The Green Machine Slot Machine
Have you ever heard that something is so likely to turn a profit, that taking that action is “just like printing money?” In reality, of course, things are rarely that simple – and even if they were, nobody ever said that printing money is easy, unless you have access to a mint. Still, the concept is something everyone can relate to – who would turn down a machine that just churned out cash whenever you needed it?
If you enjoy this idea, you might get a kick out of The Green Machine, a slot machine developed by Bally that is found in many brick-and-mortar casinos. It is both a unique game and one of the simplest you’ll find anywhere in the gaming industry, with some interesting features that set it far apart from most slots. It will also remind you that the idea of printing money might be a bit overrated, as it’s just a little more difficult than that famous phrase suggests.
No Lines, No Symbols, No Problem
In most slot machines we’ve played, the goals are simple. You take a look at the screen, and attempt to match identical symbols from left to right across your paylines. In fact, this format is so common that it is pretty much assumed that any game you play will use this structure, with any variations needed to be clearly stated before you play.
The Green Machine is nothing like this. Sure, it’s technically a five-reel slot, but beyond that, there are few similarities to the machines you’re probably used to.
The first thing you’ll notice when you step up to this game is that the cabinet it uses tends to be huge, making it a centerpiece on many casino floors. Next, you’ll find that you can only play up to five credits per spin – something rare for a five-reel format. In this case, however, you’ll actually be paying one credit for each reel that you want to activate; if you play just one credit, only the first reel will count towards winning you prizes. The amount per credit can vary, though $1 or $0.50 are common denominations.
Once you’ve chosen how many credits to play, it’s time to spin the reels! You’ll soon find that the vast majority of “symbols” on this machine are actually blank spaces. It is fairly common to play all five reels, watch them spin and stop, and then see absolutely nothing but blank spaces (inside of green ovals) appear on your screen.
Hidden among these blanks, however, are some spots that contain prize amounts. For a $1 spin, these will start at just a dollar, but can potentially feature prizes worth hundreds or even thousands in a single symbol location. A typical top prize is $5,000, though even this could be hit multiple times on the same spin.
Each time you hit one of these dollar amounts on an active reel, in any of the three symbol positions, you will win the prize listed. That’s all you need to do: there are no matches required, and every single symbol that appears will earn you that prize. On each spin, all of the prizes that you reveal will be awarded to you, totaled up and added to your balance once the reels come to a stop. If you’ve played less than the full five credits, all of the reels will still spin, meaning that you may see some “near misses” on parts of the display that you didn’t play.
Some Versions Contain Bonus Round
In some casinos, The Green Machine is just as simple as what we’ve described above. However, some versions of this game will also have the potential for free spins. You’ll find your way into this bonus in the same way you win prizes: simply hit the free spins symbol anywhere on the screen, and you’ll get a few bonus plays at no cost. These free spins feature more winning symbols than normal as well, making it much easier to win something during the special feature.
If you’re looking to play this game online, it is not yet available at Internet casinos. However, a company called High 5 Games has created a social version that is free to play. You can’t win real money through the H5G port of this machine, but it is a great way to get a feel for how this slot differs from standard games.
It’s Not Easy Being Green
If the typical slots have begun to bore you, we can’t recommend a better game for you than The Green Machine. This is certainly something different from the everyday games you’ve played before, though depending on what you want, that could be either a good or bad thing. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind long stretches of losses punctuated by occasional big wins, than this game could be a blast for you. However, the action is pretty simplistic, meaning that some gamblers may get bored while watching mostly blank symbols fly by again and again.
Overall, though, we have to give Bally a lot of credit for coming up with a very innovative game here. We doubt that anyone will spend hours sitting at this game just pumping money into it, but for an occasional play that breaks up the normally monotonous act of spinning the reels, this title definitely hits the mark.
