Reel Gems Slots
This oh-so-shiny slot machine is a blindingly good bet and comes courtesy of Microgaming software developers. There are 5 reels filled with jewels a-gleaming, all of which are easy to spin thanks to easy to use game controls. Reel Gems also has a number of bonus elements that provide some entertainment outside of the normal spinning action, such as free spins and a respin feature.
The slot gives players 243 ways to win on its 5 reels. As such, this game is a perfect shout for those players who can't be bothered fiddling around with all the tangled paylines that you find with some slot machines. Instead, this game is a class act, and is one of the most easy Microgaming slots to get the hang of.
Diamonds are a Spinner's Best Friend
You only have to alter two variable factors when it comes to placing your stakes at this slot machine; the number of coins that are bet and the size of the coins that are bet. You can choose to put down 1 to 10 coins of the following sizes: 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.50.
In a normal slot machine with defined paylines, you would also have to select the number of active lines which would then be multiplied with the other factors to calculate the total bet. However, because this game technically doesn't have any paylines worth worrying about, there is a fixed line multiplier value of 25. So, if you opt to place 1 coin worth 0.01, the total bet will actually be worth 0.25. Likewise, a maximum stake of 10 coins worth 0.50 would be 125.00. That gives punters a lot of opportunity to change up their bets with every spin to suit their desired betting strategies.
A Jewel in the Microgaming Catalogue
As Reel Gem's title might suggest, this game is filled with a treasure chest of colourful jewels. As such, the game does have quite a minimal aesthetic which is free from clutter but filled with plenty of sparkle. The least valuable symbols are denoted by the traditional playing card symbols such as 9, 10, J, Q, K and A – these icons may not be worth much but they will provide you will some welcome wins throughout the game.
The symbols that you really want to find are the precious stone icons. Naturally, these go up in value as they become more rare and more beautiful. Starting from the least valuable and going up there is a yellow quartz, a blue sapphire, a green emerald, a red ruby and a brilliantly white diamond. You can easily discover how much each of these jewels is worth by clicking on the icons as they appear on the reels. All wins are multiplied by the quantity and size of the coins bet per way.
Put a Ring on It
There are a couple of other very important symbols on this slot machine, both of which will reward the players with some special gameplay features. The first of these is the wild symbol as depicted by the “Reel Gems” icon. This symbol only appears on the second and fourth reel and is itself not worth a penny. However, the beauty of this wild symbol is that it will substitute for all game symbols to complete wins. And remember, there are no paylines, so if one wild appears on the reels then you have a very good chance of finding a winning combination.
The only symbol that the wild will not fill in for is the scattering gold and diamond ring symbol. This is a very precious symbol indeed because it will start a round of 15 free spins whenever 3, 4, or 5 appear on any of the 5 reels. These free games can be retriggered and all wins that are achieved during the bonus round will be tripled. So, keep an eye out for these rings because they are sure to spin you into a frenzy, with a grand total of 120,000 coins available to win instantly turning this into a high limit game.
Respin Feature
This feature allows bettors to have another spin of individual reels after every main game spin of Reel Gems. So, if you are just one symbol short of 5 of a kind, you can try your luck by clicking the “Respin” under the relevant reel. This will come at a cost, however – so you'll have to take a bit of a gamble to get that 5 of a kind jackpot!
A Shining Example
Reel Gems takes the 243 ways to win format and gives it a simple makeover by stripping back all of the thematic nonsense. Rather, players are treated to an opulent and opalescent game which is colourful and captivating without being too over the top. Of course, many players will enjoy the narrative aspect of many Microgaming video slots, something which this game lacks. But this Reel Gems is all about keeping it simple. Therefore, classic slot enthusiasts will be able to revel in a 5 reeler which isn't too complicated to play.