A pair of Miami detectives who bear an uncanny likeness to Crockett and Tubbs are the stars of Hotline, an unusual cop-themed video slot from NetEnt. Available to play on all devices, it’s a 5 reel, 30 payline game that comes with respins with stacked wilds and a Free Spins feature where the wild reel remains locked in place for the duration. Stakes range from between 15p and £450 per spin.
With its Florida beachfront backdrop, pastel suits, flash cars and black and white detectives you could be forgiven for thinking you’d dropped into an episode of the classics 80s cop drama Miami Vice. There are only 8 symbols spinning around the reels.
You’ll see bracelets, tiaras and necklaces alongside the Crocket and Tubbs-style characters. Most rewarding is the mystery woman holding the brick-like mobile who will get you 200 coins if you land 5 on a payline. They’re joined by a wild (the sports car) and scatter (sunset silhouette). If there’s a retro feel to the design, then the features on offer are nice and fresh.
Hotline Bonus Bet feature – each of the 3 rows is designated as a Hotline. If a wild lands on an active Hotline, it expands to fill the whole of the reel. You’ll also trigger the Re-Spins feature where you’ll receive a re-spin. These re-spins keep on coming as long as a new wild hits.
By the way – 1 row is automatically an active Hotline. If you double or treble your bet, you can turn 2 or all 3 reels into active Hotlines too. So at minimum bet, 2 Hotlines will set you back 30p a spin whilst 3 will cost you 45p per spin.
Free Spins feature – land the scatter symbols on reels 1, 3 and 5 on the same spin and you’ll receive 7 free spins. Hope to see a wild land in your active Hotline as it expands as normal and then stays locked in place for any free spins you have left.
With its beach drive setting, big suits and even bigger hair, Hotline has a nice retro feel. The unusual features are bang up to date though. The Hotline offers some solid opportunities. Changing the number of Hotlines that are active allows you to alter the volatility of the game too. Whatever option you choose, there’s up to 400 times your bet to be won on each spin/re-spin/free spin.
If you’ve ever seen an episode of Miami Vice you’ll find plenty that’s familiar in Hotline. Offering something a little different on the bonus front, Hotline delivers plenty of old school thrills. If you like the retro feel to this game, Thunderkick’s Full Moon Romance takes you back to 1950s Americana.