Cash Grab Slot Machines

The designers at Amaya gaming set out to create a simplified game of chance for their online customers, and the result was the Cash Grab slot machine. With three reels and a single payline, thisthrowback has more in common with games from the 1960s than modern offerings. In fact, I’m surprised that it doesn’t come with a virtual handle to pull before each spin.

This article is devoted to a thorough examination of the Cash Grab slot machines from Amaya. We’ll cover the pay table, the various icons, and the control configurations. We’ll even create abackstory for the game’s cartoonish lead character, just in case you’re bored enough to read it.

In this section, we’ll examine the symbols that are available on the Cash Grab slot machine, as well as their associated payouts. Keep in mind that all wins discussed below are expressed incredits, which are then multiplied by the size of the player’s wager to determine the overall payout. For example, if a player wagered $5 and hit a combination of symbols that paid five credits,then the player would win $25.

• Lou

  The game’s primary icon, Lou is a mild-mannered fellow who looks like he would be working in an office cubicle. His sensible-yet-professional attire includes slacks, comfortable shoes, and astriped tie. While he might not be destined to become a fashion icon, he does serve as the wild icon in the game, which means he substitutes for any other symbol on the reels. In addition, itpays 2x for any winning combination (with the exception of “Any One” pays). If two Lou symbols show up on the payline, then the normal winning amount is multiplied by four (except for “AnyOne”) pays. If three Lou symbols appear on the pay-line, the player receives 800 credits for the first coin and 1600 for the second.

• Three Stacks of Cash

  This slot machine is all about grabbing money (or fat stacks of cheddar, if you will), so it’s entirely appropriate that piles of greenbacks would be included as a winning icon. If you manageto get a trio of these symbols across the game’s lone payline, then this icon pays 80 credits on the first coin and 160 on the second.

• Three Sapphires

  A variety of aluminum oxide (also known as “corundum”), sapphires come in a variety of colors such as blue, purple, and even green. Sapphires are the third hardest mineral, ranking behindonly diamond and moissanite. When three of these valuable gemstones show up across the reels, the game pays 40 credits on the first coin and 80 on the second.

• Three Diamonds

  According to the old saying, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. While that might not be entirely true, this precious stone is coveted across the globe for its beauty and simplicity. You mightalso be interested to know that the diamond is the hardest know mineral, and it’s four times harder than minerals such as rubies and sapphires. If the game’s single pay-line is filled byimages of this expensive stone, the player receives 25 credits on the first coin and 50 on the second.

• Three Spessartite Garnets

  This orange to red-brown gemstone belongs to the garnet family, and the most notable deposits of the substance were discovered during the 1880s in Spessart, a wooded mountain range inGermany. If you’re lucky enough to fill the payline with this orange-colored gem, you’ll receive 10 credits on the first coin and 20 on the second.

• Three Coins

  If you’re a fan of novelty coins featuring the face of a total stranger, then this icon should be right up your alley. You’ll see Lou’s “cartoonish” face smiling back at you in triplicate,with the player receiving 10 credits for the first coin and 20 for the second.

• Gemstone Medley

  When any non-matching combination of garnets, sapphires, and diamonds appears on the line, the game pays five credits on the first coin and 10 on the second. Most games wouldn’t offer a prizefor such as scattered series of symbols, which is one of the reasons why I’ve grown fond of the Cash Grab slot machine.

• Any Two Coins

  The next logical rung in the payout ladder, this option delivers a cash prize if two Lou coins land on the game’s lone pay-line. When this occurs, the customer receives five credits on thefirst coin and 10 on the second. I like to imagine Lou making these coins himself and distributing them to his work buddies as a gag. Let’s just hope the Secret Service doesn’t get wind ofsuch activities.

• Single Coin

  If you only get one coin featuring Lou’s smiling face, the game pays two credits on the first coin and four on the second. This winning amount offers the game’s lowest payout.

When it comes to the audio and video portions of the game, Cash Grab slots don’t offer a lot of thrills. The spinning reels are accompanied by a sound similar to dice being shaken in a cup, andwins are accompanied by a brief burst of music. Other than that, the game remains more or less silent. There’s not even any background music, which makes this slot one of the more lacklusteroptions when it comes to presentation.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t get much better on the animation front. Most slots at least have a minor amount of animation included for the symbols in a winning payline, but that’s not the case here.The only exception involves the ever-present cartoon rendering of Lou in the upper right corner. If the player gets a win involving the game’s wild symbol, then Lou spins around like a tornadoand winds up covered in cash.

