X-Men Slot Machine

The mutant superhero team known as the X-Men first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics in September of 1963. Their popularity grew significantly throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, and they receivedtheir first feature film adaptation in 2000. The movie was a blockbuster, and numerous sequels and spin-offs have followed.

Given the success of the franchise, it was only a matter of time before X-Men slot machines hit the market. Noted game designer Playtech was all too happy to oblige, creating an X-Men slot toaccompany other Marvel-related releases such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Hulk

There are two available versions of this online slot machine from Playtech. The first is a 5-reel, 25-payline slot, while the second has a total of 50 paylines. These slots are identical in allother regards, but this option gives players greater flexibility when it comes to choosing a game that fits their financial needs.

Like all slots machines, this game has a number of symbols that can make up winning combinations. In this section, we’ll look at each of these icons and discuss their potential value to theplayer.

• Professor X

  In both the comics and the movies, Professor Charles Xavier is a powerful mentalist who dreams of peaceful coexistence between mutants and regular humans. While he’s confined to a wheelchair,his abilities allow him to communicate with people on the other side of the planet and locate young mutants to recruit to his school. In the films, the role of Professor X is played byPatrick Stewart and James McAvoy. In the Free Game Villains Mode, this icon serves as an additional wild. Pays four credits for two matches, 30 for three, 300 for four, and 1500 for five.

• Magneto

  The survivor of a concentration camp during World War II, Magneto has vowed to fight to ensure that such a fate never befalls mutantkind. While he and Professor X started as friends, hisradical views about human/mutant relations have caused them to drift apart and become enemies. Magneto possesses vast powers of magnetism, allowing him to hurl takes, redirect missiles, andeven lift entire bridges. In the films, his role is played by Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender. In the Free Game Heroes Mode, this icon serves as an additional wild. Pays four credits fortwo matches, 30 for three, 300 for four, and 1500 for five.

• Wild

  This symbol just reads “wild,” which means it substitutes for all other symbols (except the scatter). When part of a winning combination, it delivers the following payouts: 50 credits for twomatches, 500 for three, 3000 for four, and 10000 for five.

• Wolverine

  With his healing factor, unbreakable bones, and claws that can cut through anything, Wolverine is a dangerous opponent for anyone in the Marvel Universe. He’s been with the X-Men for decades,and he’s easily the most popular member of their roster. As of this writing, Hugh Jackman is the only actor to portray the character, having done so in both X-Men and solo movies. When partof a winning combination, this icon offers the following payouts: 15 credits for three matches, 100 for four, and 400 for five.

• Lady Deathstrike

  This character shows up in the second X-Men movie as an agent for the villainous William Stryker. She has a healing factor similar to Wolverine, and she can also grow long adamantiumfingernails to finish off her opponents. In X2, she’s played by actress Kelly Hu. Winning combinations pay the following: 15 credits for three matches, 100 for four, and 400 forfive.

• X-Men Logo

  This simplistic icon serves as the team logo for the Marvel mutants. It functions as the game’s scatter symbol, triggering the free games phase when three or more symbols are present on thereels. Pays one credit for two matches, five for three, 25 for four, and 200 for five.

• Nightcrawler

  With a somewhat demonic appearance, Nightcrawler has long faced persecution and misunderstanding among the traditional human population. In addition to being a world-class acrobat and fencer,his main mutant ability allows him to teleport from one place to another in a cloud of brimstone. Interestingly enough, he’s also the son of Mystique (at least in the comics). In the movies,he’s been portrayed by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Alan Cumming. He pays 10 credits for three matches, 70 for four, and 250 for five.

• Mystique

  In the films, Mystique started out as a young mutant girl named Raven Darkholme who was like a sister to Charles Xavier. The two were close growing up, and she even developed romanticfeelings for Xavier. These emotions weren’t returned, however, and the pair slowly drifted apart. She eventually became a supervillain, using her shapeshifting abilities to act as a spy andassassin for Magneto. In the feature films, she’s been portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. Pays 10 credits for three matches, 70 for four, and 250 for five.

• Storm

  A mutant with the ability to control the elements, Storm has been a longtime member of the team and frequent leader. Her film appearances haven’t been as common, as she’s often reduced tojust another member. Despite this on-screen snub, she remains a popular character within the pages of Marvel Comics. Storm has been portrayed by Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp. This symbolpays eight credits for three matches, 50 for four, and 150 for five.

• Sabretooth

  This longtime enemy and half-brother of Wolverine has been both a hero and villain, although he usually falls into the latter category. With a healing factor and razor-like claws, he’sappeared in a couple of different X-Men movies (although in very different forms). The version played by Tyler Mane in the original 2000 film was more of a mindless beast, while the LievSchreiber version from X-Men Origins: Wolverine was closer to the comic book character. This symbol pays eight credits for three matches, 50 for four, and 150 for five.

