Showdown Saloon is a five-reel video slot from Microgaming, created in conjunction with Fortune Factory Studios. For years now, Microgaming has been among the leading companies for online casino software. And, this new addition is no exception to their style. While the basic structure of the game is typical (5 reels; 3 rows; 15 paylines), the overall feeling from spinning is unique, since there is clearly more going on here than a standard slot machine based upon cowboys.
You find yourself seated in a classic Old West saloon-style gaming hall, surrounded by guns, chips, dice, and whiskey-filled glasses. Each symbol perfectly represents this environment, while the various bonus features create the atmosphere of a high-pressure card game. So before investing actual dollars into Showdown Saloon, it would help to know how the game actually operates. We explain the basic rules and symbols, along with the bonus features, RTP (Return To Player percentage), volatility and betting ranges of Showdown Saloon so you can determine whether this slot deserves a spot at your table.
At first glance, Showdown Saloon immediately immerses itself in its Wild West theme. The view behind the reels provides a dimly lit look similar to an Old West gaming hall. With rich mahogany-colored woodwork and flickering candles throughout the space, plus the various decorative elements from another era, the overall effect creates a sense of being in the middle of a high-stakes poker game where all eyes are focused on everyone else. Additionally, the symbols of the slot support this atmosphere well. Guns, poker chips, dice, whiskey glasses and playing cards comprise the majority of the reel content.
The graphics are sharp and detailed in HD. The stacked reels are smooth and seamless as they fall into place, and a sufficient amount of fanfare occurs to generate excitement without slowing down the gameplay. The soundtrack for Showdown Saloon adopts a more reserved approach. A mellow soundtrack is played softly in the background, growing louder when a player hits a win or bonus rounds seem imminent. The sounds of shuffling cards and firing weapons occur to enhance the atmosphere rather than distract from it.
| Software | Microgaming |
|---|---|
| Slot Types | Video Slots |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 15 |
| Slot Game Features | Bonus Rounds Wild Symbol Scatters Free Spins |
| Min. Bet | 0.01 |
| Max. Bet | 0.5 |
| Jackpot | 20 |
| Slot RTP | 96.15% |
Showdown Saloon is relatively simple to learn even if you are new to online slots. Below are the main rules you should know:
All lines pay from left to right. Due to the fact that there are fixed lines (fifteen in total); all you need to do is choose your wager and then press "spin." In case of any technical problem, all winnings and wagers shall be deemed null and void.
There are nine standard symbols used in Showdown Saloon. They are divided into two categories: Low-paying symbols (the five card royals: A, K, Q, J & 10) represent the bottom half of the paytable and High-Paying symbols represent the top half (four premium symbols): Dice; Gun; Whiskey Glasses; Poker Chips. Because of their higher values when multiple are landed across different reels simultaneously, High Paying symbols produce significantly greater winning opportunities compared to Low Paying ones.
Instead of providing numerous unrelated Bonus Features, Showdown Saloon constructs all Bonus Features around its central mechanism: Mystery Stacks.
Each Reel possesses stacks of Mystery Symbols. Prior to each spin; these stacks flip over revealing a standard symbol for that particular spin. Depending on which Reels these stacks land on; the standard symbol that was revealed is determined. Only Reels #1 and #2 guarantee that the same standard symbol will be revealed regardless of which Reel(s) the Mystery Stacks land on.
Reels #3 through #5 may have differing standard symbol reveals depending on where these Mystery Stacks land. When Mystery Stacks land on multiple Reels at once with identical standard symbols revealed, large portions of the screen may be filled rapidly with a single high-paying symbol. In addition to serving as a Triggers for Respins and Free Spins; the Mystery Stacks also serve as the Triggers for both Respins and Free Spins.
The Respin Feature is where Showdown Saloon generates most of its tension. Full stacks of matching symbols landing on Two to Four Reels triggers this feature. After activation, the Reels containing these matching stacks freeze in position while the remaining Reels spin again. On each subsequent Respin, all Mystery Symbols transform to match the standard symbol displayed in the triggering stacks.
By doing so, you greatly increase your chances of adding additional matching reels thus transforming a good win into a large win. If a set of full stacks of matching symbols land on all Five Reels prior to any Respins; neither Respin nor Wins can occur due to the entire screen being filled with an identical symbol resulting in payment for the Win.
