Slot fans have recently seen a bunch of fresh Microgaming releases as a result of the multiple partnerships the software veteran has sealed with independent game builders. One of the latest examples is Diamond Inferno, crafted by Microgaming’s exclusive partner Triple Edge Studios.
Despite its classic slot feel, this release still has the potential to set players’ screens on fire. It is packed with modern features to diversify one’s playing experience, with some of the prime examples being free respins after every winning round, expanding reels, and a Multiplier Trail for extra winning power. Let’s delve deeper into this fiery slot release to see whether it is a hit or a miss.
| Diamond Inferno Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Microgaming (in partnership with Triple Edge Studios) |
| Paylines | 20 to 50 paylines |
| RTP | 96.19% |
| Min Bet | $0.20 |
| Max Bet | $20 |
| Wild Symbol | Blazing Wild |
| Scatter Symbol | Three different Dwarves are the Scatters that can trigger different bonus features. |
| Bonus Features | Multiplier Trail, Free Respin after Every Win, Expanding Reels |
| Jackpot | 11,750x the bet |
Symbols and Winning Combinations of Diamond Inferno Slot
The most attention-grabbing aspect of playing Diamond Inferno is the mechanics of the game itself. The spinning action is set against a scorchingly hot background with animated flames licking the reel casing.
At the beginning of each fresh round, players get the chance to form winning combinations on a standard grid with 5 reels, 3 rows, and 20 paylines. The payline number, however, is not fixed, as you shall see later, thanks to the trademark Expanding Reels feature Triple Edge has incorporated into the gameplay. If you are a purist or dig old-school slots, you will be threading on familiar ground with Diamond Inferno. The standard initials of high playing cards yield the prizes on the low-pay side.
A, K, Q, and J pay for three to five matches as long as the identical symbols align from left to right on adjacent reels. The maximum rewards these low payers can earn you are 1.75x the line bet for A, 1.5x the line bet for K, and 1.25 the line bet for Q and J.
The higher-value regular symbols are represented by stars, Lucky 7s, bars, dollars, and a pair of dice, all of which again pay for three to five matches. The maximum you can extract from these higher payers during the base game is 100x the winning bet per line for five stars.
This is where software developers have deviated from classic slots by introducing two special icons into play. The first one is the blazing wild which appears only on the second, third, and fourth reels. It can replace all other symbols save for the scatter, represented by the blue diamond.
The scattered blue diamond can make an appearance on reels 2, 3, and 4 to reward players but the winnings it yields are row-specific, i.e. they depend on which row the three scatters land on. The maximum instant prize these lucrative symbols can produce equals 20x your total stake for three blue diamonds on row 6.
Bonus Features of Diamond Inferno Slot
Triple Edge has attempted to pique the interest of slot mavens by weaving several extra features into Diamond Inferno’s gameplay. When you first load the game, you will undoubtedly notice the spinning action kicks off on the usual 5×3 reel grid. However, as soon as a winning combination happens to align on a payline, the player is treated to a free respin. An additional fourth row is unlocked and the number of paylines jumps from 20 to 30 for the respin.
Provided that the player wins twice in a row, a fifth row appears and the line number reaches 40 during the second free respin. A third consecutive win unleashes Diamond Inferno’s full potential. The next respin occurs on a 5×6 reel grid with a total of 50 winning lines. Note that if you happen to lose in between respins, the game will reset to its original 5×3 symbol grid.
Finally, there is the Multiplier Trail, an idea Triple Edge have borrowed from their partners Microgaming. The feature manifests itself whenever the grid has expanded to its full size with 5 reels and 6 rows. The Multiplier Trail activates whenever a winning combination lands on the full-size grid.
This is followed by respins, with each subsequent win having a higher multiplier. The latter starts at 2x and continues to increase incrementally until it eventually reaches the maximum of 10x. Once a loss occurs, the Multiplier Trail feature ends and the grid is reset back to its original 5×3 form.
Verdict
Diamond Inferno may be a somewhat simplistic game that lacks extra features like free spins and bonus games but, still, we should not forget it was built with the needs of a specific niche of players in mind.
The game caters predominantly to the preferences of classic slot devotees although it is not entirely devoid of cool features like the Multiplier Trail and the Expanding Reels. It bears some semblance to 9 Masks of Fire, a slot born from the partnership between Microgaming and Gameburger. So if you liked this one, be sure to give Diamond Inferno’s reels a spin – there is a good chance you might find it of equal appeal.