Beach Slot

There is nothing like the smell of sea air, nor the feel of soft sand under foot - it’s the stuff that makes us happy, that we look forward to experiencing, even when we’ve savoured it before. While Beach, created by MGA, can’t trigger those physical memories, it can allow you to soak up virtual sunshine and bag yourself some money in the process.

Consisting of two games, both a base and a feature, as well as several bonuses, this classically inspired slot machine is the perfect mixture of modernity and retro gaming. It’s unlikely that those who favour fancy designs will enjoy this as much as those who appreciate a more pure approach to slot machines, but it’s an experience everyone should try out at least once.

The beauty of this game is that you don’t need sunscreen before enjoying yourself, you just start those reels rolling, in the knowledge that you’ll always look your best for the bikini babes crowding up that grid.

Surf’s up!

Rather cleverly, your matrix is presented inside three surfboards, with 1 main payline and 3 reels; as old school as it can come, design wise. On either side of these colourful boards, players will note a series of figures and icons, which detail the value of each winning combination. As you can see, these rewards depend on how many credits you bet with, meaning if you only bet with 1 your highest win will be no more than 200 credits, but bet with 10 credits and you’re looking at 2,000.

By taking a closer look at the imagery used, MGA has gone for a traditional and recognisable vibe, making sparkling diamonds they’re winning symbols of the pack. If this was a modern inspired title, it would probably be a beach ball or sandcastle, but the brand has chosen to cast away predictability and stick to what they know works.

During your playthrough, you will not only be collecting coin but also some nudges to play along the way, as indicated by the blue flippers beneath the reels; these will light up when nudges are available. When you have a nudge, even if it’s only the one, you won’t be able to spin until you’ve used every one of them. Nudges are invaluable as they allow you the chance to make a winning combo when you haven’t been successful.

Catching Some Rays

It wouldn’t be a beach without many sunbathing beauties and handsome guys, and so MGA have made their bonus rounds pay homage to that fact. All of the mini levels have a similar foundation, meaning that there’s a strong chance of repetition during prolonged play, but they’re still quite rewarding.

There is a feature where you’ll see a pyramid of striped deckchairs, all of them with a sum of money or multiplier on, with the very top chair rewarding 200 credits – your aim is to get there. The chairs will light up in rows, and you just have to click when to stop to indicate what return you get. In a similar fashion, another of the bonus rounds follows the same pattern, only this time it uses the images of sunbathers rather than deckchairs.

Then we have a level lined with empty life rings (or life buoys), you click on the one you want and either a reward or two lovely looking legs will appear; if you get the latter the game ends. Should you find a sum of money or multiplier, you’ll be moved onto the next row and so on. Again, it’s a simple system.

When the Day is Done

This title won’t be for everyone, that’s a given from the off, but it’s one of those activities that you’re best trying even if the old school scene isn’t your thing.

The reason for this is because MGA have created a solid and rewarding game, with a decent level of bonuses. And even though those levels are very similar to one another, they still offer up good amounts of cash that a lot of us would be delighted to find in our bank accounts.