ABOUT
Pragmatic Play's Ride the Lightning is a 3x3 slot game inspired by the high-energy world of 1980s heavy metal - the slot’s name is actually the title of Metallica's second album. This isn’t the first time this provider has tapped into this genre, as the Hellviss Wild slot with the same theme was a huge hit. Still, Ride the Lightning comes with a completely different set-up, with a more retro look and seemingly classic gameplay.
Set against a backdrop of dark, fast-moving clouds illuminated by flashes of lightning, the seemingly classic reels are accompanied by a driving metal soundtrack, complete with pounding drums and vigorous guitar riffs. This mix creates an immersive atmosphere that appeals to both fans of classic slots and metal enthusiasts. However, this slot is much more than your basic three-reeler, as it comes with jackpots, a bonus round and a massive winning potential of up to 10,000x the bet!
Betting Options & Bonus Features
Ride the Lightning operates on a 3x3 grid with 9 fixed paylines. Characterized by volatility at the highest level, the slot features an RTP of 96.50%.
When it comes to regular symbols, there are only 5 types on reels - single, double and triple sevens, as well as single and double bars. Winning combinations of these symbols pay between 0.5x to 7x the stake, with three sevens being the symbol with the highest payouts for three-of-a-kind.
Regarding special symbols, this is where excitement starts as the slot offers three types of Wild symbols:
- Red Lightning Bolt Wild - Substitute for all regular symbols and can appear anywhere on the grid
- Blue Lightning Bolt Wild - Also substitute for all symbols except Scatter and lands anywhere on reels
- 3x Multiplier Wild - Beside the power to substitutes for other symbols, this card also triples the value of any winning combination it forms (excluding jackpot wins)
As mentioned, the game features jackpots, triggered by the corresponding number of Wilds landing on reels. There are 4 types of jackpot prizes to be won:
- Mini Jackpot - Any combination of any three Wilds awards the prize of 25x bet
- Minor Jackpot - Three Blue Lightning Bolt Wilds trigger this jackpot with a 100x bet reward
- Major Jackpot - Three Red Lightning Bolt Wilds together on reels at the same time award 250x bet
- Grand Jackpot - Three 3x Multiplier Wilds trigger the grand jackpot prize of 500x bet
Keep an eye on the third reel as it is the only one where a Bonus symbol can land. It has the role of a Scatter and when it lands, the bonus round with 10 free spins is triggered.
During this feature, a multiplier ranging from 2x to 20x is randomly selected for each free spin and applied to the spin’s total win. To make things even better, the multiplier is applied to jackpot prizes as well if any of the jackpots are hit during the spin. Additionally, landing another Bonus symbol during the bonus round awards an extra 10 free spins, prolonging the feature and enhancing chances of big wins.
Players eager to jump directly into the bonus round can buy free spins via the Bonus Buy feature. For a price of 100x the current bet, this option gives you access to the bonus feature and all its perks.
Roshtein's Take
Ride the Lightning combines classic slot aesthetics with modern features, a mix that sometimes can backfire. However, it seems like Pragmatic Play has found a great dose of enticing features and retro visuals with this slot. The winning potential of 10,000x the bet is alone a nice incentive to give it a spin, but the features and a banging soundtrack are the ones that will probably compel you to stay a while.
