Extensive Review: Extra Chilli Slot by Big Time Gaming
Extra Chilli, released in 2018 by Big Time Gaming (BTG), is one of the most beloved and high-energy slots in the developer’s impressive lineup. As the sequel to the original Chilli Chilli Bang Bang, Extra Chilli brings players into the fiery world of Mexican cuisine, complete with spicy chili peppers, vibrant visuals, and flavor-packed features. The game uses BTG’s innovative Megaways™ mechanic, which drastically changes the way wins are formed, ensuring every spin is filled with excitement and unpredictability.
With a colorful theme, engaging mechanics, and the potential for massive payouts, Extra Chilli stands out in a crowded market as a dynamic and feature-rich slot game. This review takes an in-depth look at the game’s theme, gameplay, bonus features, and payout potential, providing a thorough breakdown of what makes Extra Chilli so special.
Theme and Visual Design
Set in a vibrant Mexican market, Extra Chilli is centered around the flavors and spices of the country’s rich cuisine. The reels are adorned with chili peppers of various colors and sizes, which are the main symbols in the game, alongside other Mexican-themed items, such as spicy sauces, tacos, limes, skulls, and money bags. This colorful setting immerses players into a high-energy atmosphere that’s as spicy as the chili peppers themselves.
Visuals:
- The game features a 6-reel layout using the Megaways™ engine, which creates up to 117,649 possible ways to win depending on how many symbols appear on each reel.
- The background is an energetic and lively Mexican street market, with colorful lanterns and lights illuminating the scene, giving it an authentic fiesta vibe.
- The chili peppers take center stage, with the chili peppers, tacos, and money bags being the main symbols of interest. The visual design is bright, playful, and full of life, perfectly capturing the essence of a bustling Mexican market.
- The wild symbol is represented by a chili pepper that substitutes for all other symbols except the scatter, helping players land more winning combinations.
Sound Design:
- The soundtrack is upbeat and festive, with a lively Mexican-inspired tune that complements the game’s theme perfectly. The music is catchy, with maracas, trumpets, and guitars adding a vibrant, rhythmic quality to the gameplay.
- Sound effects during spins and wins are equally energetic, with sizzling noises for the chili peppers and cheerful chime sounds when winning combinations are hit.
- When triggering the free spins round or a big win, the music swells, adding intensity and drama to the moment.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The gameplay in Extra Chilli revolves around the Megaways™ system, a revolutionary mechanic that makes each spin dynamic and unpredictable. Instead of having fixed paylines, the number of possible ways to win depends on the number of symbols that appear on each reel.
Megaways™ System:
- In Extra Chilli, the number of symbols on each reel changes with every spin, ranging from 2 to 7 symbols per reel. This means that each spin can offer up to 117,649 ways to win if the maximum number of symbols appears on all six reels.
- The game’s cascading reels mechanic ensures that after a winning combination, the winning symbols disappear and are replaced by new ones, allowing players the chance to land additional wins within the same spin. This cascading feature increases the excitement of every round, as the potential for further payouts continues to build.
Base Game:
- The base game revolves around matching symbols across the reels, with wins formed by landing at least three matching symbols from left to right.
- The high-paying symbols in Extra Chilli include the golden chili pepper, money bag, taco, lime, and skull symbols, while the low-paying symbols are represented by the classic A, K, Q, J, and 10 playing card symbols.
- The wild symbol (represented by a chili pepper) substitutes for all other symbols except the scatter, helping players complete winning combinations and potentially increase payouts.
- The scatter symbol (depicted by a red chili icon) is crucial to triggering the bonus features, especially the free spins round.
Bonus Features
Extra Chilli is known for its entertaining bonus features, which are where the real excitement lies. From the free spins round to the Bonus Buy option, there’s a lot to look forward to in this high-volatility slot.
Free Spins Bonus:
- The free spins round is triggered by landing 3 or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. The number of free spins you get depends on how many scatters land:
- 3 scatters = 8 free spins
- 4 scatters = 12 free spins
- 5 scatters = 16 free spins
- 6 scatters = 20 free spins
- When entering the free spins round, there is a progressive multiplier in play. Each time you land a win during the free spins, the multiplier increases by 1x, giving the potential for massive payouts as the feature progresses.
