Wicked Winnings Slot Machine
Just like a good movie, Wicked Winnings slots became so popular after its release in 2000 that developer Aristocrat made a whole series out of the game. So there are currently four different versions of Wicked Winnings in land based casinos.
Obviously this shows that players truly enjoy this sinful slot, but why? Specifically, what are the characteristics that have made Wicked Winnings such a success?
We'll answer these questions throughout this review and discuss all four games in detail, two main downsides of this series, and our overall verdict on Wicked Winnings.
If you continue reading, not only will you find all this information, but you will also find a free, playable version of Wicked Winnings slot machine before you decide you want to play for real money.
Original Wicked Winnings Slots
Released at the turn of the millennium, the original game features 5 reels and offers 243 ways to win. The 243 ways to win is called Reel Power in this game. The minimum amount that you must bet is $0.50 while the maximum is $200.00 per spin.
If you're a true low roller, you may find the $0.50 amount to be significantly higher than what you want to spend. But the high spin cost is somewhat offset by the fact that you essentially have 243 active pay lines.
The theme, as you might've guessed from the title, is demonic in a playful way. You'll see all of the following symbols on the reels.
- Flames
- Ravens
- Skulls
- Gothic candles
- A she devil
This might turn off more conservative players, but the large following suggests that plenty of people are fine with the theme.
As is to be expected from a year 2000 slot machine, the graphics are pretty basic in the first Wicked Winnings. You also won't find many of the special features that have come to characterize the sequels.
But players will find stacked Wicked Winnings symbols on the third reel, which give you a good chance to hit at least one winning payout per spin. And this is a driving force behind the original game's popularity because, even if players lose money overall on a spin, they feel like a winner with frequent, small payouts.
Stacked Wicked Winnings symbols are also present in free spins, which is another aspect to appreciate about the original version. On the downside, this game doesn't have a re-spin feature, which is a big reason to like Wicked Winnings II and beyond.
To sum up the first game, it delivers a nice mixture of small, frequent payouts worth 5 to 10 coins combined with huge prizes that'll really excite you. The theme is also fun, and the graphics aren't bad for the release date, although they don't compare to modern slots.
Negatives include a lack of special features, and the simple fact that you won't find the original Wicked Winnings much anymore because the sequels are far more popular.
Wicked Winnings II Slots
Although the first game in this franchise laid the foundation, the Wicked Winnings II slot machine is really where this series began taking shape. Going further, the she devil morphs into a seductive character that's more central to the theme.
The title screen says it all as she's seen laying across a purple couch in a provocative, red evening gown. Basically, she's part demon, part Jessica Rabbit, as you can see from the following screenshot.
Another noticeable difference between the first and second game is that the graphics, features and animations all improve greatly in Wicked Winnings II.
Beginning with the graphics, symbols like the goblet, money bag, she devil, and skull candle all have a sleeker, more modern look. As for animations, you can expect the she devil to create flames around her, while the raven symbol causes lightening in the background.
You'll want to strongly consider using the Power Play feature in this slot because it activates both bonus features. The downside to Power Play for some players, though, is that you have to double your wager.
The first bonus involves the she devil, who also happens to be wild and only shows up on reels 2, 3, and 4. If you land three of these ladies in an entire reel, you'll trigger a re spin with these sticky wilds still in place.
It's possible to get another reel of stacked sticky wilds, which will trigger another re spin again and give you a chance at filling reels 2, 3, and 4 with wilds. If this happens, you can pick up some extremely large payouts.
The other bonus feature is triggered when you land flame symbols on reels 1 and 5. Your reward is 15 free spins, and these are just basic free rounds with no extra frills.
Keep in mind that it's your choice whether or not you use the Power Play option. But if you're not going to do it, then you might as well play a cheaper slot that still allows you to unlock special features.
Just like the original game, Wicked Winnings II has a 243 ways to win setup that requires a minimum $0.50 bet. With Power Play enabled, this means that you're risking $1 per spin.
Wicked Winnings III
The third game in the series marks yet more milestone changes. First off, this is a rare 6 reel slot, rather than its 5 reel predecessors.
The move to 6 reels means that you have 1,024 ways to win, but you also need to risk a minimum of 200 coins per spin to activate the sixth reel.
Again, some players will feel uncomfortable risking so much on a single spin. However, you can expect frequent payouts to help sustain your bankroll.
Perhaps what makes Wicked Winnings III stand out more than even the 6 reels is its graphics. With far more enhanced graphical quality than the first two slots, this one brings an element of realism to the goblet, money bag, skull, she devil, and raven.
The animations are also a step up from Wicked Winnings. For example, the money bags burst into very real looking flames and the she devil snaps her fingers and causes an explosion in the background.
Once again, you can expect stacked she devil wild symbols to trigger re spins. And with 1,024 ways to win, you can look forward to giant payouts when two or more stacked wilds appear.
Wicked Winnings IV - Wicked Winnings Legends
As has been the theme so far, things only get better as we move towards Wicked Winnings IV.
The first major factor that separates this game from the rest is how it allows you to pick between two different games: Wicked Winnings II or IV. You're shown both games side by side, and you merely use the cursor to make your decision.
One example of the cool animations is when the she devil leans over the reels and shoots fire into reel 3, making it a stacked wild. Obviously the feature isn't new from the previous three games, but the way it's delivered certainly is.
The re spin feature is again available, and it's triggered whenever three she devils appear on one reel. Another familiar feature is that flame symbols in reels 1 and 5 will give you 10 free spins.
This brings up four sets of reels, one in each corner, and they all spin at once. If you get a sticky stack wild in the main set of reels, top left-hand corner, another sticky stack will appear in the middle of the next available set of reels, beginning with the top right-hand corner.
Again, you can also choose to play Wicked Winnings II as well. We can't imagine many players who are new to the series spending much time on the second game, just because the fourth one features such good graphics and animations. But those who have nostalgia from previous Wicked Winnings II sessions will enjoy having this option.
Wicked Winnings Online and Mobile
As disappointing as it is to say, you won't find any of the Wicked Winnings games at online casinos.
However, you can find Wicked Winnings II available as an app at both the Google Play and iTunes stores. The one that we found at the Google Play Store costs $1.99 to purchase.
At a time when you can literally find thousands of free online slots, the idea of purchasing an app doesn't sound so great. But if you're already a huge fan of the land based machines, then you might be more motivated to pay this small fee.
What began back in 2000 has created a slots series that's entertained players for over a decade and a half. Given how successful the Wicked Winnings series has been, we wouldn't be surprised to see another sequel added in the future.
Aside from the fact that you must purchase an app to play through your mobile device, about the only complaint we have is that the bonus round could be a little more in depth.
The latest four panel bonus with different sets of spinning reels is interesting, but perhaps a non slots mini game would be nice too. Of course, this might mean altering the sticky stack wild, which has been a hallmark of the series.
In any case, you should be able to at least find Wicked Winnings II, III, or IV in many land based casinos that you visit. And you'll see that their animations and graphics are competitive with most other slots games.