Ghost Rider Slot Machine

“Get ready for the ride of your life.” That’s the tagline for the Ghost Rider slot machines from Playtech, which is based on the 2007 Hollywood blockbuster. If you’re a fan of flamingmotorcycles, superhero movies, or Nicolas Cage’s tendency to chew the scenery, then this 5-reel, 20-payline slot is worth checking out.

Several years ago, game designer Playtech inked a deal with Marvel Comics to bring a number of their superheroes to the online casino audience. The marriage has proved to be a successful one, andfans of Stan Lee and company can choose from titles such as The Avengers, Captain America, and even Blade.

In this article, we’ll be providing an in-depth look at the Ghost Rider slot. From the basic pay table to bonus rounds and free spins, it’s my goal to get you up to speed on everything thisvirtual machine has to offer.

Ghost Rider was created by Gary Friedrich, Roy Thomas, and Mike Ploog, and his first appearance came in Marvel Spotlight #5 in August of 1972. In the comic version, Johnny Blaze agreedto sell his soul to Mephisto in exchange for his father’s life being saved. This bonded the stunt motorcyclist to the demon Zarathos, causing the host to take on a flaming skeletal visage atnight or when in close proximity to evil.

Abilities of the Ghost Rider include the following:

• Enchanted weapons (chain and shotgun)
• Flaming motorcycle
• Invulnerable to heat and flames
• Superhuman strength, stamina and agility
• Immortality
• Resurrection
• Regeneration
• Flame projection
• Dimensional travel
• Penance stare (forces victims to confront their dark deeds)

While Johnny Blaze starred as the Ghost Rider from 1972 until 1983, he wasn’t the only character to sit astride the iconic flaming motorcycle. Danny Ketch took up the lead role in a new seriesthat ran from 1990 to 1998, and Blaze once again resumed his duties as the fiery anti-hero in the new millennium. Starting in 2013, Robbie Reyes took over the role during the company’s effort torecruit new readers with the Marvel NOW! brand.

The basic premise of the 2007 movie follows the comics, with Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) being tricked into trading his soul for the life of his father. While dear ‘ol dad is immediately cured ofcancer, he dies later in the day and leaves Johnny alone and in debt to a demon lord.

Ghost Rider cost $110 million to produce, and it managed to make $228.7 million, despite complaints from the critics. The sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, hit theatersin 2012 and would draw similar box office numbers and critical scorn. Following the second film, Cage withdrew from the franchise and plans for additional movies were scrapped.

In 2016, actor Norman Reedus expressed an interest in taking over the role of the Ghost Rider. While nothing has been confirmed as of this writing, his popularity as Daryl Dixon on television’sThe Walking Dead makes this an intriguing possibility.

This section looks at the basic symbols used on the reels during the normal phase of the Ghost Rider slot machine. For info on bonus and free games, please see the section immediately after thisone.

• Ghost Rider

  In the big-screen version of the Marvel comic, Ghost Rider is a bounty hunter of the damned who works for Mephistopheles. This symbol shows a close-up of the character, with his flaming skilland hollow eyes staring straight into the soul of the viewer. This icon functions as the wild symbol, appearing on reels two through four and substituting for every icon except the movie’slogo and the other Ghost Rider icon (the one that depicts him riding a motorcycle).

• Johnny Blaze (or Blackheart?)

  I’m not sure which character this is supposed to be. Perhaps it’s Johnny Blaze, the hero of the story and a famous motorcycle stuntman out to thwart the forces of Hell. Or maybe it’sBlackheart, the sinister son of Mephistopheles who’s come to Earth in order to collect an ancient contract of vast evil power. Either way, getting three or more of these symbols on an activepayline grants one of the following prizes: 10 credits for two matches, 100 for three, 1000 for four, and 10000 for five.

• Mephistopheles

  Played in the movie by Peter Fonda, Mephistopheles is one of the ruling powers in Hell, as well as a demonic force who loves to offer contracts to mortals. These contracts often have a catch,however, such as when Johnny Blaze’s father got his cancer cured, only to die during a motorcycle stunt on the same day. The chief antagonist in the film, he offers the following payouts:five credits for two matches, 50 for three, 250 for four, and 1000 for five.

• Ghost Rider Logo

  This is the logo for the 2007 feature film, and it’s also the key to unlocking free games (more on that in the next section). Getting two of these icons awards a single credit, while othermatches pay the following: five for three matches, 25 for four, and 100 for five.

• Tome & Scroll

  The first of these symbols is an ancient tome, the kind you’ll find in almost all movies with a supernatural theme. The second symbol is a piece of parchment smeared with blood. Based on theevents in the movie, this is likely the contract of San Venganza, which Mephistopheles means to collect in order to gain control of 1,000 corrupt souls. While these symbols aren’tinterchangeable, getting three or more of one type offers the following payouts: 20 credits for three matches, 75 for four, and 250 for five.

