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Fantastic Four slot machines are meant to capitalize on the superhero movie craze, and Playtech got in on the action by signing a deal with Marvel Comics to adapt some of their more popularfranchises.
In addition to this game, the game designer has released titles such as The Avengers, Captain America, and Wolverine.
The goal of this article is to give a thorough rundown of what the slot has to offer, from its various icons to the complete paytable.
By the time you’ve finished reading, you should have a more comprehensive understanding of the game, as well as a stronger overall knowledge of online slots.
The Fantastic Four
In November of 1961, The Fantastic Four #1 introduced the team to comic book fans. The medium was seen as being limited to children at the time, but the rise of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirbyteam allowed Marvel to increase sales and slowly present their work to a wider audience. This also led to the Silver Age of Comics, where characters and team such as Spider-Man and the JusticeLeague of America were introduced.
Brilliant scientist Reed Richards wanted to explore outer space, and he built a rocket ship for that very purpose. In addition to Richards, the crew consisted of Sue Storm (Reed’s future wife),her brother Johnny, and Reed’s college buddy, Ben Grimm.
Exposed to cosmic rays during the maiden voyage of the rocket, the group crashed back to Earth and found that they had gained amazing powers. Deciding to help humanity with their newfoundabilities, they dubbed themselves the Fantastic Four and set up their base of operations in New York City.
If you’re a fan of superhero movies, you might want to check out the various cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four. Some are better than others, however, so consider yourself warned.
Fantastic Four (1994)
This version was made strictly so that a specific film company could maintain the rights to the franchise, and it was never released in theaters or on home video. It did become available viabootleg distributors. As you might imagine, it’s appropriately awful.
Fantastic Four (2005)
The first big-budget adaptation of the comic, this film starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis as the heroes, and Julian McMahon as the villainous Dr. Doom.Critics were mixed about the release, but it made $330 million worldwide.
Silver Surfer (2007)
The sequel to the 2005 film, this movie brought back the entire cast and added crappy CGI versions of the Silver Surfer and Galactus. Reviews were even worse than before, but the general publicstill turned out to the tune of $330.6 million. This would be the last film made with the current cast, and Chris Evans famously went on to star as Marvel character Captain America.
Fantastic Four (2015)
The most recent version was a reboot of the franchise, and the leading roles were filled by Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell. There’s only one fight in the entirefilm, and the overall dark tone helped turn the release into a critical and commercial failure.
It should also be noted that four animated series have been made about the FF. These include the following: Fantastic Four (1967 – 1970), Fantastic Four (1978), The MarvelAction Hour (1994 – 1996), and Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (2006).
Paylines
Two versions of the Fantastic Four slot machine are available from Playtech. The first is a 20-line model, while the other offers additional opportunities with 50 paylines. Besides the number oflines, both games are identical in terms of gameplay and overall presentation.
In both versions, only the highest win pays per line. Winning combinations pay from left to right, with the scatter symbol being the lone exception.
It’s also important to note that payline wins are multiplied by the line bet. That means if you’ve wagered $10 on a winning line, and the paytable reads “40,” then you would win $400 ($10 x 40).
Graphics & Sound
Don’t expect any spectacular graphics or audio from the Fantastic Four slot machine from Playtech. The soundtrack is about as generic as possible, and even the icons with human beings have arudimentary look to them.
Most of the icons do have animation when they’re part of a winning payline, but the movement is basic. Mr. Fantastic stretches, the Human Torch flames on, Invisible Woman disappears just before alighting strike, and the Thing punches the screen and appears to break some glass.
When you consider that this is a superhero slot machine, the lack of eye-catching graphics is disappointing. Unfortunately, that appears to be the case with all the Playtech slots based onlicensed characters from Marvel Comics.
Fantastic Four Paytable
This section covers the basic symbols that lead to payouts on the Fantastic Four slot from Playtech. Free games and features are discussed in more detail in the next section.
- Fantastic Four Logo
The team’s logo is basic, consisting of the number four surrounded by a circle. This has been an iconic part of the Fantastic Four costumes and merchandise since their debut, and this slotadds extra importance by making it a wild symbol. As such, it substitutes for all symbols except the scatter, and getting two or more matches in a payline offers the following cash prize: 40credits for two matches, 500 for three, 3000 for four, and 10000 for five.
- Earth
This icon shows the planet Earth, which the FF has to defend against cosmic menaces such as Galactus. In fact, the team is often called upon to battle menaces from outer space that would seekto destroy our world. This is also the game’s scatter symbol, and getting three or more matches unlocks the free spins mode and awards the player with a dozen complimentary rotations of thereels. Payouts include five credits for three matches, 25 for four, and 200 for five.