- Re-triggers are possible in the free spins round if additional scatter symbols land, adding even more free spins to the bonus. This allows for even greater winning potential and increases the thrill of the round.
Bonus Buy Feature (Where Available):
- Extra Chilli offers a Bonus Buy feature, which allows players to skip the base game and directly purchase access to the free spins round.
- The price of the bonus buy depends on the game’s current bet level, and this feature can be especially useful for players who want to jump straight into the action and increase their chances of landing big wins through the free spins and multiplying wilds.
Cascading Reels:
- A defining feature of Megaways™ slots, the cascading reels mechanic ensures that after every winning combination, the winning symbols are removed from the reels and replaced with new symbols that drop down. This gives the opportunity for multiple wins on a single spin, as new combinations can form with each cascade.
- This cascading effect continues until no new wins are formed, and the multiplier value for the free spins round increases with each successive win.
Gamble Feature:
- After the free spins round, players have the option to gamble their free spins for the chance to increase the number of free spins they receive. This feature gives players the opportunity to double down on their winnings, but it also introduces an element of risk—if the gamble fails, they lose the free spins altogether.
Payouts and RTP
As a high-volatility slot, Extra Chilli offers the potential for significant payouts, but players may experience long periods of low wins before hitting a big combination. The maximum win potential in Extra Chilli is 20,000x your stake, which is a solid payout, especially for players seeking high-risk, high-reward gameplay.
RTP (Return to Player):
- The RTP for Extra Chilli is 96.82%, which is higher than average for many slots, making it a fair game in terms of long-term payout potential. However, due to its high volatility, players may experience significant fluctuations in their balance, with the chance for bigger rewards skewed toward the bonus features and free spins.
Strengths of Extra Chilli
- Megaways™ Mechanic: The Megaways™ system is a huge selling point, as it offers 117,649 ways to win and keeps gameplay dynamic and unpredictable. With cascading reels and the potential for a high number of winning ways, every spin offers excitement.
- Engaging Theme and Design: The vibrant Mexican fiesta theme, combined with colorful visuals and festive music, makes Extra Chilli an enjoyable and immersive experience from start to finish.
- Free Spins and Multiplying Wilds: The free spins feature, along with progressive multipliers, provides a high potential for big wins, making it one of the most engaging bonus rounds in any Megaways™ game.
- Bonus Buy Option: For those who want to skip the base game and go straight into the action, the Bonus Buy feature (where available) offers a quick route to the high-reward free spins feature.
- High Win Potential: With a maximum payout of 20,000x your stake, Extra Chilli has the potential to offer life-changing rewards for those who can trigger its best features.
Potential Drawbacks
- High Volatility: As a high-volatility slot, wins in the base game can be rare, and players may experience long stretches without significant payouts. This game is better suited for players who can handle risk and are seeking larger rewards.
- Bonus Buy Limitations: The Bonus Buy feature is not available in all regions, which means players in some jurisdictions may be unable to directly purchase access to the free spins round.
- Heavy Gameplay While the free spins and cascading reels provide significant rewards, players who don’t enjoy these feature-heavy slots may find the game less appealing during periods of fewer bonus triggers.
Conclusion
Extra Chilli by Big Time Gaming is a captivating and feature-packed slot that combines the iconic Megaways™ mechanic with an energetic, Mexican-inspired theme. The free spins round, progressive multipliers, and wild symbols create ample opportunities for huge payouts, while the cascading reels system ensures that each spin brings something fresh and exciting.
With its maximum win potential of 20,000x your stake and an RTP of 96.82%, Extra Chilli is a thrilling, high-risk, high-reward slot that offers both entertainment and the possibility of substantial payouts. Whether you’re in it for the vibrant theme, the Megaways™ mechanic, or the exciting bonus features, Extra Chilli is sure to spice up any player’s slot experience.