Fire in the Hole

Fire in the Hole Slot Review

Slot Provider: Nolimit City

RTP: 96.06% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 60,000x

Our Score: 8.8

Play at Play OJO
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Compare Slots | 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 Fire in the Hole

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 22nd March 2021

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.

NOTE: Screenshots on this page are taken whilst we played this game for real money at Casumo.

Fire in the Hole xBomb arrived at UK slot sites in March 2021. It’s a game that helped propel Nolimit City on a rise from also rans to high variance titans. NLC labelled it Extreme Volatility, and they weren’t kidding. You’ll have to dig deep to stay the course with this one but if you can unlock the bonus round there are opportunities for some dramatic wins – as high as 60,000x in fact!

Theme and Artwork

Fire in the Hole is a gold mining slot but its darker and deadlier than any others. It’s set in a deep mine shaft with rocky surrounds, gas lamps and barrels of dynamite, the reel set is a set in a wooden framework, lashed together with wrought iron.

First impressions suggest a wild west setting from the Gold Rush era but this is really a fantasy slot – the protagonist is a red-bearded, beer swilling dwarf, maybe an explosives obsessive eagerly destroying rock face to uncover gold where he can. And all the time a steady, slow paced soundtrack chugs along in the background.

Like all good NLC slots, the setting and atmosphere are quality, and the scene is set for a mining game like no other.

Fire in the Hole Game Information

  • RTP: 96.06%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 60,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 6
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: Up to 46,656
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Mining
  • Features: Wilds, Cascading Wins, Expanding Reels, Free Spins, Enhancers, Progressive Multipliers

What We Liked

  • Interesting theme with quirky characters
  • Expanding win ways (486 up to 46,656)
  • 60, 000x stake jackpot
  • Free Spins with Enhancers
  • Wild Multipliers

What We Didn't like

  • Extreme volatility is too risky for lo

Fire in the Hole Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 9
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 9
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A superb high variance game with big, big potential and a nail-biting bonus round with the chance to accumulate mega-bucks!"

Overall Score: 8.8

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.

Fire in the Hole xBomb has two RTP settings: 94.06% or 94.11%. It is at the discretion of your casino which level you play at. We verified the RTP at three UK casinos. This is what we found:

  • Casumo (Independent): 94.11%
  • BacanaPlay (Skill on Net): 94.11%
  • Temple Nile (White Hat Gaming): 96.06%

As you can see, some sites will choose to run at the lower RTP setting. We recommend that you check the RTP by browsing the Game Rules at the slot site where you play.

Fire in the Hole RTP at Casumo
Fire in the Hole RTP Verified at Casumo – 94.11%

Fire in the Hole is an extremely volatile game. These games are built to frustrate for long periods before unlocking an epic sequence of wins. The Lucky Wagon Spins round is where this can happen, but we never came close during our test session!

Top Payout 

NLC games have some of the biggest payout potential in the industry and Fire in the Hole is no exception. The max win on a single spin here is 60,000x your bet. This is big, but there are bigger prizes available at other NLC slots. Try Tombstone RIP (300,000x) or San Quentin xWays (150,000x) if you want to chase down bigger prizes.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Individual symbol values in the prize table are not that high, but with multipliers and up to 46,656 paylines in play at full tilt that doesn’t matter so much. This game is not about landing those small wins in the base game, it’s all about biding your time and waiting for those big payouts that arrive when you unlock the big features.

Low payers are the cards, 9 through to Ace. Their values are from just 0.2x for 3 9s on a line up to 1.5x for 6 6’s on a line. Premiums are the mining symbols – a pick, a rope, boots, a bag and a lantern. There values are better, with between 1.75x for six picks and 7.5x for six lanterns.

Also look out for the xBomb Wilds which sub for other symbols to create wins, trigger cascades AND increase your progressive multiplier by 1x. And the rare, but extremely valuable ‘S’ bonus symbol is what you need to trigger the free spins round.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

During the base game, Fire in the Hole is all about the Collapsing Mine feature. This is triggered by either a win, or by explosions caused by xBomb Wilds or Wild Mining. One new row opends up, winning symbols are removed and new symbols drop in to replace them.

