Sometimes, when the stars align, we slot players just want to go back to the good old days of basic slot games.
Nektan Software tried to resurrect some of the old slot glory in the form of Pearl's Fortune Slots and boy-oh-boy, they hit the mark with this one.
Simple, elegant, bare to the bones, Pearl's Fortune is designed for the older generation, who want to relive the glory days.
Still, it's also a great choice for younger players who want to experience a simple, but adorable slot game for a nice change.
Gameplay Screenshots
Pearls of Fortune Slot Game Mechanics
- Software: Nektan
- Reels: 5
- Rows: 3
- RTP: 96.34%
- Min bet: £0.01
- Max bet: £90.00
- Paylines: 9
- Features: Free spins, jackpot wins
This is a three-row, five-reel game with nine win lines, a minimum bet of £0.01 and a maximum bet of £90.00. Classic.
Pearl's Fortune comes with a modest payout frequency and a payout amount that's generally on the medium-high end.
The resulting variance is medium to medium high despite an RTP of 96.34%, maybe that's just tough luck for our 1-hour sessions.
We did, however, end sessions with a net positive balance. We think you can too if you know when to stop after hitting a few major wins.
Bonus Features – Free Spins & Mini Games
Prime your wet suits and ready your snorkels, the first feature of the Pearl's Fortune is a classic. You have a menu button, a stake and lines adjustment on the left-hand side and on the right-hand side, a spin button.
Yes, that's no bells and whistles, no cluttered interface, that-is-it. Remember the old saying “Too many cooks spoil the broth”? It applies in slots too, “Too many hooks spoil the bait”. Okay, that's very forced, but you get the gist of it.
The Wild big bad shark symbol replaces all symbols except for the Extra Spin symbol and that is it. Pearl's Fortune paces itself with smaller wins until you get three or more Extra Spin symbols.
The Extra Spin round comes with, you guessed it, free spins. Consecutive extra spin hits will add to your extra spin counter at the bottom of the screen and it also comes with extra bubbly tunes for your amusement.
Each extra spin winning hit will award players with 10x free spins.
The Giant Clam is a similar concept to a consolation Jackpot, whilst hard to get, it gives a staggering 1,000x coins which allows wins of up to a maximum of £1,000.
Now that's not normally enough for the more avid of slot players or for any humans for that matter. Come on, we're all opportunists.
Well, the good news is the Pearls Fortune Jackpot. They didn't just offer a bigger Jackpot than the Giant Clam, oh boy, they more than doubled the coin award to a staggering 2,500x coins. Yup, yup, yup, they just did that – a casual £2,500 win in such a simple game.
Picture the quietest kid you know, then imagine him punching a policeman in the face. Now, we're against police brutality but this metaphor is absolutely critical to describe how it feels.
User Interface and Gaming Experience
This game loads blazing fast and does not have any noticeable stutters as might be expected from a basic slot game. The symbols are cute, sometimes plain but the graphics are solid. Animations are smooth and faultless.
If we were to nitpick, the only animations we see are big win signs and reel spinning; A tad simplistic. Then there's the background music, bubbly, yes, “Awww”, but it only comes on during the spin. If you're not spinning boys and girls, no background music for you. Earn it.
What's Great About Pearls Fortune Slot?
You probably would have guessed this: the most unique aspect of this game is how it goes back to the roots of slot games. This is the most basic, and classic slot game in the modern age.
Playing this game made us nostalgic, Nektan definitely delivered a ‘those-days' feel to the game. Pearls Fortune is raw, adorable and we feel shameless liking it this much.
Our Verdict
Now, snorkels up, wet suits check, deep breaths ladies and lads. Dive in deep towards your childhood and relive the glory days of arcade games, those simple sounds they make, the simple interactions they offer.
No bells and whistles, none needed. This is a trip deep down memory lane and it will be unforgettable. Now load up and light up those reels.