Hot Ink is one of those slot machines that you can’t help but be fascinated with, a title that has some of the best graphics you will see anywhere, plus a theme that is cool, inspired by tattoos and by the artists that create them. While the features are great, the one that’s the biggest draw is the design of Hot Ink. Microgaming certainly worked a lot to make sure that it’s going to be a great slot machine, and I think they succeeded.
There are a lot of things that are going on at the same time in Hot Ink, the game offering 1024 ways to win and 5 reels. The ways to win system would be one of the features, the Respin buttons are next on the list, followed by the wild, by scatter symbols, by free spins, multipliers and a bonus game. Prizes only go up to $2,500, which is far from what you would expect from such a cool game, but to be expected since so many features are offered.
Features of Hot Ink
The ways to win are part of the draw, along with the Respin buttons placed beneath the reels, the scatter symbols, the Tattoo bonus game, wilds and free spins with multipliers.
The ways to win system is a big part of what makes this game special. A total of 1024 ways to win are available in the game, the slot using four symbols per reel instead of the more usual three, in order to be able to give you that many opportunities to take home a prize. The ways to win require symbols to be on neighboring reels, starting from the left, going towards the right. The symbols no longer have to be on predetermined paylines.
Another feature that is fun and generally not available in slot machines is called Respin. It works differently in this game than in others, as you have the option to place an additional bet once the round is over, in order to spin just one of the five reels. Each reel has its own Respin button at the bottom, together with the amount that needs to be wagered in order to use it.
The Hot Ink Logo is the wild feature of the game. As you would expect from it, it is capable of acting as a substitute for all regular icons, the exception being the scatter symbols. It can also create its own combinations, as long as it lands with 3 to 5 symbols on reels going from 1st to 5th, from left to right. Payouts reach a value of 1,000x the line bet.
Free Games Feature
One of the scatter symbols present in this game is the one with two fish, one purple, the other blue and white. As a scatter, it will appear on whatever reels it wants, even if they’re not neighbors, and it will give out prizes of up to 100x the bet.
The same 3+ scattered Fish will present you with the free spins, 20 rounds being given to the player, with 2x multipliers. These free spins are the kind that can be retriggered, the requirement being the same one.
Tattoo Bonus Game
The second scatter of the slot is the Tattoo Bonus Logo, also capable of offering prizes and features at the same time. The requirement is the same in both cases, for 3+ Logos to appear. You get payouts of 2x to 100x the bet from them, plus access to the bonus game.
You are taken to the tattoo parlor, where you have to open albums with tattoos in them, which will then decorate the body of an attractive girl. You need these tattoos to form a set in order to get the most out of the bonus game, as this will also trigger 10 free spins and 2x multipliers.
Betting options and jackpots
You can end up spending $125 for a single spin, if you choose to max out the line bet to $2.50, the most that is allowed. These line bets use up to 10 coins, valued at $0.01 to $0.25 each one. Since the game uses the equivalent of 50 lines when betting is done, instead of using 1024 lines, you can wager up to $125.
The slot promises a top payout of 1,000x, or 10,000 coins. That’s only $2,500 cash, which sounds like a very low payout, but which is understandable since there are so many ways to win and features. The scatter symbol does a lot better, its 100x payout being worth up to $12,500 to you.
Design and symbols
The design is clearly one of the most elaborate and beautiful that I’ve seen lately. Despite all the things that happen at once on the screen, the game manages to make it work, and it looks like art, not like a pile of images that were just thrown together. A gorgeous collection of images and potential tattoos are shown both on the reels and in the background pictures, and the mix is fun to look at, and discover the small details.
Symbols: Hot Ink Logo (wild, 1,000x), Fish (scatter, 100x total bet), Tattoo Bonus Logo (bonus), Angel (750x), Luci (750x), Apprentice (400x), Tattoo Chair (300x), Tattoo Parlor (200x), Lucky Horseshoe (150x), Flaming Dice (120x), Guiding Star (100x), Flying Heart (75x) and 8 Ball Cherries (50x).
Is It Worth Playing?
It’s a game that will be a lot of fun to try out, not just because of its features, but also because of the very cool and interesting graphics. The game even brings a few new features, like the Respin buttons.
This Hot Ink slot is offered by all online casinos with Microgaming software, playable either in practice or in real money mode.
