the gameplay of this classic slot. Well, we guess that was the intention. The mini game is brief and lacks drama, impressive graphics, or at least a good payout.
Landing a bonus turkey on the third reel will trigger the feature. On a separate screen players need to select from a choice of identical turkeys. Aim your target and fire at the turkey to discover your prize. Many prizes are low and, if you're unhappy with the outcome, you have up to three chances to trade for another turkey.
The paytable proudly proclaims a top possible prize of 500 coins from this bonus. The lucky player who lands this decent bankroll top-up is likely to be very happy. Our experience, though, is that prizes are considerably less. We'd rather just get back to the multiplier chances in base gameplay.
The gamble feature for the Turkey Shoot video slot is a more successful side screen inclusion. At the end of each win, hit the gamble button for a double or nothing chance on your prize.
Instead of the usual generic playing cards, this gamble feature sits more naturally with the theme. Appealing graphics feature a turkey at a bonus wheel which offers random chances at double up or lose.
Shoot your Turkeys in Play for Free Mode
As mentioned, WGS slots are available at online casinos only. They are flash based and, so, easily accessible, with no download needed, from flash enabled web browsers. As HTML5 starts to dominate, there are fewer browsers that support flash. Most of the big players, such as Google Chrome, however, will allow you to 'activate' flash for specific sites.
The Turkey Shoot video slot offers a play for free mode. Mind you, there are no gameplay surprises that mean you can't just hit the ground running and play for real money.
More 3 Reel, Classic Slots Action
Classic 3 reel slots are the origins of the online slots world. Of course, design and features have evolved enormously, but there's still a huge market for these heritage games.
We love the surprising thrills from Triple Chance by Merkur. This 3x3 reel slot takes slots back to basics and reminds us how edge-of-your-seat simple online gambling can be.
The Godfather of classic fruit machines, though, has to be Barcrest, with their incredible longevity in slots. Barcrest were innovating casino games before WGS were a twinkle on the web. Indeed, before the web even existed.
For supreme classic slots action, just take your pick from Barcrest's enormous back catalogue. The brilliant 7s to Burn is a superb 3x3 reel, 5 payline classic slot. You can enjoy it straight, or take a risk on the Hi Roller extra bet feature to up your ante.
Turkey Shoot - Hit or Miss?
So, is the free Turkey Shoot video slot a sure fire hit, or just way off target?
We say, 'hit'. There's good nostalgia value in the classic nature of this slot. The simplicity and style of the graphics are really appealing. However, the Wild X multipliers that form the upper end of the paytable, make this slot sing. They make the straightforward gameplay exciting and they tantalise with superb payout potential.
The bonus round we could take or leave, it doesn't add a great deal. But, there's plenty that'll appeal to low limits players, gamblers who like a risk, and classic slots fans. There's certainly nothing turkey about the chance of winning 75,000.00 from a 5.00 bet.