Diablo Reels

Diablo Reels Slot Review

Slot Provider: ELK Studios

RTP: 96.3% | Variance: Medium-High | Maximum Win: 2,500x

Our Score: 7.6

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QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Testing Notes | Tips For Players | About The Developer

WHY YOU CAN TRUST THIS REVIEW: The information and opinions on this page are the result of an comprehensive process of information gathering and live game testing by the gambling experts who work at allslotsites.com. Find out more here.

About Diablo Reels

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 16th July 2020

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Diablo Reels is the 7th in the Classic series of slots from ELK Studios. It has a Mexican Day of the Dead theme and design. The game plays on two 3×3 reel sets. The top one only comes into play when re-spins and free spins features are active. This is a fast-paced, medium variance with a modest max win of 2,500x. Nudging wilds, stacked wilds and multipliers can help you get there. Spins start at 20p.

Diablo Reels Game Information

  • Release Date: 04.08.20
  • RTP: 96.3%
  • Variance: Medium-High
  • Maximum Win: 2,500x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 3
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 5
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Mexican
  • Features: Free Spins, Stacked Wilds, Re-Spins, Sticky Wilds, Nudging Multiplier Wilds
  • Format: 3-Reel

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Diablo Reels

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

Test spins and results analysis by Mark Wadie on 10.07.24

Results from 100 spins with real money on Diablo Reels at Casumo.

  • Stake: £0.2
  • Start balance: £1,023.25
  • End balance: £1,027.95
  • Hit Rate: 18% (18 winning spins in 100)
  • Biggest Win: 64x
  • Free Spins Round: 1

3-reel slots don’t have to be boring and this one certainly isn’t – Diablo Reels is a lot of fun to play. The win rate came in bang on the advertised rate of 18% so don’t expect frequent winning spins. But the features when they do drop are fast and furious. I had 3 nudging wilds over 100 spins which produced wins in the region of 10x to 20x. It’s fun watching wilds nudge up from the bottom reel set into the top one. But the highlight was a free spins round which produced a 64x win from 10 spins shown here.

64x Win In Diablo Reels
A 64x win from 10 free spins (20p stake)

Take aways? Diablo Reels is a fast-paced slot. It looks and plays great, and probably can kick out some nice big wins, though the cap is lower than most high variance slot these days.

What We Liked

  • Classy Mexican Day of the Dead design
  • Free spins come with double reel set
  • Top premium and wilds pay out 50x for 3 on a line
  • Staked Wilds trigger re-spins

What We Didn't like

  • Low max win of 2,500x

Diablo Reels Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 8
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 6
  • Symbols and Paytable 8
  • Features and Gameplay 8

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A classic slot with a striking theme and graphics plus compelling features that is only let down by its low payout potential."

Overall Score: 7.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Diablo Reels is a beautifully designed slot played out on 2 sets of 3 reels and 3 rows each. The game is a mix of styles. The reels and paytable are most definitely classic slot with fruits, bars and lucky 7s, whilst the backdrop and the theme are Mexican Day of the Dead invoked with painted skulls, potion bottles, cigars and roses. It’s a splendid looking game, showcasing ELK’s creative skills and backed up with a Mexican-band soundtrack.

Diablo Reels by ELK Studios
Diablo Reels – part of ELK’s Classic Series

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Diablo Reels has an RTP of 96.3% which is good value and higher than many other ELK Studio games, some of which come in at just 94% RTP.

The variance is in the mid to high range (scored 8/10 by ELK themselves on the game data sheet available via their website). So you should expect the win distribution to be quite uneven, with bigger wins weighted towards the bonus rounds.

ELK also publish a win rate of 18.1% for this game which means on average less than 1 in 5 spins will produce a winning combination. That is quite low too – most slots come in somewhere between 20% and 30%.

Maximum Win

Our Score 6

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

The top payout is just 2,500x which is very low for a game of this kind. You can find much better potential returns in slots like Avalon Gold (25,000x) or Zulu Gold (10,000x).

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Diablo Reels plays out on two reel sets. Each one is 3×3 with 5 paylines on it. The base game plays out on the lower reel set but the top one comes to life during re-spins and free spins features.

The top reel set ONLY has premium symbols on it, giving you the chance to score bigger wins.

Wins are scored by landing identical symbols from left to right across the reels, so just 3 are required to trigger a payout. There are EIGHT pay symbols in the paytable – Chilies and Limes (a nod to Mexico) then the classic fruity symbols – bars, 7s, bells, horseshoes and the top paying diamonds. Values range from 0.5x for 3 chillies up to 50x for 3 diamonds.

Diablo Reels Paytable
The paytable with 50x for 3 diamonds

Look out for the Wild too that substitutes in for all other symbols AND pays out 50x when 3 appear on a line. These symbols will also stack and nudge – more on that in a minute.

Finally, the scatter skulls are critical because they trigger the free spins round, during which both sets of reels become active.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Despite its retro look, Diablo Reels has a few new tricks up its sleeve in the form of modified wilds and free spins with extra paylines. They work as follows.

Nudging Wilds With Re-Spins and 5x Multipliers

Look out for Wilds with an arrow on them. When they land they trigger re-spins, nudging up with each one until they leave the reel they are on.

If your Nudging Wild appears on the top reel set it will have a multiplier of 2x or 5x to be applied to any win it is part of. And if more than one wild is involved in a win and both have multipliers then the multipliers are added together before being applied to a win.

Stacked Wilds and Re-spins

When Wilds appear fully stacked on a reel, another re-spin feature is triggered, where BOTH reel sets are in play, and BOTH have a wild stack on them. Remember, with BOTH sets of reels going, you have 10 paylines to win on.

If you land Nudging Wilds and Stacked Wilds on the reels at the same time, the Wilds become sticky, which boosts your chances of hitting a wild win.

Free Spins and Bonus Reels

Finally, if you land 3 of the skull Scatters on the reels, you’ll activate the free spins round, where you’ll get 10 free spins. This feature also unlocks the second set of reels, giving you 10 paylines in total for the duration.

The Final Verdict

Diablo Reels is an interesting slot for fans of the retro 3×3 genre and perfect for fans of Mexican culture and the popular Day of the Dead. These games don’t have the sophistication of modern high variance games like No Limit City or Relax Gaming’s output. However, to rubbish them for that reason would be missing the point. The format is straight forward and ELK Studios have done enough here to add a modern twist to make this into a compelling game.

The double reel set and nudging multiplier wilds keep things interesting in the base game before the free spins round hits. And it is here where the magic happens – remember, this is a medium-high variance game so most of the big wins are saved for this bonus round.

The only flaw perhaps is the low potential which is disappointing compared to other games on the market right now. If that doesn’t bother you and you like retro slots then you will enjoy some time with the devil here.

Useful Tips When Playing Diablo Reels

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Play Low Stakes

This is a volatile game so it can burn your balance fast. Play at low stakes – 20p minimum – to avoid an early exit!

2. Watch For Wilds Of All Kinds

The stacked wilds and nudging wilds are key to success. Both trigger re-spins and helped set up some nice win sequences in our test session.

3. Look For The Skull Scatters

The free spins round is powerful, particularly when wilds show up to add re-spins to the mix. You need 3 skull scatters to trigger the feature so watch out for those at all times.

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they all scored high in our reviews and they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe places to play slots.

Who Made Diablo Reels?

  • Name: ELK Studios
  • Established: 2013
  • UK License: 40844
  • Total Games: 60 +
  • Known For: Amazing artwork, wide choice of themes and styles
  • Popular Slots: Avalon Gold, Dropz, Nitropolis, Wild Toro
Find More ELK Studios slots

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