Lucky Firecracker Slots
The number of video slots with the word ‘lucky’ in the title is rather hilarious, don’t you think? If they were all lucky, casinos wouldn’t make any damn money! Ah, to be a cynic…
In any case, Lucky Firecracker – what are you sniggering at? – is a 5-reel Oriental-themed slot game from software developer Microgaming. Released in 2015 to coincide with Chinese New Year, the non-progressive slot features 3 rows and an amazing 243 ways to win. The title is something of an identikit of the Gung Pow slot, at least in terms of design, so if you enjoyed that one, you’ll probably get on great with Lucky Firecracker.
Layout
Lucky Firecracker takes place on a standard 5x3 reel grid, with the title of the game appearing above the reels in both English and Chinese letters. The reel grid appears against a lush red background, with the game’s icons appearing on a different shade of red. The symbols themselves are elegantly rendered and edged in glinting gold.
In terms of coin values, they start at just 0.01 and top out at 0.50. Players can wager up to 10 coins per line, and there’s an Auto Play mode permitting up to 100 automatic spins.
Lucky Symbols
In Lucky Firecracker, the symbols include sparklers, firecrackers, golden gongs, rockets and a paper lantern. I suppose the slot is as much about fireworks as it is about the Orient! It also nods to the gambling games of old by including playing card symbols: 9, 10, J, Q, K and A. As is normally the case, the playing cards represent the lowest-value icons on the reels.
At the higher end of the scale, the trio of rockets pays 1.20 for two, 3 for three, 30 for four and 300 for five. The red firecrackers pay 0.70 for two, two credits for three, 20 for four and 200 for five, and the Chinese lantern pays 1.50 for three, 15 for four and 150 for five. For a detained breakdown of all pay-outs, simply click onto the pay-table on the main screen.
Go Wild and Scatter
The icon which shows four golden letters of the Chinese alphabet is the game’s wild. It can substitute for all symbols except the scatter to help the player form combinations of matching icons. In this game, the wild only appears on the second and fourth reel, somewhat limiting its potential to furnish you with wins.
The scatter, meanwhile, is the Chinese dollar symbol. While the other symbols must line up from the leftmost reel, the scatter doesn’t have to: it grants pay-outs wherever it lies.
Care for Some Free Spins?
While there are no complex bonus features or mini-games to sink your teeth into, the slot does offer free spins. You can activate this bonus by hitting three, four or five of the aforementioned Chinese dollar icons anywhere on the grid. In addition to receiving a traditional pay-out, you’ll be gifted 15 free spins. Not only that, but all subsequent wins come with a generous 3x multiplier. What’s more, the feature can be re-triggered during free spins.
Fortune Favours the Brave
After every matching combination you manage to uncover, you’ll be presented with the opportunity to gamble. All you need to do is click the glowing ‘Gamble’ button at the bottom of the screen. You will then be asked to predict the colour of the next card to be drawn from the deck. It’s the usual story: guess right and you’ll double your winnings; guess wrong and you’ll lose the rent money. Players are limited to five correct guesses before being returned to the base game.
A Flaming Firecracker
With so many ways to win, Lucky Firecracker treats players to a rip-roaring ride through the Orient. This slot is as bright as it engaging, although some players will perhaps bemoan the lack of an interactive bonus game, not to mention the presence of playing card symbols, which – let’s be honest – don’t really tie in with the theme.
Mobile players will also be disappointed that the game is not available on handheld devices. Looking on the bright side, though, the slot boasts wild and scatter symbols, as well as a generous free spins with multiplier attached. The wide betting range will also appeal to a large number of players. Launch this firecracker into the air and see if you can’t set the sky ablaze!
