Highway to Hell is a casino slot machine developed by NetEnt, one of the leading game developers in the industry. The game has gained popularity among players due to its unique theme and engaging gameplay mechanics. In this review, we will delve into the details of the game, exploring its features, payouts, volatility, and overall experience.
Theme
The Highway to Hell slot machine takes inspiration from the Highway to Hell demo iconic rock band AC/DC’s 1980 album of the same name. The game’s design is centered around a highway leading straight to hell, complete with infernal creatures, fire-breathing devils, and eerie landscapes. The atmosphere created by the game’s visuals and sound effects immerses players in an apocalyptic world where rock music reigns supreme.
Design
From a visual standpoint, Highway to Hell features vibrant colors, intricate details, and bold typography reminiscent of classic heavy metal albums. The reels are surrounded by fiery inferno-like flames, adding to the intense atmosphere of the game. The graphics engine used is top-notch, ensuring seamless animations that do not slow down during gameplay.
Symbols
The game’s symbols include various rock music-inspired characters such as Angus Young (the lead guitarist), Bon Scott (lead singer and songwriter for AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980) and a flaming skull. These symbols have high payouts, ranging from 10 to 500 times the stake per line. In addition to these main characters, other regular pay symbols include playing cards A, K, Q, J, and 10.
Payouts
Highway to Hell features an innovative payout system that rewards players for creating multiple winning combinations simultaneously. Each symbol can potentially win in any position on each reel, making it possible to create complex winning lines across reels.
Wilds
The Wild Symbol is represented by a flaming skull that replaces all other symbols except the Scatter, allowing for additional winnings and potential combinations. The wild symbol is also key to unlocking bonus features.
Scatters
The Scattered Hellfire symbol can be found anywhere on the reels but must appear at least 2 times in any position on each reel to activate one of two Free Spins modes: Hell or Hades.
Bonus Features
When three or more scattered Hellfires land, players unlock free spins. Players have a chance to choose between two different options for their free spin mode – either the Hell option with high-paying winning combinations or the Hades option which gives multiple re-spins on 5 reels at once.
Hell Free Spins Mode: Three Hellfire symbols activate this option which rewards 13 free games, allowing players to create additional payouts from each wild and scatter symbol combination. Players can win in up to five separate winning lines during these rounds using the same Wild Symbol as in base game play.
Hades Re-Spins Mode: Four or more scattered Hellfire triggers four consecutive spins on reels one through 5, creating a fixed combination with 3-4 wilds added – increasing player chances of achieving maximum reward combinations and large wins from any spin within the free games round.
RTP
The return-to-player percentage for Highway to Hell is reported as an average RTP range between 92.1% to 95.2%, which can be adjusted based on bet settings.
Volatility
The slot has high volatility, with higher standard deviation meaning larger swings in payouts compared to games with lower or medium volatility. The variance and return rate suggest that it may not pay out very often but rewards bigger winnings.
Betting Range
Players have a variety of choices for placing wagers: 20-400 coins per spin; 1 coin = $0.01, so max bet is $4.
Max Win
The game’s top payout is capped at $1000 in winnings with five wilds appearing on reels one through five and Bon Scott on reel 6 – providing maximum betting combination reward value.
Gameplay
Overall gameplay for Highway to Hell offers players fast-paced action due in part to an accelerated animation system, where all animations take place without a delay between frames allowing smooth transitions.
Mobile Play
The game is optimized to run smoothly and provide seamless playability across Android mobile devices using a browser interface or downloaded app.