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What is the recipe for a fantastic day at the beach? If you ask me, it is sun, friends, and heaps of fun! Guys at ELK Studios seem to share my opinion, as they included all of this in Sam’s day off. He certainly deserved it after helping kick off the company’s track record.
As the game’s name implies, the action takes place at the beach and features a typical scenery that includes palm trees, sand, and sea. Although relatively simple, it is all needed to have a great time.
This is the perfect moment to get familiar with the four main characters. These are Sam, Sandra, Maggie, and Ted. Each plays a role of its own and contributes to the pokie’s fun factor. At the same time, they are also the slot’s high-paying symbols.
Crabs, starfish, and sea horses make up the rest of the paytable. They provide much smaller rewards, but their neon appearance makes them look really cool.
The game logo is Wild, doing its usual job of substituting for regular symbols. The bell is Scatter, your ticket to free spins.
Having a relaxing day on the beach is all about simplicity. That’s why the development team chose a standard grid layout consisting of 5 reels and 3 rows. However, instead of paylines, the game relies on 243 winning ways to deliver prizes. Landing at least 3 matching symbols should do the job, but as the old saying goes, “the more, the merrier”. Wins come relatively often, providing constant action. Even though not all winning combinations awarded massive prizes, the gameplay was engaging and kept me on my toes.
ELK Studios rates the pokie’s volatility 4 out of 10, meaning it is fair to say it has a medium to low level. At 96.30%, the default payout percentage is above the current industry average.
A stake of just $0.20 is enough to spin the reels, while the maximum bet is capped at $100 per spin. The top prize is worth 2,275x the bet.
Sam and his friend make sure the day at the beach is filled with fun and excitement. Having a pokie with a wide range of features definitely helps. I made sure to check out each of them to see how they add to the overall experience.
The first feature I encountered in the base game was the Beach Memories Respin. Respins come with Sticky Wilds, which replace symbols on the same row, connected side to side. I particularly loved the fact they could stack up to 3 times. This can easily result in handsome prizes.
To unlock free spins, you have to land at least 3 Scatters. Depending on the number of triggering Scatters, the game can award 5, 10, or 15 free games.
I was able to extend my time in the bonus round by landing additional Scatters. Each of these symbols added 1 more spin to the count.
The game’s main characters have their own feature, activated during free spins.
Sam’s, Ted’s, and Sandra’s treats are awarded immediately, and I could use them for the rest of the free spins. However, Maggie’s treat waits for a prize to be on the table and then jumps into action.
Sam generously awards Sticky Wilds, while Ted, his older brother, has Sticky Multipliers of 2x or 3x up his sleeve. Sandra not only provides multipliers, starting at 2x, but also increases them up to 10x.
Maggie waits for a payout and then removes low-value symbols for a partial respin.
I am a massive fan of ELK Studios’ games. The main risk with its releases is they won’t live up to the expectations. Luckily, Sam on the Beach delivers in style. First of all, it is a beautiful game, with colourful surroundings and a relaxing soundtrack perfectly matching the theme.
Respins and stacked symbols spring into action in the base game, keeping everyone engaged. The bonus round doesn’t bring anything new, although the addition of the four main characters and their treats adds a distinctive touch to it.
I don’t mind high volatility, but I feel the medium to low level in this game will anger both casual players and high rollers. The top payout should have been better to encourage the former and appeal to the latter. Nevertheless, Sam on the Beach is a pokie worth giving a go. Hence, my rating is 8.3.
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