Universal Monsters The Phantom's Curse Slots
Scandinavian online slots developers, NetEnt have plenty of experience in adapting famous films for slots audiences. Real-cash gamblers have already experienced the 3D delights of The Invisible Man slot, while the recent Dracula horror-themed slot is packed with bonus features and great graphics.
What did those two games have in common? Well, both titles came as part of a big branding deal with Universal Studios. Some of the Hollywood legends' best-loved movies have been immortalized in gambling form. And now, 1925's classic silent film, Phantom of the Opera, is to receive the NetEnt treatment.
Will this Phantom's Curse bring the house down, or will it end up being an Andrew Lloyd-Webber number? Let's take a closer look with a review.
Another Classic Horror Remake from NetEnt
Universal Studios have made a few stabs (if you pardon the murdering pun) at adapting the story of the Phantom of the Opera. 1925's take starred Lon Chaney as Erik, a mysterious phantom who spends his days haunting the Paris Opera House.
The movie was shelved for several years but timing was on the studio's side as Lon Chaney became a big star in Hollywood. The film was released in 1925 with Mary Philbin as the love interest, Christine Daae. Universal would go on to remake the story in 1943.
Like The Invisible Man, the Universal Monsters The Phantom's Curse video slot is played on 5 reels and there's a range of betting possible. Naturally, the game has been immediately adapted for mobile NetEnt Touch players.
Play from Coins at Just 0.01
Universal Monsters The Phantom's Curse is played on 5 reels and 4 rows. While 40 paylines is standard, we would expect another 10 to be available. The 40 win lines do appear fixed, though.
Coins start at just 0.01 and go up to 1.00. However, you can also adjust the betting level from 1-10 to give you a 200.00 top stake.
Most symbols appear stacked in the base game. Unfortunately, most of those stacked symbols are the royal ones. The spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts all pay from 5-20x line bet for 3-5 of a kind. The dagger pays 10-40x, as does the mirror. The yellow rose pays 10-50x, while the Phantom's ring dishes out 10-60x for 3OAK to 5OAK.
The run of mediocre payouts is broken only by Christine and the Phantom. Christine pays 15-100x the line bet, while the Phantom pays 15-200x.
Aim for Stacks, but Go For the Free Spins
While the regular payouts seem quite poor, there's a good reason. In the online slot, stacked symbols can create combinations with each other. Stacked Phantom symbols can form combos with Masked Phantom icons, and Masks can form combos with Stacked Mask icons. A bet line with five matched symbols pays 200 coins. These stacks only appear on Reels 1 and 5 and may act wild.
Pick and Click: If you fill Reel 1 with Stacked Phantom symbols and Reel 5 with Stacked Christine symbols, you trigger the Pick and Click feature. First, pick from 8 roses to reveal coins or blockers. If you pick a blocker, you move on to the next stage. Here, pick from mirrors to reveal a multiplier.
Masked Phantom Re-Spin: If you land Stacked Phantom icons on Reel 1 and Stacked Mask symbols on Reel 5, you win a re-spin. All bonus and mask symbols turn wild.
Free Spins: There is also a great free spins bonus feature to trigger in the game. If you land three chandelier scatter symbols on Reels 1, 3 and 5, the round begins. Here's where things get interesting. A chandelier swings on the reels with a rope connecting one reel. If a Masked Phantom lands on a reel the rope is cut. This routine continues until all the ropes are cut and the round ends. The Masked Phantom acts as a wild symbol during this bonus game.
Compare Top NetEnt Universal Slots
If you like the volatility of NetEnt slots and want a more immersive Universal fix, check out The Invisible Man. The graphics are much better in this 5-reel game and players have the chance to land all sorts of wilds. The Police Wild shifts along the reels at the start of special re-spins. The Griffin Wild, meanwhile, moves the other way, from Reel 5 to Reel 1. 10 free spins and multipliers can also be won in the main bonus feature.
Also developed with Universal, Dracula has an amazing 3D intro sequence which puts you in the thick of the horror. The game's free spins feature has stacked wilds, while the 'Bat Feature' is randomly activated and add clusters of wilds to your reels.
Venture into the Opera House
In terms of new online slots, the free Universal Monsters The Phantom's Curse slot is a decent release. It might have a little too much volatility for some players. But if you love old-school horror classics it's the game for you. Some actual footage would have been nice, as would a nice video cutaway sequence to open the slot.
These gripes aside, there is enough bonus action to keep everyone happy. The various stacked symbols and free spins bonus give players the chance to seriously increase their bankrolls. Venture into the opera and see if this is worth the price of admission.
