Charlie Chance In Hell To Pay

Theme and Design

Vintage Cartoons Inspired This Fun 3x3 Slot

Charlie Chance in Hell To Pay is a visually gorgeous game. It’s clearly inspired by cartoons from the 1920s and 30s, created by pioneering animators like Max Fleischer. Despite the intentionally old-fashioned look and feel, which has been replicated nicely, the animations are pretty slick. 

The game’s villain has a flirtatious Betty Boop vibe about her. While the main character appears to be a cross between silent film legend Charlie Chaplin and the more modern detective character Charlie Chan. Although set in Hell, the in-game music and sound effects add a pleasing air of light-hearted slapstick to proceedings. 

Finally, the fruit machines of old were clearly another key inspiration for this game. Symbols on the simple 3x3 reel grid include classic icons like cherries, BAR signs and bells. However, the traditional lucky sevens have been replaced with a 666 symbol, a witty nod to the hellish theme.

If you like this kind of production you should also check out Hacksaw Gaming's RIP City featuring a Tom and Jerry style cartoon cat and mouse.

RTP and Variance

Play’n GO rates this title 6/10 on its variance scale, placing it firmly into the category of “medium” volatility. This means we’re looking at a well-balanced mathematical model overall. And while testing the game, that theory stood up well. I didn’t need to wait long for a shot at the feature board, for instance, picking up plenty of smaller rewards along the way.

The highest-avilable RTP for Charlie Chance in Hell To Pay is a little above that of the average slot at 96.23%. However, Play’n GO has also produced four alternative, lower-than-optimal settings of 94.79%, 91.33%, 87.59% and 84.71%. It's always best to avoid these lower rates if possible. Check the game’s information screen wherever you play to ensure you are getting the best possible value.

For example, Skill on Net sites like BacanaPlay only use the 91.33% rate. That’s why I’d recommend playing this title at White Hat Gaming casinos. I personally verified Barz Casino and Jackpot Village, both of which offer the top RTP of 96.23%.

Maximum Win

Play’n GO has previously released slots like Kiss Reels of Rock, with a whopping 50,000x maximum payout. As such, the 6,666x offered by Charlie Chance in Hell To Pay seems a little small in comparison. However, the trade-off for huge potential rewards is usually extremely high variance. 

This is perfectly illustrated in Charlie Chance XreelZ, which has a volatility score of 9/10 and a 20,000x maximum potential payout. Personally, I personally prefer the well-rounded nature of this slot, where the wins are a little easier to come by. For a medium-volatility game, the top payout of 6,666x is actually pretty good. It’s certainly better than the third in the series, Charlie Chance and the Curse of Cleopatra, with its top prize of 5,500x despite an identical level of variance.

Symbols and Paytable

Charlie Chance in Hell To Pay adopts a very basic structure of 3 reels and 3 rows. There are just 5 fixed paylines, which pay from left to right, with no funky features to speak of.

In terms of individual symbols, there’s not much scope for huge payouts given the limited space on the reels. The biggest return comes from dropping three wild symbols onto a payline, which pays just 8x. Next up are the bells, 666 and BAR icons, which reward you with 4x, 3x and 2x for three of a kind.

This is perhaps the weakest area of an otherwise really enjoyable game. If you enjoy the nostalgia of a traditional slot inspired by old-style fruit machines, this is actually going to be right up your street. But for me, in this modern era of increasingly creative reel grids and flamboyant features, I was left wanting something a little more exciting.

Features and Gameplay

Everything about the Charlie Chance in Hell To Pay base game leads up to the Feature Board bonus. The lack of other features isn’t really a hindrance though. This game is a little bit different from other slot bonuses and I loved it. And thanks to the well-balanced variance, it’s not even that hard to unlock the free spins.

If you do end up having to wait for the feature, it’s certainly worth it. A fun animation sees our hero tentatively stepping on tiles to avoid the surrounding inferno, collecting rewards as he goes. And thanks to the random nature of proceedings, you’ll enjoy a different experience each time.

One other interesting touch that I really enjoyed is the slot’s quite unique scatter system. Before getting into the details of the Feature Board, let’s take a look at how these scatters work.

She-Devil Scatters Are Devilishly Different

Unlike most online slots, the scatter isn’t a standalone symbol that fills a complete space on the grid. Instead, once a reel comes to rest, a tiny depiction of the She-Devil engulfed in flames could randomly appear on top of any symbol. If you’re able to land three in total, you’ll be whisked off to play the Feature Board.

During this bonus game, it’s possible to acquire additional She-Devil scatters. This time, they’ll be collected in a meter on the left-hand side. Collecting another three helps Charlie progress further on his walk along the Feature Board. 

Feature Board Bonus With FIVE Fun Modifiers

Ahead of the bonus game, Charlie begins his journey across the screen, but only after the gorgeous but villainous She-Devil conjures up a fireball. Flames engulf each of his previous steps until he arrives at one of the following rewards:

• Free Spins: This symbol heralds the start of eight free spins.
• Instant Prize: Land on the blue pot of gold to earn a cash reward.
• Multiplier: This green symbol earns you one re-spin with a random multiplier of 2x, 3x or an impressive 25x.
• Wild: Should Charlie find a Wild on the path, you’ll gain a single re-spin with up to nine Wild symbols added to the reels.
• Win Spin: Here, the entire middle reel turns wild, while the third reel continues to nudge until a win is created.