Slot Neon Life — Game Review

Neon Staxx Slots

Take a trip back to the 1980s, when neon was all the rage and the digital age was just beginning, and you’ll have the inspiration for the exciting Neon Staxx slot from NetEnt.

Although inspired by the 1980s, this futuristic-looking slot both looks and sounds very up to date.

So does Neon Staxx stack up when it comes to other 5×4 slots offered today by New Jersey casinos online, or does it topple over unable to sustain the weight of expectation? To find out, we took a closer look at this popular slot.

Overview: Neon Staxx

Neon Staxx is a somewhat unusual 5×4 reel slot in that the reels are tilted back slightly, which gives the slot a somewhat three-dimensional feel. It is, however, a very clever design and gives the slot a unique appearance.

There are 40 fixed paylines in operation on every spin and you can wager from as little as $0.40 up to $200 on every spin. The choice is yours on how much you want to play for, and this does mean that Neon Staxx is suitable for players of all bankroll levels.

The slot’s presentation and sound are outstanding, and the sound in particular is worth a mention.

The graphics are simple, with the usual playing card lows on the reels, as well as the high symbols, a number of neon, vector graphic animals. There’s also the usual wild symbols, plus a scatter symbol which is easy to recognize as it is the only symbol that is never stacked in the game.

One nice feature of the slot is the speed at which it plays. You can really rattle through the spins on Neon Staxx very quickly.

While this does have implications for bankroll management, the fact you win relatively often means that it doesn’t impact you too greatly.

Who will the Neon Staxx slot appeal to?

In short, if you like slots that pay out often, then you are going to love Neon Staxx. If you are a low stakes player who enjoys the occasional flutter on the slot, then you’ll like Neon Staxx.

And if you are a high roller, the top prizes available are well worth chasing if you are betting top end stakes.

It may be an ’80s theme but there is enough in Neon Staxx to make it look like a thoroughly modern slot in terms of presentation and gameplay. Perhaps the only thing lacking is a bonus game or two to keep people entertained.

But in terms of pure New Jersey online slot action, this is a game that will have universal appeal.

Gameplay: Neon Staxx

It is fair to say that Neon Staxx’s gameplay is stunning. The fact that random symbols are stacked on every spin makes you keep a close eye on the reels and brings you into the game, while the regularity of payouts means that you always feel rewarded for your patience.

What Neon Staxx has right is the balance with payouts. Sure, the majority are smaller wins, less than your stake, but they’re regular enough you get a bigger win. That tops things up and occasionally you can hit a very big win in the base game, which gives your balance a real boost.

Connected to this is the free spins feature, which is triggered frequently compared to other slots, and which sees you earn an increasing number of free spins (10, 15, or 20) depending on if you land three, four, or five scatter symbols on the reels. When free spins are triggered, a high symbol (or wild) is selected as the stacked symbol for free spins.

The free spins round does have significant variance in payouts, sometimes it may be small (say 4-10x your bet, but other times can see very large wins). Once again, Neon Staxx hits the balance right with the gameplay in free spins too.

Special features: Neon Staxx

Random stacker

At the start of each spin any of the symbols on the reel can be stacked across all reels, including the wild but excluding the scatter symbol.

This can help create bigger wins in the base game, especially when you land three stacked symbols on the first three reels.

Stacked symbol in free spins

During free spins, one of the high symbols from the game is randomly selected as the stacked symbol for free spins. Again, this symbol can help you create multiple winning paylines in free spins.

Fast pace

One of the things that isn’t immediately apparent on Neon Staxx is the pace of the game. You can get through your spins very quickly. Not only that, but you can often trigger free spins rounds one after the other at relatively frequent times.

What works?

Random stacking feature

The biggest and most exciting thing about Neon Staxx is that at any point any of the symbols on the reel (including the wild symbol, but excluding the scatter) can become stacked on all reels.

This can result in some fantastic base game wins, as well as bigger wins during free spins.

Presentation

The way the slot plays, sounds and looks is first rate. Yes, it may have something of a 1980s theme, but unlike other retro-styled slots this one is perfectly at home in the 21 st century given its graphics and the way the 5×4 reels are presented on screen.

Free spins

One of the best things about Neon Staxx is that it likes to reward players when they hit free spins. While not all wins are big of course, it does seem far easier to trigger bigger wins on this slot than on other comparable games.

That makes for a very appealing game, especially if that win includes the symbol stacked across all the reels or plenty of wilds.

What doesn’t?

Lack of depth

If there’s one criticism of the gameplay of Neon Staxx, it’s that some people will find the game a little too simplistic.

There are no bonus games or additional features beyond the stacked symbols and free spins. Neon Staxx doesn’t do much, but what it does do, it does very well.

Jackpot

The jackpot size isn’t huge at 80,000 coins, and this is likely to deter people who prefer playing slots that offer them a chance at a life-changing amount of money without having to risk a huge amount of their own on every spin.

Confusing lines

With 40 paylines on a 5×4 slot, some of the paylines are not immediately apparent. You can think you have hit a winning payline when you haven’t, sometimes even if you have two wilds in place on the second and third reel.

The scores

Graphics and soundtrack 4/5

The only thing lacking on this slot is perhaps a touch of animation.

The graphics and soundtrack are space-age and digitized and they complement each other quite beautifully. You will struggle to find a better looking and better-presented slot.

