Exploring the Wild West in Dead or Alive Slot Machine Games
Dead or Alive is a popular online casino slot machine game developed by NetEnt. This 5-reel, 9-payline video slot is set against the backdrop of the Wild West, with its rugged landscape, dusty saloons, and rowdy cowboys. In this review, we’ll delve into every aspect of Dead or Alive, from its theme and design to its payouts, bonus features, and play for free gameplay.
Theme and Design
The game’s theme is straightforward – it’s all about the Wild West. The reels are set against a background of dusty plains and rocky outcrops, with wooden saloon signs creaking in the wind. The symbols on the reels reflect this theme: cowboy hats, bandannas, guns, whiskey bottles, and even a wanted poster featuring “Billy the Kid”. While not particularly original, NetEnt has done an excellent job of evoking the spirit of the Wild West.
One notable aspect is that all characters in Dead or Alive are male. This may seem like a deliberate choice to cater specifically to men, but it’s worth noting for players who appreciate diversity and representation. However, the game does offer an enticing experience that many gamers will love.
Symbols and Payouts
The symbols on the reels include various Wild West-themed icons such as cowboy hats (low payout), bandannas (medium payout), guns (high payout), whiskey bottles (very high payout), and even a cash-filled safe (extremely high payout). Each symbol’s corresponding value is displayed above it, indicating that their respective winnings will be added to the player’s total balance.
When you place your bet in Dead or Alive, NetEnt offers 243 ways for winning combinations. Winnings are determined by the number of matching symbols landing adjacent to each other (horizontally), starting from the leftmost reel and ending on the rightmost one.
Wilds
The “Dead” wild is present during normal gameplay as well as in Free Spins, while it replaces any symbol except Scatters, allowing combinations that don’t exist naturally with higher winning potential when using standard wins or landing bonus combinations of 5 or more. However, there’s a twist – if you hit three Wild symbols at once, they’ll create an Expanding Wild.
Scatters
NetEnt has placed the Scatter symbol cleverly across reels one to five; getting two (or any number of) Dead OR Alive Scatters on Reel Five unlocks up to 12 Free Spins. Landing more than a single Scatter anywhere in view awards extra free spins – for instance, 3 triggers eight bonus rounds while landing four or five will get you 16 and 20 respectively.
Bonus Features
The game features several bonus rounds:
- Free Spins : This is triggered by two, three, four, or even five Scatters anywhere in view on the reels. During these free games – twelve in total if just using standard wins (as long as no other special rounds are active). NetEnt includes both Low and High volatility to balance your gaming experience within those extra fifteen turns without a real ‘guarantee’.
