Lucky 5 Reeler Slot Machine
Novel game play is not something you would normally associate with Barcrest. This slots maker is better known for standard setups with very solid game-play. Lucky 5 Reeler is a complete departure from the standard slots. Each time you spin, you get 5 spins of the reel, and any wins are locked in place for the remainder of the spins. This feels very much like a live slot, and it can now be enjoyed online too.
You’ll immediately notice 4 golden squares above the reels of this slot, each one with a gap underneath with ‘winnings’ written on it. The main set of reels has a simple black background and the bright yet simple symbols that are common on Barcrest games. A lot of these are the playing card symbols from ace down to 10. Others symbols include items associated with luck – for example a black cat, 4 leafed clover and profile of a woman (presumably lady luck herself). The remaining symbol is logo – which acts as the wild in this game.
I liked the sounds in this slot a lot. You get a jazz-scale on the bass when spinning the reels, and trumpets sound when you hit a winning combination. The only standout graphics are the big win sign and coins cascade which occur if you win big.
There are no special break-out features or free spins games on this slot – the 5 spins is considered plenty enough to keep you entertained!
Setup and Play for Lucky 5 Reeler
There are 10 win lines on each set of reels as a default for this game. You can choose to play for 5 if you wish, though there are increased pay-outs for the full 10 lines. The minimum stake is 20c per line, or $2 per spin. Keep in mind that you are getting 5 spins for this amount each time you play. For the high rollers it is possible to play for anything up to $50 per line, or $500 per spin. A high roller sign appears on the background to the reels at spin values of $5 and up. Auto play in this game lets you take up to 50 spins without needing to trigger each one yourself.
Prizes are awarded for 3+ consecutive symbols anywhere on the reels – instead of the standard requirement to start on the left hand side. This makes it possible to get 3 of a kind wins starting in any of the first 3 reels, and 4 of a kind wins from the first 2. If there is more than one win on line, then only the larger will pay.
The best symbol is the Lucky Reeler logo; this pays 50 coins for 5 and 25 coins for 4. Keep in mind that if you hit this on the first spin, it will be locked into place for the next 4 times – so your win is 250 coins (+ other combinations) in this case. Next in the pay table comes lady luck, which is worth 30 coins for 5 and 10 for 4. The clover and cat are next (15 each for 5) and the playing card symbols make up the smaller wins.
Locked prizes can be very entertaining when you get additional symbols of the same type on subsequent spins. There are occasions where you have several lines guaranteed to pay out on any given line.
Lucky 5 Reeler – Conclusion
It is great to see another novel idea coming from Barcrest. This slot maker have been producing very entertaining standard 5x3 slots for many years – though have not embraced the novel features of some other software houses. Lucky 5 Reeler might seem expensive, with a $2 minimum spin. You do get 5 spins for your money though, and with any wins locked in place it could be argued that these are even better than standard spins.
We're not completely convinced that the 5-spins system is enough on its own. This slot could have done with an extra feature or two to keep the engagement levels high. Something as simple as a pick-em game or other bonus game would be enough.
Overall and entertaining slot, one which is worth taking for a spin – though probably not for the all-time favourites list.