- Fantastic
Reed Richards is the leader of the team and one of the most brilliant minds in the Marvel Universe. In addition to his great intellect, he was bombarded by cosmic rays and given the abilityto stretch his body to great lengths. A man of intense focus, he can often become lost in his work and neglectful of those around him. When part of a winning combination, he pays 10 creditsfor two matches, 50 for three, 500 for four, and 2000 for five.
- Invisible Woman
The first Marvel superheroine created during the Silver Age, the Invisible Woman (aka Sue Richards) has the ability to turn invisible and create fields of psionic energy. She was often castas a damsel in distress in her early days, although more enlightened modern writers have cast her as a formidable force in combat. She’s the wife of Mr. Fantastic, as well as being the sisterof the Human Torch. When part of a winning payline, she awards eight credits for two matches, 40 for three, 300 for four, and 1500 for five.
- Human Torch
Johnny Storm is the hot-headed member of the Fantastic Four, and he gained the power to burst into flames and project fire after being bombarded by cosmic rays. He’s the brother of SueRichards, the brother-in-law of Reed Richards, and he delights in aggravating the Thing (in a good-natured fashion). When part of a winning combination in the slot machine, he pays 25 creditsfor three matches, 175 for four, and 1000 for five.
- The Thing
The powerhouse of the team, Ben Grimm was a successful pilot and college buddy of Reed Richards. After Richards spoke of his dream to build a rocket and explore space, Grimm promised to flythe vehicle. Of course, the entire group was exposed to cosmic rays, and Grimm’s skin was transformed into thick, rocky plates. His scientist pal promised to find a cure for his condition,and meanwhile he joined the Fantastic Four to use his powers for a good cause. When part of a winning payline, the Thing pays 15 credits for three matches, 100 for four, and 750 for five.
- Ace & King
The two highest playing cards are included in the game, and getting three of either offers the following payout: 12 credits for three matches, 75 for four, and 250 for five. When any playingcard icon is part of a winning combination, the only animation involves the symbol pulsating slightly.
- Queen & Jack
I’ve never understood why slot machines use playing card values as in-game symbols. I don’t know if it’s a matter of accepted tradition, or perhaps the designers have trouble coming up withadditional icons. Whatever the case, getting a trio of queens or jacks pays the following: 10 credits for three matches, 50 for four, and 150 for five.
- 10 & 9
As with most slot machines, these trading card values are used to round out the available symbols. There’s nothing impressive to see here, and any payouts for a winning combination are due tobe among the lowest available. Pays five credits for three matches, 25 for four, and 100 for five.
Special Features
In addition to the regular payouts, the Fantastic Four slot has a number of special features for players. This section explains each one, as well as their potential payouts.
Free Spins
If three or more scatter symbols show up in any position during a turn, the player is awarded with 12 free spins. The free games cannot be retriggered. During the 12 extra games, the playercan also unlock extra features by getting one of the Fantastic Four members on the third reel.
Mr. Fantastic Feature
When this feature is activated during the free game phase, the player receives an additional four spins. At this point, the Mr. Fantastic symbol becomes an expanding wild and substitutesfor all symbols except the wild and scatter.
Invisible Woman Feature
During this feature, the player gets an additional four spins. Each time Sue appears on one of the reels, the prize multiplier grows by one (starting with x1). When the extra spins arefinished, the winnings are multiplied by the accumulated multiplier.
Human Torch Feature
Four extra spins are awarded, and the Human Torch expands across the first reel. This reel is held in place, while the other four continue to spin. Torch’s teammates don’t appear duringthis phase, but plenty of Johnny Storm icons show up to increase the player’s winnings.
The Thing Feature
It’s clobberin’ time! The player receives three extra spins when this feature becomes active, and any additional Ben Grimm icons become wild and freeze in place. When wild, the symbolssubstitutes for all other icons besides the wild and scatter.
Fantastic Four Progressives
Like all Marvel slots from Playtech, this machine is linked to four progressive jackpots. The chance to win occurs at random, and even a losing spin can result in the player having an opportunityto strike it rich. The progressives are named (in ascending order): Power, Extra Power, Super Power, and Ultimate Power.
If the jackpot game appears at random, the player is presented with a 4×5 grid with 20 squares. Clicking on a square reveals the type of jackpot hidden underneath, and matching three of theseawards the corresponding payout.
While the odds of walking away a millionaire are still slight, the random nature of this feature creates a sense that anything is possible. Even when I’m on a losing streak, there’s thepossibility of turning it all around with a single rotation of the reels.
Conclusion
The Fantastic Four slot machine comes in 20 and 50-payline models, and the inclusion of four random progressive jackpots gives players a chance to strike it rich on any single spin. Comicbook fans are sure to love the theme of the game, although the lack of appealing graphics and audio may disappoint some. This isn’t the best offering from Playtech, but the superhero theme anddecent payouts are still enough to draw the interest of a wide range of players.
