Spin to win!
I tried Konami’s latest money eater this morning. Their iOS, Android, and Kindle title, Slot Revolution, doesn’t have the best name. It doesn’t do a good job of describing this free-to-play slot machine-based dungeon crawling RPG, but I could tell that it had role-playing roots from the screenshots, so I gave it a spin.
A spin, folks.
You know that feeling you get playing a slot machine in a Las Vegas casino? That feeling that the odds are totally against you but you keep spinning anyway because it’s loud and flashy and exciting? Slot Revolution nails that feeling, especially when you hit a reel match that has the slots going nuts with bonus spins. You get that same giddy ‘holy crap, I won!’ feeling.
So it has that going for it. But I’m also weak to those mobile RPGs that invite you for daily plays. Slot Revolution is not unlike Gung Ho’s super popular iOS game Puzzle & Dragons in that respect. In fact, if you pull out the matching puzzle play and replace it with three-reel slot play, you’ll have the right idea about Slot Revolution.
After picking a hero from the three available classes — Warrior, Ranger, or Wizard — you’ll pick from a list of quests to head off to a dungeon to explore. Each step in the dungeon requires a slot machine spin, with reel results determining the results of that move. For example, a spin that reveals coins adds to your total bank. Healing potions and other items are acquired in the same way.
But if an enemy face shows up on any reel, you’ll be drawn into a first-person battle where your spins will determine attack type and strength. Spinning to reveal a bunch of sword clusters and you can be sure you’ll hit the enemy hard. Skulls are bad, as you’ll receive hits. Much like a real slot machine, you’ll have to pray that luck is on your side when your health bar gets low. It’s possible to spin to reveal potions, but it’s better to go into battle with some already equipped.
Win and you’ll level up, as well as earn more gold and weapons. A crafting system has it so that your weapons can also be leveled to create entirely new, more powerful creations. Your freshly leveled character will come up as a potential friend for other online players, letting them use you in battle, again, like Puzzle & Dragons.
Of course, with this being a free-to-play game, you’re encouraged to buy potions instead of earning them during these heated battles. And if you happen to die in battle, you can use purchased keys to come back to life. Slot Revolution regularly calls out to your wallet, not unlike a real slot machine. But, as with this game’s other competitors, it’s possible to play without spending a single cent. You might die more often, and you probably won’t level as quickly, but you can still play and enjoy.
I’m not sure how long I’ll continue to play Slot Revolution, but I’m hooked for now. Just like with Puzzle & Dragons, I’ve vowed not to spend a dime. For me, over any level or stat, that’s how you truly win at these games.
Published: Oct 2, 2013 01:30 pm