Originality and creativity 4/5

Stacked symbols are nothing new in the online slots world, but how Neon Staxx uses them is very clever and this does keep the player interested. Add into this the 5×4 reels, rather than the tired 5×3 and you have a slot that is slick and somewhat different from the crowd.

Play value 5/5

Don’t get me wrong, Neon Staxx isn’t a slot you can play and are guaranteed to walk away richer than when you started. However, play for long enough and the chances are you’ll hit a big win at some point.

Solid rewards in the base game and super-rewards in free spins make this one of the best value New Jersey online slots I’ve played in a long time.

Jackpot potential 2/5

Given that Neon Staxx is a low variance slot and pays out relatively decent-sized wins frequently, it would be too much to expect a huge jackpot.

Eighty thousand coins is still a nice amount to win, especially at higher coin levels, but it isn’t the mega jackpot some slot fans like to chase.

Repeat play 5/5

With its retro vibe, regular wins, generous free spins round and the fact that the game is genuinely fun to play, this is a slot that you will be hitting up time and time again.

Total score 20/25

Take a bow Neon Staxx, one of the best slots I’ve played in a long time. I loved the ’80s techno styling, the 5×4 reels, the changing stacked symbols, regular base game wins (of a decent amount) and of course, the big free spins wins too.

It’s not perfect – some would argue the base game is a bit simplistic and the lack of other bonus features may put off some – but for genuine fun, value and entertainment, it is hard to beat.

Neon Life Slot

A visit to Las Vegas is on the wish list of everyone who enjoys spinning the reels recreationally but unfortunately, not all slot fans can afford to go to the City of Lights in person. Major casino software supplier Playtech provides such players with a great solution with its five-reel Neon Life slot whose theme is built around the gambling capital of the world.

The slot utilizes the profitable 243 Ways-to-Win format instead of the standard paylines regular spinners have grown bored with. This allows for even more winning opportunities since the matching symbols only need to land on adjacent reels to pay out instead of lining up on a payline. The name of the game pretty much reveals what you can expect in terms of design and symbols. Different neon signs are used for the high-paying symbols while the lowest payers are the traditional playing cards.

Players who decide to give this Playtech offering a go will benefit from various special features, such as the exploding reels, dynamic multipliers, free spins, and special symbols for extra wins. What is more, spinners do not have to dig too deep into their pockets as Neon Life is playable from the amount of $0.25. Maximum bets per spin are set to $12.50.

Reel spinners who give Neon Life a try will have no reason to complain the game lacks special symbols. There are a number of icons which not only spice up players’ spinning experience but also help add more winnings to their bankrolls. The neon scatter with the palm tree can appear on any reel within the main game. You need at least five scatters to start up the free spins feature but if you land more of these lucrative symbols simultaneously on any given spin you get more free rounds.

Another important symbol that can help you boost your casino balance is the neon wild which replaces all other icons except for the neon palm scatter. On the downside, the developers at Playtech have decided, for one reason or another, that it is sufficient for the wild to appear on the second, third, and fourth reels only. This partially decreases the positive impact a wild symbol can have on one’s winning opportunities.

Other than that, the most valuable symbols in the game are represented by various neon signs like the blue cocktail glass, the pink flamingo, the green convertible, and the yellow lady legs. The top payer in the game is the white neon sign with the playing cards which rewards players with 100 coins for five matches.

Bonus Games and Features

Why spend your own money on when you can spin the reels and win at no charge? This is possible in Neon Life as the slot offers a round of free spins but how many you get depends solely on the number of scatters you land to activate the feature. You need a minimum of five scatters to receive 7 bonus spins. The maximum you can get is 25 free spins, awarded for ten scatters.

When the free spins feature is triggered, you exit the main game and are taken to a purple neon frame where subsequent wins during the bonus round will earn you an additional multiplier on the winnings to follow. You start with 1x and the multipliers are capped at 5x for seven successive wins. Three and five wins in a row result in 2x and 3x multipliers, respectively.

The reels in Neon Life are of the exploding kind, which is to say all winning combinations cause the reels to collapse. The symbols which are part of your winning combo light up brightly after the collapse and then fall to the bottom of the reels before payouts are awarded. The losing symbols vanish from the reels to make room for new icons. This process repeats itself until there are no more drops that pay out.

A few words need be said about the 243 Ways-to-Win format Neon Life utilizes. This format is especially popular among reel spinners because the identical symbols do not have to land on active paylines in order to pay out. Three or more matching icons simply need to appear on neighboring reels for you to collect a payout. That being said, winning combinations are read from left to right in Neon Life, with winnings being multiplied by the coin denomination players have used on the successful spin.

Conclusion

Neon Life is recommended for everyone who is fascinated by Las Vegas’ glamor and fast pace of life. The layout of the slot itself resembles a vintage postcard while the flashing neon symbols set the tone for a truly unforgettable virtual experience in Sin City. The 243 Ways-to-Win format works to the advantage of the players, allowing them to easily form combinations that pay out. The collapsing reels further improve your chances of bagging a prize, not to mention they add a dash of originality to the game itself.

The free spins enable players to pocket extra payouts in a risk-free manner while the dynamic multipliers can significantly boost your balance during a spinning session. Overall, Neon Life is an extremely enjoyable game with lots of cool features, seamless gameplay, and a satisfactory long-term return percentage. Playtech has also optimized it for mobile play so you can give the game’s flashy neon reels a spin whenever you wish.