While providing you a chance to see Showdown Saloons' true value, Free Spins rounds can be activated either by landing Three to Five Scatters on separate Reels or landing Three to Five Scatters on adjacent Reels. Due to Scatters appearing solely inside Mystery Stacks, Scatters typically appear dramatically.
Rewards for Number of Reels Containing Scatters Determine Your Reward
Multipliers Make a Big Difference. A 3x Multiplier on 15 Free Spins can lead to very big wins. During Free Spins Mode, one standard symbol will be designated as a Fixed Mystery Stack Symbol for all Free Spins. Every Time Mystery Stacks land; they will display that same standard symbol.
If that standard symbol happens to be one of the Premium symbols, it increases your chances of creating large sums of money, with multiple consecutive winning combinations occurring frequently. There is a Catch: The Free Spins cannot be retrigged. Regardless of how many spins begin your session; that is how many spins you will receive. Therefore, every Spin is under greater pressure.
Showdown Saloon has an RTP (Return To Player percentage) of 96.15%. This puts Showdown Saloon squarely in line with almost all current modern online slot machines' average Return To Player percentages.
This is a High-Volatility Slot Machine. In general, that means large wins occur infrequently, but they have much greater potential when they do occur. You could go for quite some time without experiencing significant activity in Base Game, followed by a run of successful Respins or Free Spins that causes things to swing wildly in your favor. Showdown Saloon is best suited for players who want to carefully manage their bankrolls and can handle extended dry-spell periods. If you prefer more frequent small wins, you might want to consider a lower volatility slot.
The Top Winning Combination in Showdown Saloon is 1500 Times your Wager. This is somewhat lower than some Megaway Slots/Jackpot Based Slot Machines; however, this appears to be more attainable due to Showdown Saloon's design incorporating Mystery Stacks/Locked Reels/Fixed Mystery Stack Symbol during Free Spins that enables filling an entire row with Premium symbols fairly regularly when Multiplier factors are applied.
Minimum bet on Showdown Saloon is .20 credits/spin and Maximum bet is $100 credit/spin. The wide betting options allow players with small bankrolls/Casual players, as well as large-bankroll/high-rollers/players who wish to bet larger amounts on volatile games alike, to play Showdown Saloon. More importantly, your wager amount does not affect your opportunity to trigger Mystery Stacks, Respins, or Free Spins regardless of how much you wager.
Showdown Saloon performs consistently well from beginning to end. Spinning speed is fast; animation transitions are smooth and instant; transition between Base Game/Bonus Games take place instantly without any pauses.
On mobile devices, the control panel shrinks seamlessly for smaller screens without hiding any functionality, and touch response is immediate as well. Whether using a smartphone or computer; your experience remains consistent.
Unlike many Wild West slots featuring elaborate animated sequences or dense screens loaded with various Bonus Features; Showdown Saloon stands out as utilizing fewer paylines yet maintains high volatility and varied Bonus Features as compared to other Fortune Factory Studios/Microgaming titles (e.g., Gold Blitz).
You can find Showdown Saloon online at several of the many online casinos that have Microgaming as their software provider, such as Jackpot City Casino, AllSlot Casino, and Betway Casino. A majority of these sites have a free demo version of the slot, as well as the option to wager real money. Note: Many jurisdictions prohibit gambling; therefore, please make sure an online casino is licensed and permitted in your region.
The Showdown Saloon slot machine is a good-looking, solidly built video slot that encourages patience rather than excitement. The mystery stacks component is what keeps all parts of this slot machine tied together, the respins are what add a little bit of true tension to the regular slot, and the free spins bonus has some real value to it. This slot machine does not appeal to those who look for progressive jackpot slots or mini-games throughout the game. If you like a slot with a great theme and high volatility with a legitimate chance to hit the top prize of 1,500 times your total bet, then Showdown Saloon is certainly worth trying.
The return to player for Showdown Saloon is 96.15%. This RTP percentage is consistent with virtually every modern online slot machine.
Yes, this is a high-volatility slot machine. What this means is while there will be fewer payouts, when they do occur, they could be significantly greater.
The largest possible payout in Showdown Saloon is 1,500 times your total bet.
No. As soon as the free spins bonus round commences, it may no longer be retriggred.
Yes. With nearly all online casinos that offer the Showdown Saloon slot machine, you may also obtain access to a complimentary demo mode version.
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