Monster Carlo II Slots
Monster Carlo II is an OpenBet sequel to the software developer’s popular 3-reel, 1-line video slot. The upgrade coming hot on the original’s heels has 5 reels rather than 2, and a bunch of new bonus features, though in every visual respect it’s a faithful follow-up, one that cements the horror theme.
Monte Carlo is populated by loaded financiers, fashionistas and sports stars, but Monster Carlo’s denizens are a little different: mummies, zombies, Frankensteins… You definitely wouldn’t want to be cornered down a dark alley by any of these sinister figures. In Monster Carlo II though, the more villains you find, the better…
Monsters = Gorillaz
Monster Carlo II takes place on the usual 5-reel, 3-row reel grid. The reels themselves are purple, as is the dashboard housing at the foot of the screen, and there is a vague drawing in the background, though it’s difficult to make out what it is. As for the symbols themselves, they evoke Damon Albarn’s cartoon band Gorillaz – indeed, one of the icons looks suspiciously like the frontman of that famous virtual band.
Above the reel grid, you’ll see frequent phrases and warnings which suit the theme – things like ‘Spin if you dare…’, ‘What was that?’ and ‘Look behind you!’ The warnings certainly go some way towards making you think your disapproving other half is standing over your shoulder, watching you angrily blow the kid’s trust fund – but they certainly fit in with the horror mood.
At the bottom of the screen, the dashboard has been designed to resemble the control panel on an actual slot machine. Against the purple background, there are green buttons for Spin, Bet Max, Lines and Stake. There’s also a button to regulate Auto Play – you can play five, ten or 25 automatic spins – and a Gamble button, which is enabled after every win. Coin stakes, meanwhile, go from 0.25 to 50, meaning the player can bet up to 1,000 credits per spin.
Monster Raving Loonies…
Let’s discuss those pesky horror-themed symbols, shall we? There aren’t many of them – just five, in fact – with six playing cards making up the others. The playing cards have been designed to resemble green gunge and are the lowest-value symbols on the board.
The real stars of the show are the monsters; they include a mummy, the aforementioned Stuart ‘2D’ Pot lookalike, a skull-headed figure wearing a purple cloak and another strange, sinister being who looks as if he’s wearing a bag over his head. Frankenstein is in the mix too, though he’s special: we’ll get to him later.
The best-paying monster is the skull, which pays 50 for three, 150 for four and 200 for five. Next best is the mummy, granting 30 for three, 60 for four and 120 for five, followed by the bag-head, which furnishes players’ pockets with 20 for three, 50 for four and 100 for five. Least valuable is the gawky, spiky-haired monster with sharpened ears: he pays just 15 for three, 25 for four and 35 for five in a row.
Feature Icons
Like most 5-reel casino games, Monster Carlo II includes both wild and scatter symbols. The scatter is represented by a pair of red dice and is linked with free spins and bonus pay-outs. All you need to do is find three or more of these to trigger prizes. For three dice you’ll win 15 free spins plus x2 your line stake; for four it’s 20 plus x5; and for five it’s 25 spins plus x10.
The wild is represented by a dollar sack with the word WILD printed above it. It can stand in for all other symbols except the scatter to help you form matching combinations. A wild doubles the value of any win it is part of, except during the dedicated bonus feature.
The main bonus feature is triggered by three or more Frankensteins. Pull this off and you’ll be entered into a mini-game, during which you’ll win between x2 and x10,000 the line stake which triggered the feature.
The Monster in the Mirror
Monster Carlo II is an entertaining video slot that should be of particular interest to fans of the horror genre. The casino game will suit a wide range of players thanks to its generous betting range, and the inclusion of several bonus icons makes the prospect of big wins all the more realistic. Mosey on down to Monster Carlo and muster your inner monster.
