Hall of Gods slot review

Step into the battle with the mighty Norse gods, swing the hammer of Thor and win the Mega Jackpot! Hall of Gods is a jackpot slot from NetEnt - might have seen better days, but is still very enjoyable.

It’s been over a decade since Hall of Gods was released, but it doesn’t struggle with the age as much as one would think. True, it doesn’t have as lush animation or as imaginative features as modern-day slots, but the original charm is still there.

The theme of the game is a very divine one, which is quite fitting for a jackpot slot. We can spot the great and powerful Odin and the thunder-god Thor among other gods and goddesses. The main attraction of the game is the three progressive jackpots, growing larger even at this very moment.

Graphics and sound

NetEnt released Hall of Gods in 2010, but I must say I wouldn’t have guessed the slot being this old. I knew it had some years on it, but judging by the graphics it could very well pass as a few years younger.

I really like the comic-like style of the character designs, and that the provider has included the theme inside the game so well. Even the play buttons have some nice details.

But, I was disappointed when I noticed that the game doesn’t have any background music. Instead, I could hear the wind blowing, and the waves breaking into shore. Spinning the reels make a very generic sound, that’s almost mechanical. Even a winning spin plays a generic fanfare, which could be used in just about any slot machine.

Symbols and wins

Hall of Gods has five reels, three rows and 20 paylines. The base game is very simple, and the winnings are paid from left to right from adjacent reels. The highest paying symbols, which are Odin, Thor, Freya and Loki, pay from two or more symbols, as the rest need three or more on the payline.

You are able to adjust your bet by selecting the bet level between 1 and 5, which specifies how many coins you are wagering. The next step is to decide what’s the value of one coin. The minimum bet for Hall of Gods is 20 coins or 20p per spin.

It’s possible to win any of the jackpots with the minimum bet, but the odds are better when using heftier bets.

The game has three progressive jackpots, which are Mini, Midi and Mega Jackpot. The Mega Jackpot is pooled between the casinos, meaning that you can play the slot anywhere for the same jackpot. The Mini and Mini Jackpots aren’t pooled, so they can vary from one casino to the next.

Basic symbols:

• 5 x Odin: 4,000 coins = 200x your bet
• 5 x Thor: 2,000 coins = 100x your bet
• 5 x Freya: 1,500 coins = 75x your bet
• 5 x Loki: 1,000 coins = 50x your bet
• 5 x Idun: 150 coins = 7,5x your bet
• 5 x ring: 120 coins = 6x your bet
• 5 x hammer: 100 coins = 5x your bet
• 5 x necklace: 75 coins = 3,75x your bet
• 5 x pickaxe: 50 coins = 2,5x your bet
• 5 x box of apples: 25 coins = 1,25x your bet

Special symbols:

• Wild: The monstrous Midgard Serpent is the Wild, that can grow to fill the entire reel and replace any basic symbol of the game. Only appears on reels 2, 3 and 4.
• Scatter: Huginn and Muninn are the ravens of Odin, and they play the role of Scatter symbol in Hall of Gods. They can appear anywhere on the reels, and you’ll need at least three of them to win free spins. Three Scatters equals 10 free spins.
• Bonus: The hammer of Thor is the Bonus symbol, and it can appear on reels 3, 4 and 5. Three Bonus symbols activate the bonus game, where you can find cash wins or take home one of the three progressive jackpots.

Features

• Growing Wilds:

The Midgard Serpent was the perfect choice for Wild. When stopping on the reel it can stretch over the other symbols on the reel, and substitute any other symbol except Scatter and Bonus. If, despite growing, it wouldn’t be a part of a winning combination, the Wild stays as a normal 1x1 symbol.

• Free spins: Pays 3x your wins.

To activate free spins, you need at least three Scatters. With three pairs of ravens the game starts 10 free spins, four Scatters get 15 spins and with five Scatters you get to play 20 spins.

During the free spins all wins, except bonus game rewards, are multiplied by 3. You can win more free spins by gathering three or more Scatters.

• Bonus game: Bash the shields and find cash wins or a jackpot.

When three of Thor’s hammers land on the reels 3, 4 and 5, the bonus game starts. In the bonus game, you’ll get to bash some Viking shields as Thor! Revealing three same coin amounts or jackpot symbols ends the bonus game with the payout.

The biggest possible win from the bonus game is 7,500 coins or 375x your bet.

My experiences

I have played Hall of Gods dozens of times. I have swung the hammer of Thor, bashed the shields and played the free spins with Huginn and Muninn. To be honest, I have always enjoyed playing this slot, but have not won anything so big that I’d remember it today.

Nevertheless, Hall of Gods is a nice slot. The features might have been very exciting back in the day, but these days they are no match for modern games. The progressive jackpots are, no doubt, the main reason for the slot’s popularity.

I would love to see this game as an updated version. NetEnt has done several “sequels” based on their famous games, like Dead or Alive, Blood Suckers and the progressive slot Mega Fortune. Just imagine how awesome a new jackpot game with Norse gods would look like!

I could see myself playing Hall of Gods in the future for fun, but I would probably turn to other slots for better odds - even if it means I’d miss out on the jackpot.