Play’n GO, a Swedish game studio, has created another ear-splitting slot, this one inspired on the Swedish metal band Hammerfall. The Play’n GO branded music line is wonderful since they collaborate with both established and up-and-coming artists. Even if Hammerfall isn’t as well-known as some of the other bands they’ve collaborated with—like Twisted Sister, for example—it still has what it takes to make gamers want to beat their heads. Like Twisted Sister, Hammerfall is a grid slot that incorporates cluster payouts and comes with a plethora of extra features, not to mention a slew of Hammerfall classics like “And Yet I Smile” and “Second to None.”
One of the reasons Hammerfall has lasted this long is the dedication of one of its original members. In the early ’90s, Oscar Dronjak (just released from Ceremonial Oath) and drummer Jesper Strömblad got together to establish a new band. While other artists have come and gone over the years, Dronjak is still going strong after Strömblad’s first breakup. Despite their popularity in Sweden, Hammerfall have never truly broken through overseas, instead serving as support acts for artists like Sabaton and Helloween (both of which have their own Play’n GO slots).
Winning combinations of 5 or more identical symbols in Hammerfall’s 7×7 grid are triggered if adjacent symbols form clusters. As they do, a cascading algorithm sweeps them away and drops new symbols into the empty spaces in an effort to string together successive victories. Doing so fills up the Hammer Meter, triggering some of Hammerfall’s most impressive sequences. Play’n GO has put a castle, some rolling hills, and some dark, moody sky in the game’s background to set the Gothic vibe. Like its sibling Gemix, the setting changes as you unlock new planets. There are a total of three to discover. Get ready to be assaulted by a harsh soundtrack featuring various Hammerfall classics and the occasional appearance of the band’s knighted mascot, Hector.
Hammerfall, a grid slot game playable on any device, is pretty low on potential yet has a high degree of volatility (8/10). Variability in Return on Investment (RTI) is par for the course with this supplier; the version you desire has an RTI of 96.20 percent while other versions go as low as 94.20 percent. The great majority of metalheads are accommodated, with stakes ranging from 20 percent to £/€100 each symbol drop.
Similarly, metal is infused into the paytable, with the lowest payout coming from a cluster of 5 low-pay gemstones in green, purple, blue, yellow, or red, and the highest payout coming from a cluster of 15 or more of the same symbol. Clusters of 15 or more of the higher-paying moons, hammers, suns, and Hector then trigger payouts of 40x to 500x the initial wager. Finally, the band’s emblem acts as a standard wild, replacing any pay symbol, and Lightning Wilds show up in the latter levels of the game.
Slot Machine Features in Hammerfall
Hammerfall has a ton of extras, including four different types of devastation, a meter that triggers special bonuses, Super Tiles, and Lightning Wilds. Rest comfortably in your seat while we go over them.
To begin, Super Tiles are randomly highlighted locations hiding behind grid symbols. When you win on a Super Tile, a Lightning Wild appears at the same spot. If employed in a winning combination, the Lighting Wild will remain in place and award an additional random multiplier, up to a maximum of x3.
After a successful cluster, the Hammer Meter will be filled. When 25 winning symbols are collected, the Song function is activated, and a modifier (each represented by a Hammerfall hit song) is applied to the active world.
The Twilight Princess ability randomly sets a 2×2 Mega Wild on the board.
Unparalleled in its ability to standardize premium symbols, making them all seem the same. If there are less than five high-pay symbols in view, the game will pick a low-pay symbol at random.
With And Yet I Smile, all of the low-paying icons are removed from the game.
After the Song segment is finished, the game will advance to the next globe. However, Hammer High is activated when the Hammer Meter registers 50 winning symbols in a single spin. The aforementioned three alterations are all activated simultaneously by this function.
On a spin that does not result in a victory, you will receive the last set of modifiers at random. Again, they are (all based on Hammerfall songs):
Never, ever forgive — picking only one sign and having all other occurrences of that symbol drawn to it, destroying all other symbols in its path.
Bring It wipes out or changes all low-pay symbols into high-pay ones.
Choose a symbol to have its neighbors of the same kind either changed or destroyed.
Creates a series of linked symbols on the grid that are all destroyed or converted into the same symbol.
The Fate of Hammerfall’s Slots
lovers of the band will be blown away, mettlers will be compelled to headbang, and grid slot lovers looking for something a little more intense will be entertained with Hammerfall. It has a bigger mathematical potential than its metal grid slot brother, Twisted Sister, at 30,000x the stake, which is exceptional for Play’n GO and particularly impressive for a grid slot.
There’s little doubt that Hammerfall isn’t setting out to shake things up in any way. It faithfully follows Play’n GO’s winning formula, in which cluster victories unlock progressively better features, with some arbitrary tweaks. The whole world-altering mechanism was lifted wholesale from Gemix, while the heavy metal accents give it a unique flavor. The stunning production values, however, are what truly set the Hammerfall slot apart. Hammerfall’s great entertainment value and abundance of exhilarating moments are immediately apparent, thanks to the obvious time and care that went into its creation.
In conclusion, while the Hammerfall slot machine may not significantly advance the cluster pays category, it does provide consistently enjoyable gameplay in a visually appealing packaging. If heavy metal isn’t your thing, you’re not losing out on anything by skipping Hammerfall because it sticks quite closely to the rules. A significant dosage of originality that is sure to delight groupies is, however, injected with the addition of Hector, and of course, the usage of Hammerfall’s music.