At first glance, you might find the Rival Gaming slots selection to be a bit underwhelming. There are only around 75 different machines on offer, compared to the hundreds boasted by some other gaming firms.
However, the big difference here is that Rival makes games that are designed to be as fun as possible for players. You won’t find many “basic” slots here; instead, the games are made to be as interactive as possible. Almost all of the slot machines offered by Rival have bonus features, and many of them include interactive skill-based mini-games that can earn you even more cash during the course of play. While these features may not be for everyone, many players will see them as a great variation on the sometimes monotonous play you get from most slots. Read on to learn more about just what separates Rival from the other major slot machine providers out there – and whether these games are likely to be right for you.
What are Rival iSlots?
The best example of what makes Rival different from their competitors is their line of iSlots. These machines offer unparalleled interactive features that go far beyond what you’ll find from most casino software companies. While other games may offer bonus features, and even bonus games that can be fun to play, iSlots are the only games around that actually tell stories and progress a plot while you play!
For a great example, you need look no further than the three games in the “As the Reels Turn” series. At first glance, these may appear to be typical five-reel video slots. There are 15 pay lines that can each be played for up to five coins at a variety of different denominations, ranging from a penny to a dollar. You can hit symbols that will give you bonus spins and other ways to win.
But where you’ll really be able to see the difference between an iSlot and everything else on the market is if you can hit three of the scatter symbols. This will trigger a bonus game that’s perhaps better called a bonus scene, as you’ll begin to unravel the story of the soap opera world that is “As the Reels Turn.” You’ll not only earn lots of extra money in these bonus games, but you’ll be entertained by the antics of the characters as the story unfolds. With up to seven unique scenes in each game, you’ll find yourself playing not just to win money, but also to find out what happens next!
Best of all, there are iSlots with all different themes. Cosmic Quest will send you into outer space, while Heavyweight Gold will have you fighting for a world championship belt. Many of the scenes that play out actually have a small skill element, though you don’t have to worry too much about this; they aren’t hard, and simply serve to make the games slightly more interactive for players.
Other Rival Gaming Slot Machines
Of course, Rival offers a full range of more typical slot machines as well, separate from their iSlots series. That said, even these games tend to be a little more interactive than those that their competitors can boast.
For instance, the Irish-themed Shamrock Isle is a fairly standard five-line slot machine game, with twenty pay lines and the ability to play a total of 200 coins at once. Jackpots can go as high as 5,000 coins on a single line, with Leprechaun symbols acting as both wild symbols and as a 2x multiplier on all wins.
However, if you manage to see three pots of gold on the same pay line, you’ll trigger a bonus round, adding a little more fun to the game. You’ll get your opportunity to pick between a few different pots, each of which has a prize of a different size for you! In addition, if you hit three or more scatter symbols at once, you’ll be rewarded with up to 25 free spins.
It’s easy to overlook, but Rival has also created more than a dozen classic three-reel slots. The simple Big Cash Win slot is aptly named, and provides regular old slots action for up to $5 per coin (with a maximum of two coins allowed per spin). Hit three “big cash” symbols, and you can win up to $10,000 on a single spin. While Big Cash Win is very simple (a rare sight in a Rival Game), many of the three-reel games have bonus features as well – as you can see in our review of the new Heroes’ Realm slot below.
One place where Rival doesn’t quite match up against some of their competitors is in progressive jackpots, but that’s not to say that there aren’t some great opportunities if you know which games to play. For instance, the Magic Money progressive jackpot game often sees its jackpot reach well over $100,000 – a great value when you consider that you can play the game for only a nickel. Even if you play for the maximum of 45 coins, that’s just $2.25 per spin: not bad for a jackpot game with such a large reward.
New Rival Slots in 2013
The latest in Rival’s line of iSlots is Hole in Won: The Back Nine, a golfing-based game that features the same fun interactive bonus features as their previous iSlots. If you match at least three golfer symbols, you’ll get taken into a skill-based bonus game that allows you to play nine holes of miniature golf, giving you a break from the frantic slots action – and a chance to win a lot of extra money.
Another new game that we’ve found to be very fun is Heroes’ Realm. In contrast to the iSlots, this is simply a three-reel game with a single pay line. However, the game has a very cool fantasy theme, and offers jackpots that go as high as $22,500. Match three skulls and you’ll have the opportunity to play a bonus round on a second screen, where you can earn more money by defending your kingdom from an oncoming skeleton horde! The better you protect your castle and towns, the more money you’ll win.
Overall: Are Rival Gaming Slots Right for You?
Most casino players will love playing on Rival slot machines. The interactive features they offer are simply unmatched, and until other companies catch up, you’re not likely to have more fun than on a Rival iSlot game.
That said, there are two types of players for whom we wouldn’t recommend Rival. First, if skill-based bonus games are more likely to annoy you than to help you enjoy the games more, then you should stay away; other than a handful of games, you’re going to find that Rival machines are big on these interactive features. Secondly, jackpot hunters will often find bigger jackpots on other networks that place a heavier emphasis on jackpots that reach $1 million or more. However, for most typical slots players, we believe that Rival’s games are among the best the industry has to offer.
