The second in the Jack Hammer series of slots pits the erstwhile detective against 
the evil Dr.Wuten as he attempts to destroy the city. Can the super-sleuth come to the rescue and save the day once again, or will the mad doctor finally triumph in this hugely entertaining and imaginative slot from NetEnt.
What is unusual about this slot is that it is designed to resemble a comic book and it does so quite superbly both in the design of the reels and also the symbols used on them. The slot looks like a 5×3 set up, but in truth, it is actually 15 individual reels, simply aligned to match the standard slot set up.
There are a total of 25 lines in play on each spin and you can get the reels spinning from as little as Ā£0.25 per game, up to a maximum wager amount of Ā£250 per spin. That means that the slot is affordable for all players from the lower stakes gamer to the higher roller.
The setting of the slot is the famous Grand City and the outline of which you can see against the backdrop of a moonlit sky. It looks like a typical American city, with yellow lights cutting through the shadowy buildings. The backdrop and sound effects on the slot are also very nicely done and bring both the slot and the story to life quite beautifully.
On the reels there are five lower value symbols and these are theĀ flask of poison, the ringing telephone, the newspaper, Jack Hammer’s car (out of which he is shooting) and Dr Wuten’s blimp. These symbols offer a wide range of pays which range from 5 coins up to 125 coins.
The four higher value symbols on the slot are the four characters in the story, starting with the paperboy, then the femme-fatale who is just about to be snatched by the evil Doctor, then there is the cackling Dr.Wuten himself holding his flask of poison and lastly there is the gumshoe Jack Hammer toting a plaster across his nose and a large gun in his hand. These symbols offer higher value pays from 15 coins up to the maximum single line payout of 1,000 coins.
There are a couple of other symbols on the slot, the Wild and Scatter, plus there is an important thing to note about how the slot pays out its prizes using the Sticky Wild feature, but we will examine all these items in more detail in the key features section below. The slot is available to play right now at Leo Vegas Casino.
Jack Hammer Slot Key Features
The first and most easiest key feature to look at is the in game Wild. This is the explosion symbol (with the word ‘Wild’ written across it) and it is simply used as a substitute for any of the higher or lower value symbols on the reels. When landed on multiple reels, it can create multiple winning lines from the same spin, so it is a very useful symbol to land, especially in the base game.
Before we take a look at the Free Spins Scatter symbol, we need to explain a little how the Sticky Wild feature works. Every time you land a winning line, or you land three or more of the Free Spins symbols on the reels, you will automatically trigger the Sticky Wild feature.
When this happens, the reels that are part of the win will hold their symbol and all the other reels will then be spun again. If you then add any further symbols to the winning line, then you will gain a bigger win and you will be able to respin the reels that are not yet winners once again. This continues until you either cover the reel completely in the same symbol, or you have a respin that does not add any extra symbols to your win. When this occurs, the Sticky Wild bonus ends and you are paid out the amount you have won on all winning lines.
In the case of the Free Spins bonus, if you land three or more of these symbols, you respin the other reels, if you can add a further two or more reels, you will trigger the Free Spins bonus round. The amount of Free Spins you receive is determined by how many scatters you landed to trigger the bonus:
- 5 Scatters – 10 Free Spins
- 6 Scatters – 15 Free Spins
- 7 Scatters – 20 Free Spins
- 8 Scatters – 25 Free Spins
- 9 to 15 Scatters – 30 Free Spins
During the Free Spins bonus round, all wins achieved are subject to a 3x multiplier, which can lead to some bigger value wins.
How to win at the Jack Hammer Slot
The first thing to note with the Jack Hammer slot is that the key feature is not so much the Free Spins bonus game, but the Sticky Wilds bonus. This triggers far more frequently in the game and although you can’t do anything to influence how often the bonus triggers, you can give yourself maximum chance of earning cash from it by playing for a smaller amount each spin, but enjoying a lengthier session at the reels.
The Sticky Wilds bonus can often change a relatively small win, into a much larger value win and as such, it is the best bonus for keeping your balance ticking over. However, the size of the wins on the Jack Hammer slot are relatively small for 3 and 4 symbols on a line. You need to hit that magical five on a pay line to trigger the bigger wins.
As such, hitting multiple pay line wins using the Sticky Wild feature is how you mitigate the cost of spinning as you often end up about even in most sessions using this feature alone. This feature can work best when you land multiple symbols on a multiple line win as this increases your chances of hitting a winning symbol on subsequent respins markedly.
The Free Spins feature offers good value for money when it is triggered, but it can take a considerable amount of time to trigger and often you will trigger it for the lower amount of Free Spins. In this case, you often find that the wins you achieve are not that great. However, land a bigger number of free spins and get a couple of 4 or 5 high paying lines across the reels and that 3x multiplier on your wins soon starts to pay dividends.
This is a hugely enjoyable and fun slot to play and is well worth a closer look.
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