Page 15 - February 2004 • Southern California Gaming Guide

CLASSIC REEL
SLOTS GO
VIDEO!
...Continued from Page 11
its own — coming soon. But Wheel of Fortune is, indeed, another example of a reel-spinning slot gone video (albeit a while ago). And both versions of this award-winning game are wildly popular in nickel, quarter, dollar and $5 dollar denominations. Just look at our Winner’s page (page 22) this month to see how this game has made six very lucky Southern California gamers very happy!
Double Diamond reel-spinning slots were introduced in 1990 in 2-coin and 3-coin versions. Proving diamonds can be everyone’s best friend, Double Diamond’s appeal is its “wild pay” feature.“Wild pay” refers to a type of slot machine that can double, triple, quadruple, or deliver ve, seven, ten and even twelve times the winning payout if a wild symbol lines up on the pay line! And if more than one wild symbol
lines up, the payout is multiplied again. ese can be huge jackpots! e possibility of these enriching opportunities, makes these games wildly popular. Other examples of “wild pay”slotsare“TripleDiamond”,“FiveandTenTimesPay”, Crystal Sevens®, and Wild ingTM.
ere are 10 versions of Double Diamond reel slots, counting spin-o themes such as Triple Double Diamond, Double Diamond Deluxe and four video versions. Denominations range from nickels to (are you ready for this?) a $1000 denomination slot (not available in California)!
e already popular Double Diamond 2000TM video slot takes the theme to the next level with 5-reels and 9-lines of excitement and additional symbols of jewelry, cash and gemstones. e Double Diamond game symbol matches any other symbol on the payline except the Free Spin Bonus
Three American Flags Starts the Red, White & Blue Bonus Game! Pick a Star for Bonus Credits—and Avoid the Firecrackers!
symbol. One or more Double Diamond game symbols in a winning combination doubles the pay, except during the Double Diamond bonus or any Double-Diamond- of-a-kind pay. When three scattered Free Spin Bonus symbols appear on or within the center payline, the Double Diamond bonus initiates. Players automatically win 12 free spins played at the same bet as the initiating line bet.
All pays during the Double Diamond bonus round are doubled, except with a winning combination of ve Double Diamond game symbols on a
single payline. Additional free spins
won during the Double Diamond bonus game are added to the Free Spinsmeter. ebonusroundis over when all spins have been taken or a maximum of 312
free spins have been awarded. e top award on Double Diamond 2000 is paid when a player lines up
ve Double Diamond game symbols on the 9th payline with the maximum credits wagered. e top award for the 45-credit wager is 25,000 credits, while the top award for the 90-credit wager is 50,000 credits.
In another video version, IGT has created the innovative new 3-reel, 5-line version Double Double Diamond® Video Slot, complete with a unique “nudge” bonus feature. On slot machines with a “nudge” feature, once the reels (video or reel slots) stop spinning, symbols move up or down to the center payline from just above or below it. One or more Double Diamond game symbols causes the reels to nudge up and down in the exciting “nudge” bonus. e more symbols that initiate the bonus, the more nudges you get.
Red, White and Blue! — Patriotic Colors and Lucky Sevens!
AnotherIGTclassic,theRed,WhiteandBluereel-spinner was introduced in 1989. e popularity of this game depends on patriotic colors joining forces with lucky sevens. Players say they like this game because it even pays (like Blazing 7s) when you get a blank lineup. e top jackpot is
awardedwhenthreesevensappearonthepaylineinaleft-to- right red, white and blue con guration. I will never forget being at Barona Casino on July Fourth a few years ago when two women, almost side-by-side
playing Red, White and Blue dollar reel- spinning slots won top jackpots within moments of each other! ( at was a mighty payout of $10,000 each!)
What a patriotic coincidence! ere are nine reel-spinning versions of the Red, White and Blue slot, counting spin-o themes such as Wild Star Red White & Blue, Five Times
Pay Red White & Blue, etc.), and one new video version with scatter wins awarded for symbols appearing in any position on the
reels for any number of played lines. Scatter wins are paid in addition to line and bonus wins. Look for it in casinos now.
Double Diamond, Red, White & Blue, Wheel of Fortune and Blazing 7s are consistently top choices for Favorite Reel Slot Machine in the annual ‘ e Best of Slots’ readers’ poll in Strictly Slots magazine, and earned top honors
in our Reader’s Poll of 2003.
So in a slot world where everything seems to be going video, reel-spinning players, don’t despair. Casinos know we love reel spinners and will always have them for us to play. And slot makers know that video slot players love their best-known brands, so will continue to create new video slots from their favorite
classic themes.
February 2004 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE Page 15