The Final Countdown

As more slots get released every day, it can be hard to find the perfect theme to capture player imaginations. Just about every idea seems to have been tried multiple times, leaving developers somewhat stumped.

Some software providers may choose to simply try their luck with tried and tested themes. But others, like Big Time Gaming, experiment and keep their fans on their toes.

The Final Countdown Review

Online gamblers are treated to a massive 6-reel, 4-row board with 4096 ways to win, forgoing the traditional paylines system. Wins are granted when three or more identical symbols appear consecutively on the reels, from left to right only!

Bonus-loving players are in for a treat with this title. Reel cloning, expanding Wilds, and two different free spins special features! One features roaming Wilds that increase in size and bonus retriggers. The other guarantees a reel clone feature will occur and has randomly expanding Wilds.

Theme & Symbols

We are used to developers having some odd choices of slot themes, but this one surprised even us! Final Countdown was a super popular song, but to see it transformed into a game was something else. Does it naturally raise the question as to how you would even do something like that?

The answer, it seems, is to not really try beyond some basic elements. Just like in the song, we are treated to a view of a rocket preparing to launch into outer space. We see a glimmering, futuristic city in the distance, while the ground beneath has a serious case of Tron. We still cannot figure out if those are purely aesthetic, or actual tunnels people travel through.

The callbacks mostly lie in the spin sound and the name of the two free spins. When you spin the reels, you will hear the familiar guitar riff, but we only found that frustrating. We were waiting for the song itself to start, but it never did. Finally, the two extra turns bonuses are called The Countdown and Heading For Venus, lifted from the song’s lyrics.

It is no perfect recreation, however. Symbol design is not particularly inspired. You have four space rocks with different shapes and colors, and the ever generic playing card icons. To the credit of Big Time Gaming, they have a metallic sheen to make them fit alongside the gems. But they are still as immersive as a brick to the face.

How to Play

The Final Countdown offers 6 reels and 4 rows, making for a larger than average playing field. The slot uses the All Ways Win system over traditional paylines. This means that you only need three or more symbols to be adjacent to each other to grant a win. You do not have to worry about following some arbitrarily drawn line set by the developers.

Gamblers will find the game to be quite grindy at times. At certain moments, you may find yourself simply spinning with nothing going on. Not the most engaging gameplay, certainly – but the maximum prize will quickly clear up any doubts in your mind!

Despite not having actual paylines, the wagers are structured as if there are 20 available. We find this to be a fantastic value since you get 4096 ways to win for the minimum bet of €0.20 per spin. The maximum wager, in turn, is €20. High rollers will not be pleased, but mid-range and casual players will love it.

Bonus Features

Multiple bonuses are available to gamblers at all times. We will go in-depth on what you can expect here.

• Reel Clone

During any spin, there is a random chance that this bonus will activate. It creates between two to four identical reels on reels two, three, four and five. All symbols will be identical, except for Scatter placements. Scatters cannot be cloned, and will not be copied onto the other parts of the board.

• Clone Wilds

When Wilds appear on cloned reels, they will join together to form a larger icon with a higher value.

Wilds being cloned on two reels grants a 4x cash prize
Cloned Wilds on three reels grants a 27x cash prize
Wilds being cloned on four reels grants a 256x cash prize

• Free Spins

Collect three or more Scatters to activate free spins. Before the special feature starts, players can pick between the Countdown or Heading for Venus bonuses.

• The Countdown

Eight free spins with Roaming Wilds are awarded. As the name implies, the special feature is based around the countdown. Each time a Scatter appears, it can be reduced up to three per single Scatter. Once the countdown reaches zero, the bonus is retriggered again.

While you are constantly racing the countdown to keep the special feature going, roaming Wilds can appear on reels two, three, four and five. Each time the gambler successfully retriggers free spins, they increase in size. Their growth follows the same pattern as cloned Wilds.

• Heading for Venus

Fifteen free spins with Velocity Wilds are granted. During this special feature, a Reel Clone is guaranteed to happen every free spin. If three or more Scatters land on the playing field, the bonus is reactivated. Velocity Wilds can only appear during a reel clone. They can randomly expand, and assume a value between 4x to 888x your total stake.

Payouts

Big Time Gaming’s release is a high volatility slot, with a maximum win worth 36,000x your total bet. The RTP ranges between 96.56% up to 96.65%, which is above the current industry average.