Diamond & Gold Slot Machine
Most of us have a dream that we’re working towards, with some based on travelling the world, and others on solving world hunger. But there’s some of us, the more inward looking of us, who prefer to dream about large piles of money. And that’s okay, we’ve no need to be ashamed - money makes the world go round after all. If you’re a lover of gold, dollar signs and so on, then you’ve come to the right place with Diamond & Gold; as the name suggests, a lot of luxury is going on here.
Captured inside a 5-reel matrix, in which there’s 20 paylines, you have the chance to earn back as much as 5,000 credits, and that’s assuming you only win big once. Imagine what could happen if you strike it lucky and keep getting five of a kind combos, why you could be walking away a high roller, respected by your peers. All of this though is academic unless you’re playing for keeps, and by keeps we mean with cash - the demo is fun, but it won’t get you very far.
Plain Sailing
When we start reviewing an online activity, we tend to look at a set number of things to ascertain whether it’s a good or bad experience, one of which is the usability. When it comes to brands like Merkur, we hit snags before we even get started, due to how volatile they can be. This company, like Novomatic, don’t make creating a winning line easy.
However, when it comes to the features of the gameplay itself and how adaptable it is, we’d have to say that Diamond & Gold scores rather highly. The betting system is faultless, allowing you to select from a list of values, rather than clicking manically until the bitter end. Furthermore, you have a maximum bet option should you wish to use it. Besides that you can alter the number of lines between 10 and 20, as well as set the reels automatically for as many as 100 rounds. All in all, it’s a breeze to play.
Style and Grace? Not So Much
In regards to how this title looks, Merkur have stayed true to themselves and left the reels lacking visual stimulation; there’s a loose design, revolving around wealth, but nothing that we’d call substantial. What is more, you also have the blindly obvious fact that the graphics used are below par when compared with other games of this age (this is one of the brand’s newest gaming additions).
It could be argued that Merkur are opting for a vintage approach to their delivery, hitting the market with a game that’ll appeal to those players who frequent classic slots of fruit designs and low diversity. However, you could just as easily say that the brand simply hasn’t moved forward with the times, and as a result have developed a slot that fails to address the needs of its consumers.
Cashing in Your Chip
The scatter symbol, which happens to be the only specialised icon of the entire game, is your way of getting free spins. Before you get excited and start jumping for joy, pleased that a special is even included with such a game, there’s the painful truth that only five rounds will be given to you. Yup, just five spins – that’s hardly enough to generate a decent amount of wins, right? Well, yes and no because of the fact that sticky wilds are now in place on the first and fifth reels.
Just so you know what you’re dealing with: we never unlocked the free games. We played for quite a few rounds, but hardly ever made a win, let alone triggered a special feature. How disappointing. Thankfully there’s the rest of the paytable to work towards which, although less stimulating, has plenty of means of upping the ante and giving you some cash prizes.
Time for Something New
If Diamond & Gold hasn’t satisfied your gaming fix, but you’ve appreciated what you’ve experienced so far, why not play Cannonball Bay? It’s not from Merkur, however it offers about the same setup as this slot, only with arguably a more exciting theme to engage with. This isn’t about finding a game of radical change, this is about sticking to what you know and enjoying that safety of familiarity.
Golden Oldie
Although this is a new slot machine, this is essentially an old fashion game in a new world. For us we find it lacking, but we can appreciate that there’s certain key features that many gamers relish, one of which is the ease of use and smallness of the variety offered. Sometimes we don’t want to be lavished with endless options, we want to get stuck in and get our hands on the cash.