While the men and women of Amaya are known for their quality slot machine designs, they dropped the ball on this game when it comes to the overall appearance. I realize that they were shootingfor a no frills release, but they could’ve at least done more to jazz things up. Of course, anyone who sits down and wins a substantial payout is bound to forget about these quibbles within amatter of seconds.

If you’re looking for reasons to play this Amaya slot, here are some of the most notable:

• Simple to Play – You won’t get tripped up on pay-lines or complicated pay tables in this game. This makes Cash Grab perfect for new gamblers or those who have fond memories ofold school slot machines.
• Range of Betting Options – You can risk one or two coins, but the value of these “coins” can range from a penny to $5. That should satisfy players of all financial backgrounds.
• Pedigree – Cash Grab was created by Amaya, one of the leading designers of online slots.

If you’re looking for a reason to avoid this game, the following should help you make up your mind:

• Too Simple – While simple can be good on occasion, this game takes it to extremes.
• No Progressive Jackpot – If you’ve cut your teeth on slots with progressive payouts, then Cash Grab may seem thoroughly underwhelming. The prizes being offered are decentenough, but I would’ve preferred something truly impressive to guarantee my continued play.
• No Bonus Rounds – You’d be hard-pressed to find a modern slot without bonus rounds, unless you take a look at this one. There’s a single wild symbol, but that’s all the playerhas to look forward to.
• Poor Presentation – Some modern slots are as visually impressive as a feature film, but that’s not the case with this one. In fact, it’s just the opposite. There’s no animationon the reels, and the sound effects are nonexistent. If you crave visual stimulation while you play, this game is about the worst option possible.

When I say “console,” I’m talking about all the options and readouts available to the player beneath the reels. This is common on most slots, as it allows the gambler to customize theirexperience and the size of the wager. Before you play Cash Grab, take a moment to look over this section and familiarize yourself with all the possibilities.

• Bet One

  Pressing this button wagers a single coin and makes the player eligible for the payouts listed on the “first coin” section of the pay table. This can be used in place of the spin button.

• Spin

  This button sets the reels into motion. If you’re just starting a session, you’ll need to begin by clicking either the Bet One or Bet Max options. If you want to risk the same amount of moneyrepeatedly, then the spin button can be clicked from that point forward.

• Bet Max

  Pressing this button wagers two coins and makes the player eligible for a larger payout. This can be used in place of the spin button.

• Pay-table

  Clicking this button results in a colorful display that shows the value of all the various winning symbol combinations. Since this information is constantly shown on the main screen, it seemsodd that it would be made available a second time.

• Credit Value

  This display shows the current denomination wagered by the player. The following options are available: $0.01, $0.05, $0.25, $1, $2, and $5.

• Credit Value Increase

  Clicking this button increases the overall denomination of the wager.

• Credit Value Decrease

  Clicking this button decreases the overall denomination of the wager.

• Credits

  This readout shows the total number of credits available to the player for the purposes of wagering. Winning causes this number to rise, while losing spins cause it to fall. It doesn’t take arocket scientist to figure this one out.

• Winner Paid

  This field displays the number of credits obtained by the player during a winning spin.

• Coins

  This field simply displays the number of coins that are being risked by the player on a given spin. If the “Bet One” option is selected, this readout displays “1,” while “Bet Max” causes thedisplay to read “2.” Since there are only two options, I’m not sure why the designers even felt the need to include this.

If you’re like me, then you can sometimes find your mind wandering while engaging in a lengthy session at the slots. That’s where licensed properties are a boon, as they include engagingbackstories and video clips to keep the player constantly entertained. Cash Grab, however, isn’t based on a movie or TV, so anyone looking for an existing story is going to have to create one.

I like to imagine Lou as a lowly office drone. He spends all day answering calls and getting yelled out by his boss, and then he goes home to a small apartment and his dog named Ralphie. There’snothing exceptional about Lou’s life, but all that changes once he goes to bed.

During his hours in the realm of sleep, Lou is transported to a magical place where stacks of money and precious gems are floating through the air. In order to collect them, all he has to do isplay a giant slot machine and get certain symbols to line up.

Sadly, the money he collects every night is gone by the time he rises in the morning, and he’s faced with another day full of corporate tedium. But each night he renews his efforts, confidentthat one day he’ll wake up surrounded by piles of money and more jewels than he can count. Meanwhile, Ralphie is saving up for a solid gold water bowl with all the money he’s swiping from Louwhile his master sleeps.

If you’re looking for a modern game of chance with all the bells and whistles, then you’ll want to bypass the Cash Grab slot machine. That’s because this Amaya release is a no-frills offeringwith lackluster presentation and zero bonus rounds.