Hotline 2 slot is an August 2020 release from NetEnt. Looking as though it was inspired by Miami Vice, Hotline 2 is an upgraded version of its former incarnation with some features added, such as the expanding reels. The graphics have been given a something of a makeover though still maintaining it’s retro vibe. Let’s take a look at how Hotline 2 plays in the full review below.
Hotline 2 Slot
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Base Game
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Bonuses
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Graphics and Sound
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Value for Money
Summary
Hotline 2 slot has a pretty cool 80’s look to it and the soundtrack hits the nail on the head. The expanding rows and expanding wilds make the bonus feature come alive and the ability to increase your stakes up to 3x to activate extra hotlines adds some intensity to the game. A decent max win of over 5,000x is an attractive enough prospect whilst it isn’t too volatile and should give you decent value for money.
Overall
4.2Hotline 2 Slot Stats | |||
RTP: | 96.05% | Volatility: | Medium |
Designer: | NetEnt | Max Payout: | 5,184x |
Min Bet: | 0.3 | Max Bet: | 150 |
Paylines: | 243 to 1944 | Reels: | 5 |
Rows: | 3 to 6 | Release Date: | August 2020 |
How it Pays and Plays
Set on 5 reels and 3 rows, Hotline 2 slot is starts you off with 243 ways to win. However, during the free spins you can activate expanding reels when you land a Wild on one of the Hotlines. This can expand up to 6 rows high and make for a maximum of 1944 ways to win.
The RTP is set at what is pretty much bang on average for 2020, 96.05%, whilst this is down from the original version which sat at 97.04%.
The max win available is 5,184x and you have a medium volatility level.
Stakes range from 30p/cents up to a high rolling $/£/€150 per spin.
There is a free spins round with expanding wilds and expanding reels. The ability to buy higher stakes to bring more “Hotlines” into play and if you’re outside the UK then you’ll be able to just skip the base game and buy the bonus feature. Proceed with extreme caution down this route!
Symbols and Graphics
The Miami Vice vibe is strong here, NetEnt have clearly borrowed heavily from this. The soundtrack is also very 80’s inspired and if you like that kind of thing then it’ll go down well with you, it does sound pretty slick in it’s own way and hits the notes it was going for.
The backdrop is set on a road by the beach with some palm tress and apartments to the left hand side. It’s set at dusk with the orange glow of a setting sun in the sky. Overall, it looks great, and you would expect nothing less from NetEnt.
Lower paying symbols are six different gemstones in various colours and shapes. The premium symbols are the characters from the game, including Detectives Quinn and Riviera and Kitty Weiss as the top paying symbol.
There are Wild symbols which are cars. They will expand if part of a winning combo and will expand regardless if they land in the free spins.
Scatter symbols say “Scatter” on them in neon lights. A proper 80’s look is going on with these.
Hotline Feature
You start Hotline 2 slot with reel 3 as the Hotline reel. This means that if a wild symbol lands on it during the base game and it forms part of a winning combo it will also expand to make a wild reel (if not on a Hotline wilds won’t expand). You can double or triple your stake to make reels 2, 3 and 4 all Hotlines and increase the winning potential.
Free Spins Bonus
During the free spins bonus every time you land a wild on a hotline it will expand to make a wild reel, regardless if it is part of a winning line or not. The more hotlines you have active the higher the potential for multiple wild reels.
Each time a wild lands on a hotline during the free spins an extra row will also be added to that reel. If you reach 6 rows in height on any hotline reel then you’ll get 2 extra free spins added and 1 extra free spin for any reel that reaches 6 rows but isn’t a hotline reel.