• Ace & King

  If you’re playing poker, these card values are among the most coveted. Here, they’re used as filler, although they still offer a decent payout. Prizes include 10 credits for three matches, 50for four, and 125 for five.

• Queen & Jack

  Here are a couple of other playing card symbols. In this case, getting three or more queens or at least a trio of jacks provides the player with one the following payouts: seven credits forthree matches, 20 for four, and 75 for five.

• Ten and Nine

  Like most slots, these playing card values are used to round out the selection of symbols. There’s nothing special to see here, even when they’re part of a winning combination. The symbolsare not interchangeable, so you’ll need to get all tens or nines in order to win. Pays five credits for three matches, 15 for four, and 50 for five.

If three or more Ghost Rider movie icons show up on the reels, the player is awarded 10 free games. Each free spin comes with a x3 multiplier, and more free games can be won at aninfinite rate.

The Ghost Rider wild symbol becomes an expanding wild during the free games. The other Ghost Rider icon doesn’t appear during this phase, which means the Ghost Hunt bonus can’t be triggered.

If the icon showing Ghost Rider mounted on his infernal chopper turns up in the center position of a reel, then that reel is said to be “activated.” If all five reels become activated, then theGhost Hunt Bonus is initiated.

When the bonus phase kicks in, the Ghost Rider appears on the screen in search of evil spirits to vanquish for cash. He’ll have a chance to bag 10 spirits, and the winning multiplier can beincreased along the way. There’s no time limit, and the player gets 10 picks before wins are added up and the bonus phase is concluded.

In addition to the regular pay line wins, the player can also increase their bank account by hitting one of four mystery progressives. These payouts can come at any time, even when the initialspin in a loser.

From least to greatest, the progressives include

The least usually offers a few hundred dollars in payouts, while the largest can turn a lucky gambler into an instant millionaire.

When the screen turns into a 4×5 grid with 20 squares, you’ll know you’re on the verge of winning one of the four jackpots. Click on a square to reveal one of the symbols tied to a jackpot. Whenyou’ve revealed three symbols of the same type, you’ll walk away with the money that corresponds to that jackpot. Like all progressives, the money then resets to a base level and begins to growagain.

When the Ghost Rider online slot machine loads for the first time, even the most casual superhero fan should feel a twinge of excitement. That’s because Johnny Blaze is shown kicking supernaturalass in all his fiery glory, all while roaring down the asphalt in an awesome chopper that would make William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson hang their collective heads in shame. Unfortunately,that’s the high point of the game when it comes to graphics.

The rest of the visuals seem more suited to a game about mopeds, as they’re decidedly weak and unimpressive. Sure, there are a few cool animations—such as Ghost Rider burning rubber—but most ofthe graphics tend to be static images that refer back to plot points in the film. Johnny Blaze is a notable example, as he’s been altered radically to prevent him from looking like Nicolas Cage(and therefore incurring a fee for his likeness). Instead, he looks more like WWE wrestler Randy Orton.

Now that I think of it, that might not be Johnny Blaze at all. Maybe it’s supposed to be Blackheart, a villain from the film played by Wes Bentley (the bag-obsessed guy from AmericanBeauty). When you can’t even tell the characters apart, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for the design team.

Mephistopheles, meanwhile, looks like a generic demon from some World of Warcraft knock-off instead of the leading underworld denizen of the Marvel Universe. In fairness, though, all myyears of reading comic books may have rendered me overly critical when it comes to industry tie-ins.

When the reels are set spinning, you get the same canned sounds that Playtech features on all of their Marvel slots. This is a real shame, as the company could’ve done so much more with theproduct. In this case, the game doesn’t even present music, but rather a dull buzzing sound.

The only thing approaching music is presented when you visit the information section to check out paylines and bonus details. Why it’s tucked away here and not put on the main reels is beyond me.

Things do get a little better during the bonus round, as Ghost Rider hunts spirits and leaves a trail of supernatural fire behind him. While this section could’ve been better, it’s light yearsahead of what’s presented in the rest of the game.

Admittedly, most players probably don’t give two hoots about the look of the game. Instead, it’s all about the frequency and size of the payouts. Still, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask fora slot machine that combines visual and audio quality with generous prizes.

Let’s be honest: Playtech really dropped the ball when designing the audio and visual components for their Marvel slots. If I’m being fully candid, however, I imagine most players are far moreconcerned with the size and number of payouts on the Ghost Rider slot machines.

These latter two aspects of the game are far more satisfying, with players being given a chance for a sizable win with a minimal investment. The four random progressives are an especially nicetouch, as even a losing spin can turn a player into an instant millionaire.