Breakout Slot Machine
Whoever said that basic couldn’t be interesting simply didn’t have a clue! Breakout is living, breathing, clicking, beeping, paying proof of that. An all new slot from the team at Simbat Entertainment Systems which folds in many of the old school qualities that so many of us adore about games of this kind with a progressive and modern feel, it’s fair to say that there was a great deal of anticipation involved in the launch of this console.
At first glance there’s a definitive air of 20th century slots gaming about Breakout. The way it is laid out before you on the screen is certainly evocative of the traditional slots that we all (well, at least those of us old enough) came to know and love in their traditional form before the apex of the internet. The simplistic interface upon which the game is set harks to a bygone era of slots gaming and is instantly appealing to anyone who enjoys the stripped back aesthetics so commonly skipped in favour of flashiness and flair by today’s industry.
Under the Surface
It’s all very well and good noting that a game looks like it packs the right punch, but what good is that if you get past first impressions only to discover that there is no punch to be found at all? Thankfully, any player trying their hand at Breakout will never need to undergo such a traumatic experience, as there is plenty on offer here to get the heart racing.
The most noticeable and major physical feature of this slot are its split reel lines. With one upper and one line, Breakout immediately becomes more complex than the majority of its peers – as gameplay is juggled between the two as opposed to being focused on just one.
The lower line is where the basic gameplay happens, whereas the upper line is home to the ‘top’ game; the chief difference between the two being the stake amounts and therefore the amount of money that can potentially be won. In order to reach the top game, players must first successfully negotiate the basic game.
Wins of 2 or more credits within the basic slot will be transferred intact up to the meters of the top game. Players may also take a chance and gamble their winnings on the bottom – with 2 credits transformed into 5 at a 40% chance for success.
Alternatively, employing the Hold buttons will retain any desirable symbols across the active reels and an integrated auto hold function is always activated, though can be cancelled at any point to speed things up or make them a little more unpredictable!
From Bottom to Top
From the second you manage to collect a minimum of 4 credits on the basic line you can advance to the top game – where the real chances to collect some cash lie! The only downside to this is that a single credit is knocked from your total as an entrance fee to this feature, which strikes as rather unnecessary but is soon forgotten if things go well in the first few spins of the top game.
The top game is always player across 5 lines, with a full bet of 1 credit per line allowing players access to the top tier of payout capability. What’s more, doubling up to 2 credits per line will offer the chance to enter the bonus ‘shooting game’, wherein a host of extra win opportunities lie. All things considered, this game had much more of a backend on it than you initially expect.
The real charm of Breakout lies with its ability to keep on surprising players well into their initial run through. There are fewer more credible attributes to a credible game than a well thought out structure, and that’s exactly what Breakout has.
Take a Chance
As far as the advancement of the modern slots industry goes, Breakout isn’t about to usher in the next generation of interface technology. It is a wholly simplistic yet accessible console that doesn’t pull its punches and is completely straight up in what it offers: a traditional gaming experience that offers players the chance to get out what they put in, plus a couple of extras if they’re lucky!
Taking a chance on Breakout is highly unlikely to be something that you’ll wind up regretting. If you’re a traditionalist at heart, there are few new games out there that will do as much for you as this one manages to do despite its drawbacks.