Casino Island Slot Machine

Desert islands make for a common theme in slots. In fact beaches, holidays, sun, sea and sand are all fairly prolific, whether that be because the developers believe gamblers will enjoy the escapism of such worlds, or whether they themselves are aspiring to something more holiday-like in their own attempt at escapism - who can tell? Creators of this game, PAF, are based in Finland and do seem to have a penchant for sunny climes - perhaps due to the long hours spent in Scandinavia’s winter darkness, or the long hours spent in front of their computer screens.

The free Casino Island slot has a distinctly classic slot style to it and while there may not be any fruit symbols like an old school fruit machine, it is equally basic in a retro way. The game features a 5 x 3 layout with just 9 paylines, making for a clean, simple screen. The minimum bet starts at 0.90 and goes all the way up to a max bet of 4.50. There’s no free spins or option to gamble, but there is a bonus round - more on that later.

Coins and Contraband

It would appear that some sort of pirate ship or lucratively endowed galleon has washed up on the shores of this lucky island, as the reels are littered with nautical regalia and maritime themed bits and bobs. A chest of treasure overflowing with gold and riches is the highest value symbol - land 5 of these on a payline and you’ll earn 5,000 coins.

The ship and ship’s bell only require a hit of 2 on a line for a win, but don’t get too excited - they’re also worth the least on the board (the latter being worth a little less than the former). For the rest of the symbols you’ll need to land 3 on a payline. There are no wild symbols or scatters and generally very little to confuse those new to playing online slots, but look out for the sailing ship Bowness (not to be confused with the low value ship), for it is she who will take you to the bonus round.

Ahoy Me Hearties

Once you’ve landed at least two of the good ship Bowness symbols, you’ll climb aboard the bonus round for adventures on the high seas. First select your destination and then set sail. Look out for submerged rocks and coral as you travel, for these will hinder your progress. The opportunity to actually leave the island is an entertaining feature. The game should run on your iPhone or Android smartphone or any other similar device.

However, whether it’s fully mobile-compatible is debatable. The paytable takes up a big chunk of the top section of the screen, which means everything else and those all-important reels are a little squashed up. On the larger screen of a desktop or even a decent sized tablet, this doesn't really affect the experience, but transfer that to a mobile - especially one you’re using on the go - and you may find yourself straining to see your symbols, which takes some of the fun away.

Slots to Spin

You don’t have to stray too far to find a plethora of similar themed slots. Beach lovers PAF also have Beach Party and Beach Volley. Both are 9 payline, 5 x 3 reels with a medium level of volatility and a simplistic straightforward style. There are various alternative incarnations of Casino Island too, this one has been re-made by WMS as Casino Island 2 - so if you enjoy the original but feel it’s a bit basic, it’s worth checking out the updated version.

Island Life

The visuals of Casino Island by PAF don’t make for a wholly immersive experience. You don’t feel much like you’re actually on a desert island, rather very much in front of a slot machine and while there’s nothing to say one style of design is better than the other, it’s a matter of preference. However, if you do like more advanced graphics and sophisticated animation, then this game may not be for you. It’s a simple, basic and old-fashioned stalwart, unlike some of PAF’s more recent, hi tech wonders and this makes it ideal for new gamblers.

There’s really very little to get your head around and many of the elements and terminology synonymous with slots isn’t needed here. Everyone has to have a place to get started, so it’s great that these kind of games don’t require much familiarisation, knowledge or experience. If you’re looking for something nice and simple that you can play for fun or play for free, this no-frills slot has a strong bonus game. But without any fireworks, you might find it’s one you tire of quite soon.