Pinball machines, those seemingly harmless gadgets which presently darken the shadows of hipster cafés or vintage clubs, were formerly illegal to play, which may come as a surprise to some. Pinball machines were formerly viewed as sinful and were outlawed across the United States. For example, in 1940, after New York City prohibited the devices, a group of cops smashed them with sledgehammers and threw the pieces into the river.
After it was demonstrated that these games involved ability in addition to chance, the prohibition on them was removed in 1976. Arcade games replaced pinball machines because they were more lucrative for company owners after their peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Now, courtesy to Crazy Tooth Studio, a Microgaming partner, gamers have access to a mashup of all of these elements. A video slot machine based on a pinball theme that relies only on luck.
The 6-reel, 25-payline slot game known as “3 Devils Pinball” has flippers, flames, demons, and panning camera angles. Although the name suggests otherwise, the company has opted for a brighter aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the 1930s aesthetic of the run-and-gun action game Cuphead. The animation between the main game and the bonus game adds to the authentic impression of playing a real pinball machine. The jazzy tune will make you jiggling around in anticipation of a ball coming your way, and that’s always a plus.
Bets range from 20 p/c to $/€50 every spin, so players of any budget may play like pinball masters on any device. The game’s numbers favor a casual gambling mindset, with medium volatility and low possible rewards. The game’s additional features are frequent, but they don’t amount to much. The long-term return to player (RTP) of 96.7% is nice, but the game doesn’t have much excitement.
When three or more identical symbols appear in neighboring positions, a win is awarded. In the base game, winning combinations can begin on any reel provided they land on one of the 25 paylines. The symbols can be frustrating due to their comparable values and the prevalence of useless bumper tiles that stand in the way of potential winnings. The lowest-paying combination is four different colors of flames (pink, blue, orange, and green), followed by a pitchfork and two different colors of devils (green and blue) that pay 1x the wager for six of a kind. The big-eyed smiling devil pays out 2.5 times the wager for a line of six.
Finally, we have wild symbols, which can form a winning combination by replacing standard payout icons. There are both regular wild symbols and x2 multiplier wilds, the latter of which can occur on reels 2, 3, or 4. When many multipliers are applied to a victory, each one adds a factor of x2.
Features of 3 Devils Pinball’s Slot Machine
There are supposedly three demons in the game, however in reality there are only two extra features. Both of them utilize the Power Path mechanism introduced in Crazy Tooth; the first is a randomized Pinball feature, while the second is the triggered 3 Devils Bonus round.
The Pinball function can be activated at any spin. Following a brief animation, the grid enlarges to 8 rows deep, allowing for 50 paylines rather than the standard 25. Then, balls are sent into the playing area, where they bounce off the table’s surface and into the reels below. Any sign the ball passes over becomes a wild, or a multiplied wild. When no more balls can be added to the grid, the remaining data is analyzed.
The second bonus round begins when you see three scattered devils. The bonus consists of 4 rounds and offers 4, 3, 2, and 1 Power Path. The 6×8 board is loaded with cash prizes and bumpers at the beginning of each round. Prizes are scattered along a Power Path that is chosen at random, and a ball is sent rolling down it. Prizes can be increased by a factor of five or more if a bumper is hit.
Slot Judgment in 3D Demon Pinball
When it comes to Crazy Tooth games, we’ve grown to anticipate a little bit new with each release, and 3 Devils Pinball is no exception. Compared to some of their previous work, this one isn’t as experimental or fresh. 3 Devils Pinball is a clone of an older game of theirs called Queen of the Crystal Rays, despite the game description’s claims that it offers a “red hot slot gaming experience like none other.” There is zero difference in any aspect, symbol value, or statistic. The ornamental overlay is different, which is odd but fair.
Contrary to what one would expect, 3 Devils Pinball is not an emotionally taxing monster game designed for serious gamblers. The vibe is more laid-back and reminiscent of classic cartoons like Steamboat Willy or Silly Symphonies’ Skeleton Dance, with a dash of Betty Boop and the Devil thrown in for good measure. In a nutshell, it has personality, so fans of Crazy Tooth’s quirky charm won’t be disappointed.
There isn’t a lot of promise or exciting victories to look forward to. Even at 2,597 times the wager, the maximum possible return looks like a long shot. The issue is that the value of the payments is little. During the 3 Devil’s Bonus, for instance, the majority of the grid rewards are just 5c (betting €1), therefore a Power Path may only be worth 0.5x the wager at most. While higher payouts and multipliers may be found on that side, the bonus games provided nothing of note.
As a conclusion, 3 Devil’s Pinball is yet another anomaly that will be adored by a specific subset of the population. Even if some gamers are intrigued by the studio’s out-of-left-field innovation this time around, they likely won’t stick around for long.