Reactor slot review

Reactor is a slot that takes place in the core of a giant radioactive reactor, using different elements to power our wins as well as creating all sorts of unexpected bonuses.

Created by Red Tiger and released in 2018, Reactor is a slot that takes a simple concept and stretches it to make a slot out of it. The background and the symbols all work together to create the illusion of standing in front of some futuristic reactor core where different types of elements are cycled through. The game has a 5-reel, 3-row playing field and 20 betlines that pay both ways.

Red Tiger is in my experience a developer that often spends some time on the development of a concept but never really brings it all the way home. Reactor is a pleasant exception as the theme is carried through the entire slot, from the background and symbols to the implementation of the different features.

An appropriate song for a game set in a reactor is difficult to decide so the industrial techno song the developers went with fits as well as anything. The jingles that play when there’s a win might not really match the setting but they go well with the music.

Symbols

Reactor has completely original symbols to fill up the reels, each of them somehow related to the reactor theme. The symbols use a combination of colour and shape to keep them easily distinguishable, with the special feature symbol a futuristic-looking battery to have it stand out more.

The symbols are from highest to lowest:

• Battery (Bonus): Get between 1 and 5 Batteries at the same time to activate 1 or more special features.
• Wild: Wilds substitute all other symbols in the game except the Bonus symbol. Max. 500x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Radio-active Symbol: Max. 400x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Yellow Triangle: Max. 320x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Red Square: Max. 240x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Purple Circle: Max. 160x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Green Ore: Max. 90x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Yellow Ore: Max. 70x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Red Ore: Max. 50x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Purple Ore: Max. 30x your bet with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.

The game has a High Volatility which is why the payouts for winning betlines is rather high. I found that a lower bet was the best way at getting through the spins with minimal losses and a steady increase for my funds. Betting too high would often result in heavy losses since there was too much time between wins. Players can choose a bet between £0.10 and £20 per spin to decide their risk.

Features

Reactor has a smart selection of features that come in a staggered approach. The Wilds and Pay both Ways features are always activated, while the other features are dependent on the number of Bonus symbols on the screen. There are a total of 5 special features that activate in order, each additional Bonus symbol activating another one.

The total features of Reactor are:

• Pays Both Ways: All betlines in Reactor count both from left to right and the other way. This essentially doubles the opportunity to get a win.
• Wilds: Wilds substitute all other symbols in the game except the Bonus symbol.
• Re-Spin: With 1 Bonus symbol on the screen, this triggers a re-spin.
• Random Symbols: With 2 Bonus symbols on the screen, this triggers a re-spin and symbols are randomly changed into the same high-paying symbol.
• Random Wilds: With 3 Bonus symbols, it triggers a re-spin, symbols are changed and random Wilds are added to the screen.
• Colossal Symbol: With 4 Bonus symbols players receive a re-spin, random symbols, random wilds and a 2x2 Colossal Wild is added to the playing field.
• Multiplier: With 5 Bonus symbols players receive a re-spin, random symbols, random Wilds, a Colossal Wild and a random multiplier that goes up to 10x your bet.

As you can tell, the Bonus features are all activated on the same spin, although it is possible to re-trigger these features if the Bonus symbols appear on the re-spins. I found this to happen rather infrequently but I did often get more than 1 Bonus symbol on the screen at the same time. My best results were with 4 Bonus symbols, I never had 5 at the same time. Even with 4, the screen is filled with the same symbol and Wilds, awarding me the total number of betlines as a win.

Since the bonus features are typically all resolved on the same spin, players aren’t required to keep track of the different features. The order is always the same and they only appear for a single spin. There is a convenient tracker at the top of the screen using symbols to represent the different features. This tracker displays which ones were triggered and if they’ve been played already.

I found the features to be very enjoyable and they really emphasised the high volatility of the game. During the base game wins were rather infrequent but getting one or more Bonus symbols would be almost a guarantee for a big win and a spike in coins. The fact it always works in the same order meant it kept things clear as well.

In Conclusion

Reactor might seem like a simple slot as it never leaves the base game and features are only activated for a single (re-)spin but the way it works is excellent. The order of features is set, with the tracker at the top of the playing field showing you which ones are activated. During the bonus features, they are named on the screen as well to reduce any confusion.

I would recommend this slot for most players. Only people that are completely against anything that deviates from the classic slot experience will not enjoy this slot as it does introduce several modern features. Otherwise, people will very likely have a good time playing this game.

Other than the modern features, the only thing that people might feel are missing is the lack of any free spins or bonus game mode. The entire slot takes place on the main screen and offers no variation in terms of background or setting. However, I consider the opportunity of winning a max. win of 5,000x your bet a good incentive to give it a try!