Club Gold Slot
If the whole ‘Club’ style slot doesn’t have a genre all of its very own, then it is surely high time that it did. There’s pretty much no end to the number of interactive video slots out there in the big bad market at present all of which conform to this pretty irresistible style of theme and concept, and Club Gold – by Simbat Entertainment Systems – is yet another.
In a gaming industry that is so saturated with video slots, many of which all act to occupy more or less the same well stamped ground over and over again, it’s definitely hard for any developer to come thrashing out of the gates with anything that is truly original.
That being said, Simbat is one game maker that does manage to be consistently unique in its offerings. With that in mind, let’s kick back, relax and see just what the new Club Gold release has to say for itself.
Mechanics
A common structural trait of Simbat games, or at least those which immerse players into the old school short reel format (so, every single one of them then?), the Club Gold slot is split into two separate levels. First up we have a basic – or lower – game, and this is played across just three reels and involves just 1 payline. This payline is visible as a literal coloured line that runs over the rollers down through the middle of the symbols – which is a very nice touch and adds a much needed touch of clarity in what is objectively a rather confusing interface.
This initial line is played with a bet of one credit per spin and one credit equals 10 cents. The winning combinations for the basic game are shown next to the three reels. To win a prize you have to get one of these combinations on the payline from far left to right. Gold Club Symbol provides additional prices. With this symbol you can win mystery prizes to 200 points.
With the points won in the basic game you play a Cup/Coin Game which, when done right, can act to double up your pot to a maximum of 200 credits. You can do this by selecting Heads or Tails – 50:50 odds and a very easily negotiated bonus round that hardly charms your pants off but can still produce genuine results fast. Choose well and you’ll double your points won, you choose wrong – you’ll lose them. You opt to collect your points on the credit meter by clicking Collect, though if you want to put them to the club meter to play the club game then click on the corresponding button – though note that you can’t use the hold function within the Club game.
Additional Features and the Theme
The more you trudge on with this slot the more tedious it becomes. That is not to say that there aren’t players out there who won’t get their own kicks out of this slot, just that it offers very little in terms of something new.
As mentioned, creating something inventive, new and otherwise unique out of a format that has already been done to the point of extinction is never easy, but sometimes it just begs the question: why not try something new?
As for the theme of Gold Club, there’s no question that game carries itself very well indeed. All of the proportions and graphics are spot on and do as they should in terms of guiding players around the interface and encouraging their imminent return when their session has run dry is concerned.
One sort-of saving grace of the Club Gold slot is however the ‘Gold Club Game’. This is played in the same way as the basic game, and requires players to successfully complete the lower level before qualifying. Eating up four credits per spin as opposed to the usual one, this game burns at a much faster rate – but can see players’ fortunes turn at a much more dramatic pace.
Considerations
There’s not a great deal about this game that’s all that easy to get excited about, and that’s just the harsh reality of things. For lovers of the traditional tiered slots format, there’s no question that there will be enough here to provide a kick, but for anyone that is used to the more exciting territory that comes along with modern slots gaming – it’s probably worth giving this one a miss!
Simbat are known for their dedication to the old school, and Club Gold certainly embodies said dedication – it’s just not always enough.
