Hot on the heels of Super 7’s, Pragmatic Play have released another retro video slot with a classic fruity theme. Master Joker, released on 13/02/2020 is a super volatile, lightning-fast game with not a lot of symbols but packing a 10,000x potential punch under its bonnet.
Master Joker is a 5x1 slot (yes, that is correct, it has one row with five symbols), one payline, and comes with an RTP of 96.46%.
The reel mechanic is slightly different from your regular slot in that wins pay in any combination. Three or more of any symbol pays in any combination rather than having to begin at the leftmost reel and land on consecutive reels. This at least in some way counteracts the distinct lack of paylines. More help in this department is given by the Master Joker herself who only appears on in the centre of the reel. This effectively increases the row size to 6 symbols as the Joker substitutes for all other symbols, so it is possible to make two winning combos of different symbols using the Joker to assist both combos. Ordinarily only the highest win pays on a single payline, but Pragmatic has obviously made an exception here. This makes sense given there is only the one winning line.
Big wins come from the game’s single, simple feature – a multiplier wheel – and they can reach up to 10,000x the bet size.
You can play Master Joker from just a single penny up to €100 a spin.
Where to play
Design & Symbols
There’s not much to the design here, but what there is, is crisp, clean, and colourful enough to pass muster. Once again, as with many fruity type slots releases in recent years, it has a distinctly ‘Vegas Casino’ style; a subtle diamond pattern in the background with shades of light and dark purple, and a golden glow around the mystery wheel which peeks out from behind the single row of symbols. Also, above the reel to the left of the wheel is a large animated lady joker ready to spin the wheel when required. The single reel is curved with a studded golden frame, with symbols resting on a purple reel. The soundtrack is a piece of fast-paced, ambient, electro-pop.
Low value symbols are strawberries, lemons, cherries, and plums. High value symbols are melons, gold bars, and red 7’s. The 7’s are the highest, paying 100x the bet size for 5 of a kind. The Joker is the only other symbol, which as already mentioned, only ever appears on the third reel. The Joker also triggers the Multiplier Wheel Feature.
Multiplier Wheel Feature
A Joker featuring in any win automatically triggers the Multiplier Wheel Feature. The wheel comprises 8 coloured segments, each carrying a win multiplier. Multiplier amounts are 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 25x, 50x, and 100x. The multiplier landed is applied to the win which triggered the wheel in the first place. 5 red 7’s containing a Joker which lands 100x from the Multiplier Wheel pays the 10,000x jackpot.
Our Thoughts on Master Joker
A retro fruity with one reel and a single multiplier feature is possibly the last game I would find myself awarding any praise. Yet strangely I am compelled to do so. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not convinced I’ll be adding it to my own preferred portfolio, but that’s more down to taste than an objective take on the game itself. Considering it appears to offer so little, I found Master Joker to be somewhat enjoyable. This is no-frills slotting at its most simple and brutal. No multiple reels and paylines to scan, a decent chance of landing a win (considering the single payline), and a no-nonsense multiplier feature which never fails to elicit a little excitement. It’s easy to forget that back in the day ALL slots played off a single payline and were hugely popular.
That said, if you’re planning on playing Master Joker then I advise you to exercise extreme caution with your bankroll. I know we tend to advise caution when playing any highly volatile game, but this one can be especially fierce. With just the one reel to land and a dearth of features, the spins go by at an astonishing speed. If you’re one to use turbo spins, then all I can say is watch out! However, credit to Pragmatic for making the lowest bet just a penny. I would suggest anyone playing this game for the first time playing much lower than usual. Once you have a feel for how fast-paced the game is you can then adjust your wager accordingly.
In conclusion, this can be a swift and brutal game, and there really is very little going on, but it can be fun, it is full of potential and it is certainly miles better than Super 7’s!