It’s a kind of combination of expanding reels and cascading wins. After each collapse, more wins may be created and the process repeats until no more wins are triggered.

If the collapse is caused by an xBomb Wild then when it explodes it also increases a win multiplier that appears above the reels. This multiplier remains throughout the collapse. xBomb Wilds are your friend here – they will trigger on any spins EXCEPT when a Wild Mining event occurs.

What is Wild Mining? This is a special feature triggered by landing 3, 4 or 5 identical symbols horizontally when there is NO win. These symbols come together to create a 1, 2 or 3 Wilds and cause ALL symbols above them to explode and trigger a new collapse.

Those are the basics but things don’t really kick on until you unlock the free spins round, Lucky Wagon Spins. You will need at least THREE ‘S’ symbols to trigger this.

Now the game shifts – your reel set starts the round with 2, 3 or 4 rows depending on whether 3, 4 or 5 bonus symbols triggered the round. And you are looking for Coin symbols to land now, each with a multiplier value.

You start with THREE spins and get THREE more EVERY time another coin lands.

As well as these, your prizes can be improved by a set of enhancers that appear at the top or each reel:

  • Coin Value – sets the value of all the coins that land on the reel beneath it.
  • Multipliers – apply their multiplier to the value of all coins that land on the reel beneath it.
  • Dynamite – Where blockers appear on the reel beneath, it explodes these to remove them so coins can drop in, multiplies coin values by its own count, activates chests appearing beneath it, or adds its count to coin values.
  • Bags – collect up the value of all the coins on its reel and add them to the coin that triggered it
  • Chest – adds up all reel values and clears all other positions except the dwarf symbol.
  • Dwarf – collects total value of all coins on the reel and puts them onto the coin that triggered it.

There is also a Collect Chest event – when dynamite explodes, the value of all coins is collected in the chest that sits at the bottom of a reel on EVERY successive spin.

And if at the end of all that you land that 60,000x top win, it’s BEER TIME! You’ll know that because there will be loud ringing in your ears and the red-bearded dwarf will be chugging on a cold beer!

 

The Final Verdict

What a game! Fire in the Hole is one of NLC’s most popular slots. We have tested this game on numerous occasions and can testify that the bonus round is very difficult to unlock. It is very easy to run through your balance quickly as the wins in the base game are not big and whilst there are regular collapses, with pleasingly dramatic explosions, the game often teases with two bonus symbols, but not the third, fourth or fifth required to unlock the bonus round.

However, there are numerous You Tube videos that attest to the potential of this game for those who do make it to the Lucky Wagon Spins and that list of enhancers in the bonus round is the reason why. The trick is to build up value in the coins on the reels then bring them all in with the Collect Chest event.

There is nothing easy about it, but if high risk and high reward is your game, Fire in the Hole is an exciting prospect.

Who Made Fire in the Hole?

  • Name: Nolimit City
  • Established: 2016
  • UK License: Remote 052097-R-329532-005
  • Total Games: 50 +
  • Known For: Super high variance, super high maximum wins, adult themes, irreverent humour
  • Popular Slots: San Quentin xWays, Mental, Book of Shadows, Tombstone RIP
Find More Nolimit City slots

Allslotsites.com - Trusted and Independent Online Slot Reviews

Allslotsites.com has been publishing online slot reviews since 2018. It’s fair to say we know a thing or two about what makes a good game – that magic mix of theme, style, gameplay and payout potential. For each slot we review we take you on the full journey through its narrative and design, reel configuration, key numbers including RTP and max win, volatility level, gameplay, and finally an expert verdict. You can also check our comparison tables to see how each slot matches up against others handpicked by our reviewers and check our tips on hitting that winning streak.

We are not paid by the developers whose games we cover. We are independent and our views of each game are honest. That is why you can trust us!

Learn, explore and find your next slots adventure with us!!