• Cyclops

  The heroic leader of the X-Men, Cyclops has been around since the first issue of the comic book hit the newsstands. He has the ability to project devastating beams of energy from his eyes,but he’s always fearful about losing control. He’s also had a famous rivalry with Wolverine over the affections of Jean Grey (a contest Cyclops has always won). In the first three films, hewas portrayed by actor James Marsden. In later projects, he’s been played by Tim Pocock and Tye Sheridan. When part of a winning combination, this symbol pays five credits for three matches,30 for four, and 100 for five.

• Juggernaut

  In the comics, Juggernaut is the step-brother of Professor X, but this is never mentioned in the movies. Usually playing the role of a supervillain, Juggernaut is an almost unstoppable forcewith massive strength and endurance. In the third X-Men movie, he’s portrayed by actor Vinnie Jones. Winning combinations with this symbol pay five credits for three matches, 30 for four, and100 for five.

In addition to the regular symbols in the base game, the X-Men slot has the following ways to win:

X-Feature

This feature is activated when any five hero symbols form an X shape in the center of the reels. Only available in the main game, this feature immediately pays a prize of 5x the total bet,which is added to any line and scatter wins.

Free Games

This phase of the game is triggered when three or more scatter symbols appear on the reels during the main game. These games can be played in Heroes or Villains mode, and each of these isdiscussed below. Scatters and the X-Feature are not available during free spins.

Free Games Heroes Mode

Whenever free spins are unlocked, they always being in Heroes Mode. This phase of the game can be played infinitely, and the symbols include heroic icons, wild, and Magneto. The latterserves as an extra wild, and getting the mutant master of magnetism on the third reel triggers the villains mode.

Free Games Villains Mode

When this mode is triggered, the player receives eight free spins. The only symbols on the reels are villains, Professor X, and the wild. Charles Xavier serves as an extra wild, and hetriggers the Heroes Mode if he turns up on reel three.

All Marvel slot machines from Playtech have one thing in common, and that’s the presence of four mystery progressive jackpots. These payouts can turn up at any time, and even a losing spin canstill result in a life-changing payout.

The jackpots are known as Power, Extra Power, Super Power, and Ultimate Power. The least valuable option is Power, often paying around a few hundred dollars or less. The largest is UltimatePower, and anyone lucky enough to win it can walk away with one-million dollars or more.

The jackpot screen appears at random, and this means the player is guaranteed to win one of the four progressives. The base game disappears, being replaced by a 4×5 grid with 20 squares. Each ofthese squares covers an icon that represented one of the jackpots, and the goal is to uncover three that are identical. Once this happens, the player wins the corresponding jackpot and is thenreturned to the main screen.

When I wrote this article, the Ultimate Power jackpot was sitting at $751,648. This value resets to 100,000 euros ($113,335) when won, and the average payout comes to $707,312. That’s enough cashfor Professor X to buy hair plugs for the rest of his life.

Like all virtual slot machines, the X-Men game has a number of options available beneath the reels. This is known as the “control panel,” and it’s the subject of this section.

• Denomination

  This allows the player to choose the denomination they want to risk. Options include $0.01, $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, $0.50, $1.00, and $2.00.

• InfoT

  his section contains detailed information on the pay table and bonus features. Payline configurations and progressives are also discussed.

• Auto Spins Minus

  The number of auto spins can be decreased down to zero.

• Auto Spins Plus

  The number of automatic spins can be increased up to 99.

• Auto Start

  Pressing this button sets the auto spin option into motion. As the spins are automatically carried out, the button changes into “stop.” By pressing this option, the auto spins are cancelled.

• Lines Display

  This shows the number of paylines that are currently active.

• Lines Select

  This option allows the player to select the number of active paylines. This can be as much as 25 on one version of the game, while the other allows for a maximum of 50.

• Line Bet Display

  This field shows the amount of money that the player is risking per payline.

• Bet Per Line

  By clicking on this button, the wager per payline is increased (based on the denomination chosen by the player).

• Total Bet Display

  The player’s current wager is displayed in this field.

• Bet MaxBased on the denomination, number of paylines, and line bet selected by the player, clicking this button allows the largest possible current wager to be made.
• Win

  When the player gets a win, the amount of the cash prize is displayed in this field.

• Spin

  Clicking this button sets the reels into motion. A few seconds before they stop, the display on the button changes from “Spin” to “Stop.” If you click it during this phase, then the reelsstop faster than normal (although the outcome of the spin isn’t altered).