Golden Balls Online Slot Machine
It seems like deliberately retro is starting to become a fashion for online slots. Golden Balls by Endemol fits firmly into this category, with the old style symbols on the reels coexisting with some very up to date features. This is a playable and entertaining game even if you are not personally familiar with the UK TV game show. In addition to two different feature rounds (a free spins and a pick-em), there is the chance to win one of two jackpots in a separate and less frequently triggered bonus game.
The first time I pressed spin, I thought there was some kind of lag with my internet connection. This turned out to be a styling feature, the reels ooze in slow motion – rather than actually spinning. If you ever played slots in the 1970’s, the half-melon, lemons and plums will probably be very familiar. These sit among symbols from the game show, like player, split and golden ball motifs. This game is reasonably fast, and the audio is mostly small beeps as the reels land – at least until you hit one of the bonus games. There is a slightly ominous hum in the background of this game, which does contribute to the tension of the game a little.
Those bonuses are the standard Endemol offering of a free spins with a way of determining how many spins you get first, and a simpler pick-em game. The jackpot game takes you to a set of reels with different symbols where you will try and win the big pay-outs.
Setup and Play for Golden Balls
I have yet to find an Endemol slot which is not based on the 5 reels, 3 rows and 20 win-lines setup that this game uses. Your choices for coins are from 1p through to ￡10. You can spin all the win-lines for just 20p a go, or go all the way to ￡200 per spin if you wish. Auto play works for up to 25 spins at a time.
Wilds in this game are the Golden Balls logo; this will win you 3000 coins for 5 on a line (as well as other combinations made with other symbols on different lines). It substitutes for regular symbols, just not the specials like scatters.
Of the regular symbols, the highest pay-outs come from the Steal and Split symbols. Steal gets you 2500 coins for 5 (1250 for 4) and split gets you 1500 for 5 (750 for 4). Next is the ‘Killer’ symbol (if you know the show these will all be familiar), the devil and angel contestants, the game-board, player and then finally come the retro fruit symbols.
Scatter symbols are the golden balls themselves. There is a different way of selecting which bonus game you get to usual with these. If you hit 3 you play the ‘Bin or Win’ (pick-em) game, 4 gets you the ‘Killer Spinner’ game, and 5 triggers the jackpot game.
Golden Balls Slot Bonus Games
Bin or win is a simple pick-em game. You are taken to a break out screen, where you see 11 golden balls sat on top of tubes. Your only task is to choose 5 of these, one at a time. It will either reveal a prize amount, or a ‘Killer’ sign. At the end of the round all your win amounts are totalled and you return to the regular game. Killers do not have any adverse effect, these are simply worth zero.
The jackpot bonus game is the one you’ll want to hit. This takes you to a different set of reels, where there are only jackpot symbols and ‘X’ symbols. You get 5 spins, and any jackpot symbols become sticky. There are smaller prizes for between 1 and 4 on a line; if you get 5 you can win either the split or the steal jackpots. You will see 2 golden balls, and choose one of them to reveal which jackpot you win.
Golden Balls Slot – Conclusion
I liked this game, even if the retro look at the start did not really paint a true picture of what to expect when I actually played. I am not familiar with the game show, though the idea was very quick to pick up. You’ll probably enjoy the game more if you already know the show; though don’t let this put you off. All of the bonus features are entertaining enough for a few sessions, and the chance of one of these bringing you a big jackpot windfall adds to the interest. I recommend this slot; check it out for yourself soon.
