Jingle Balls: Slot Overview
In the early to mid-2022 period, Nolimit City released Remember Gulag, a historical slot game that underwent a name change due to contemporary world events. Despite its grim and sobering imagery, the game received acclaim as an engaging online slot. However, in a surprising move, Nolimit City decided to transform this depiction of a cruel Soviet Union labor camp, where an estimated 1.5-1.7 million people died between 1930 and 1953, into a cheerful Christmas-themed slot.
While the term “reskin” might be used, it’s important to note that there are notable differences between the original game and its festive counterpart. These variations are particularly significant for players who closely analyze numerical aspects of the game. The gaming grid retains its 3-3-4-4-5-5 format, but this time, mistletoe, decorations, and bows adorn the reels instead of the previously stark barbed wire, snow, and misery – at least in the base game. Despite the festive appearance, Jingle Balls maintains a touch of edginess, prompting players to ponder whether Santa himself has been on his best behavior this year.
To unravel this query, players are encouraged to “take a seat on Santa’s lap and discover.” This involves choosing a wager ranging from 20 cents to $/€200 per spin and deciding whether to employ the optional Wish Upon a Star xBet feature. Notably, at the onset of each base game spin, reels 5 and 6 remain locked. Unveiling a scatter unlocks reel 5, and another scatter unlocks reel 6. Activating the xBet increases the stake by 50%, ensuring a guaranteed scatter on the second reel, thereby unlocking reel 5. Once all reels are accessible, players can enjoy up to 614,656 ways to win. The game’s volatility is labeled as extreme, with an RTP of 96.1% without xBet or 96.22% when activated.
Winning combinations, formed by identical symbols, pay from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. The symbols include 5 gift-wrapped objects as the low-paying symbols, followed by Rudolf, the Grinch, an Elf, a granny with a handful of balls, and a Santa resembling a character from Viz magazine. Landing 6 matching low-paying symbols yields payouts of 2 to 3 times the base bet, while 6 matching high-paying symbols result in rewards of 4 to 6 times the bet. Wild symbols, present on all reels, can substitute for any regular pay symbol.
Jingle Balls: Slot Features
Jingle Balls boasts a variety of features, including xWays, xNudge Wilds, xSplit Wilds, three distinct free spins rounds, and the option to purchase features.
xWays
In the base game, xWays symbols make an appearance on reels 1-2, while in free spins, they are confined to reels 5-6. Upon landing, xWays symbols unveil 2-3 occurrences of a randomly selected pay symbol. Should multiple xWays symbols appear simultaneously, they all display the same symbol. Notably, if an xWays symbol gets divided by an xSplit Wild, the xWays multiplier is doubled for each instance of the split.
xNudge Wilds
In both the base game and free spins, xNudge Wild symbols make an appearance on reels 3-4. These symbols generate a stacked wild that is consistently nudged to cover the entire reel. With each nudge, the wild multiplier increases by +1. Multiple wild multipliers cumulatively contribute their values, and in the event of an xNudge being divided by an xSplit, an additional wild is introduced to the reel.
xSplit Wilds
In the base game, xSplit Wilds occupy reels 5-6, while in free spins, they are found on reels 1-2. Upon landing, xSplits divide all symbols to the left and right, effectively doubling them. Repeated splits result in symbols displaying a multiplier. Notably, when xSplits interact with scatters that fail to trigger free spins, the scatters transform into an entire reel of wild symbols. Initially appearing as two wilds, xSplit Wilds have the potential to be split again if encountered by another xSplit Wild.
Free Spins
Free spins are initiated with 3 scatters, triggering Spirit Spins; 4 scatters lead to Spirit Spins: All Aboard, and 5 scatters activate Spirit Spins: Double Joy. Throughout these rounds, the grid transforms into a 5-5-4-4-3-3 layout, with all reels unlocked. Following this, a setup spin takes place, determining the number of spins awarded and the win multiplier assigned to premium symbols. In Spirit Spins, one premium symbol receives a multiplier, while both Spirit Spins: All Aboard and Spirit Spins: Double Joy allocate multipliers to all symbols. The latter doubles the multipliers.
During free spins, a top-reel may randomly enhance the active premium symbols’ multipliers:
- Spirit Spins: Randomly increases the multiplier by +1, +2, or doubles the value.
- Spirit Spins: Double Joy: Randomly increases the multiplier by +2, +4, or doubles the value.
Additionally, collecting scatter symbols in the round rewards an extra free spin each time. Accumulating 3 scatters during Spirit Spins upgrades them to Spirit Spins: All Aboard, activating multipliers on all character symbols.
Nolimit Bonus
Within the Nolimit Bonus feature, players have the option to choose from four bonus buys. The pricing and corresponding RTP values are as follows:
- Spirit Spins: Priced at 60 times the bet with an RTP of 96.18%.
- Spirit Spins: All Aboard: Available at 270 times the bet with an RTP of 96.27%.
- Spirit Spins: Double Joy: Priced at 486 times the bet, offering an RTP of 96.36%.
- Lucky Draw: A choice costing 187.2 times the bet, granting the opportunity to win one of the three previous options. The RTP for this option is 96.33%.
Jingle Balls: Slot Verdict
There likely weren’t many players navigating through Remember Gulag and thinking, “This could be a fantastic Christmas game with just a few image changes.” Surprisingly, the transformation seems to make a certain degree of sense when witnessed in action. The dynamic visuals behind the reels in the base game evoke an emotional quality, with some audio elements connecting, and the grey, snowy, barbed wire atmosphere of the free spins section strangely resonates. Instead of being a communist wonderland or nightmare, Jingle Balls transforms into a winter wonderland, albeit one with the potential for nightmarish undertones.
Similar to Nolimit City’s approach with Ugliest Catch, they’ve taken on a widely popular, overdone slot category and infused it with their unmistakable ‘couldn’t care less what you think’ personality, this time with a Christmas theme rather than a fish money symbol game.
The gameplay largely retains its essence, likely warming the hearts of gamblers who were drawn to Gulag. What sets Jingle Balls apart? Beyond the cosmetic changes, the key differentiators lie in the numbers. Triggering the “Time For Vacation In…” feature signifies hitting the max win of 12,250x the bet, a bit lower than Gulag but with more optimistic odds at 1 in 2.5 million rounds. The RTP varies depending on gameplay choices, and while the general value is slightly up, some aspects are less cheerful. The xBet cost has been elevated, creating a balancing act akin to a set of scales.
Jingle Balls is akin to tugging at each end of a cracker until it bursts—an unconventional revamp residing in the surreal realm of Christmas slots. It’s lighter in some aspects, stranger in others, yet maintains a serious undertone. If you appreciate oddball and, some might say, questionable Christmas humor and enjoyed Remember Gulag, Jingle Balls might stir its own unique merriment. However, it’s hard to declare it a superior experience to the original.