Diablo Reels

Diablo Reels Slot Review

Slot Provider: ELK Studios

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

Our Score: 7.6

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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.

From August 2020, Diablo Reels represented the seventh in ELK Studios Classic series of games which also includes Hit It Big and Win Win. The Classic moniker comes from the fact that these games follow a retro-style in terms of graphics and gameplay. In this instance the theme is the Mexican Day of the Dead, one that has been utilised many times over in online slots including Thunderkick‘s brilliant Esqueleto Explosivo and Pragmatic Play‘s Day of Dead.

The theme gives ELK the chance to go to town on the graphics with rich oranges, reds and yellows dominating the colors and a backdrop of a wooden flooring bedecked with colorful flowers, a painted skull, glass bottle and smoking cigar. The reels themselves are just 3×3, but with two sets to play on, things are likely to get interesting. ELK have also stacked this game with lots of features, so despite it’s simple design, it offers some quite sophisticated and intricate gameplay.

 

Diablo Reels Game Information

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

What We Liked

  • Super-fun Mexican soundtrack
  • Free spins come with double reelset
  • Top symbol pays 50x
  • Wilds pay 50x too

What We Didn't like

  • Classic 3x3 format is old

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

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.

The RTP for Diablo Reels is 96.3% which is a little above average for ELK Studios games. Most of their output is in the range of 95% to 96% like Nitropolis 2 (95%) or Tropicool (95%) so this represents good value.

ELK Studio rate this game as a 8//10 on their variance scale which puts it at about medium to high. The win distribution will therefore be quite uneven with bigger wins weighted towards the bonus rounds. 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).

You can spin Diablo Reels from just 20p per play.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The set-up for Diablo Reels is a mixture of classic and modern. The graphics mix up the old skool with the Mexican Day of the Dead iconography to produce striking visuals. Here are the highlights of the paytable.

  • There are two reel sets. Each is 3×3 with 5 payline on it. The base game plays out on the lower reel set but the top one comes to life in the bonus round.
  • Wins are scored by landing identical symbols from left to right across the reels – 3 are required.
  • There are EIGHT paytable symbols. They are Chilies and Limes (a nod to Mexico) then the classic fruity symbols – bars, 7s, bells, horseshoes and the top paying diamonds which are valued at 50x.
  • Look out for the Wild that subs in for all others AND pays out 50x too when 3 appear on a line. Wilds 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 tricks up its sleeve in the form of modified wilds and free spins with extra paylines. Here is how the features work.

Nudging Wilds With 5x Multipliers

Look out for Wilds with an arrow on them. When they land they nudge up until they leave the reel they are on. IF your Nudging Wild appears on the top reel it will have a multiplier of 2x or 5x to be applied to any win it is part of.

Stacked Wilds and Re-spins

When the Wilds appear fully stacked on the reels, you’ll trigger the Re-spin feature, where the top and bottom reel sets both feature Stacked Wilds which is only going to help unlock those bigger wins.  Remember, with BOTH sets of reels going, you have 10 paylines to win on.

TIP: 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 of the free spins round. Another modification here is that the top reel set ONLY features premium symbols so this is your best chance at hitting wins close to that 2,500x top potential.

 

Further Recommendations – More Slot Sites Featuring Diablo Reels

Don’t know where to find Diablo Reels. Check out these casinos that we recommend.

NY Spins

  • 50 Keep What You Win spin on Book of Dead
  • Accepts Paypal deposits
  • Owned by SuprPlay, home to Voodoo Dreams
  • Over 1,000 games to play
  • Cool theme based on New York

Casumo Casino 

  • Over 2,000 games
  • 20 Book of Dead Spins for new depositors
  • Paypal accepted
  • Reel Races every hour with leaderboards and £1,000s in prizes
  • Independent online slot site

The Final Verdict

Diablo Reels is an 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 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. If you are looking for bigger wins then we recommend checking out a slot like San Quentin xWays by NLC instead.

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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