Double Stacks

No matter how much we may enjoy the great graphics of today, and indulge in a myriad of special features, it wasn’t always that way. Before, we used to have a different world – where most slots were simplistic in both game design and art style. In some places, they’re still called fruit machines to this day because of those origins – when you had only three reels, maybe one payline or five if the owner was generous. The world has changed since then – now, five reels and plenty of special features is the norm. And while some gamblers like to go back to the old way of doing things, we really can’t embrace that all over again. Fortunately, NetEnt’s made a title for all of us a little nostalgic for the visuals, but not the gameplay of the titles we used to adore and enjoy.

NetEnt seems to have the best artists in the business, as even their basic video slots somehow manage to look gorgeous. The game has a solid color as a background image and makes it look great with a few effects. The screen darkens towards the top, small bubbles explode and grow all over the reels and backdrop, while managing not to look intrusive. There’s a glow effect behind the reels themselves to draw your attention towards them – the whole thing looks fantastic, despite the fact it’s a very simplistic set up. The user interface has been spruced up to fit the colorful occasion, which also plays a great part in the whole scheme of things. It’s mostly see through, with all the important buttons being given a tint of the same pink-purple colour that dominates the backdrop.

The game is played on a 5×3 playing field with 10 fixed paylines which only award wins from left to right. The title offers gamblers a medium volatility, meaning that players have a decent balance of special features and big wins. Your jackpots won’t be as high as in other titles, but you also have to wait less for the wins to start. That said, the gameplay does differ slightly from most other titles, thanks to a specific special feature.

Gamblers can wager between $0.10 and up to $200 per spin, which is a rather wide range at which just about every level of gambler will find a satisfying wager, from penny pinchers to high rollers alike. The medium variance also helps things along, as you don’t have to wait for a long time for wins to come through, making it more accessible to casual players. The RTP for this game is 96.1%, which is above average for video slots.

Double Stacks has a selection of icons that are mostly comprised of symbols you’ve seen elsewhere, as a purposeful call back to the old way of doing things. You have watermelons, lemons, plums and cherries for fruit icons, as well as golden bells, bars, lucky sevens and diamonds as higher paying symbols, which can be duplicated by the game.

Yes, the first special feature of Double Stacks is the fact certain symbols have a chance to appear double in a single reel. And if they appear double, they pay as if there are two symbols in that single reel, which naturally increases your odds of getting bigger wins. Only higher paying symbols can appear duplicated – meaning golden bells, bars, lucky sevens and diamonds.

You also have a more tradition special feature in the form of free spins, which are activated by collecting three or more Scatters at the same time on the playing field. Three, four or five Scatters award 5, 15 or 30 extra turns, respectively. During free spins, Wilds can also appear double stacked, and winning two or more Scatters can add more free spins to the number currently available to you.