What might sound like the latest illicit performance-enhancing substance hitting the streets is, in fact, the moniker of a new online slot game developed by Bulletproof Games, in collaboration with Yggdrasil Gaming. Known as Juiced DuoMax, this game introduces a somewhat unusual gaming mechanic, the DuoMax doohickie, set loose in a laid-back beachside bar environment. While the DuoMax feature isn’t entirely novel, having made its debut in the earlier slot Florageddon! DuoMax, the latest rendition, Juiced DuoMax, offers a markedly different atmosphere with a more relaxed seaside setting. If you’re planning to give it a try, you might want to don your swimwear and apply some sunscreen.
Alternatively, if your idea of a beach day involves seeking shade at a nearby drinking establishment, Juiced DuoMax has you covered. The 5-reel game panel sits alongside a Happy Hour sign and a cocktail glass, with a backdrop featuring palm trees and surf. It seems that game developers have a penchant for palm trees, and the ukulele-led background track adds an extra layer of relaxation. Juiced DuoMax might be an acquired taste – its mellow vibe could be just what you need for unwinding, or it might be considered rather dull. In the majority of cases, it tended to lean towards the latter.
To kick off the gaming experience, players have the option to choose a stake ranging from 20 p/c to $/€100 per spin. Despite the low-key atmosphere of Juiced DuoMax, its gameplay is driven by a highly volatile math model, offering a default theoretical return to player value of 96%, whether engaging in individual spins or purchasing free spins. The game boasts 5 reels, 3 rows of symbols, and 20 paylines that payout in both directions—from left to right and right to left. Winning combinations consist of 3 to 5 matching symbols and occur with a frequency of 22.22%.
Once winning combinations are evaluated, the corresponding symbols pop off the gaming board, leaving vacant spaces on the reels. These gaps are filled as new symbols drop down, creating fresh opportunities for winning. The cascading sequence concludes when no new wins occur. In terms of symbols, Juiced DuoMax’s pay table is fruit-centric, featuring 5 low-paying symbols and 5 high-paying symbols, all resembling various fruits. Notably, coconuts, technically categorized as ‘drupes,’ fall into the fruit classification with flesh on the inside and a hard shell. Hitting 5 matching low-paying symbols awards 5 to 6 times the bet, while achieving the same result with high-paying symbols is worth 8 to 50 times the bet. Wild symbols contribute to the gameplay by substituting for regular pay symbols whenever they land in view.
Juiced DuoMax: Slot Features
Happy Hour
In addition to the cascade mechanic, Juiced DuoMax introduces the Happy Hour feature, enhancing the gameplay experience. Whenever a cascade occurs, the adjacent Happy Hour meter increments by +1. Once the Happy Hour meter reaches a count of 35, it triggers the Happy Hour bonus round. In this bonus round, players receive 5 free spins, played across two reel sets instead of just one.
Furthermore, the bonus round incorporates four sets of multipliers, with two assigned to each reel. The left multiplier next to a reel applies to left-to-right wins, while the right multiplier is relevant for right-to-left wins. In cases of both-way wins, the multipliers on both sides are combined. With each win, the corresponding multiplier increases. Specifically, a left-to-right win boosts the left-side multiplier, a right-to-left win increases the right-side multiplier, and both-way wins elevate both multipliers (resulting in two multipliers for each reel set). The multipliers commence at x1 and persist throughout the entire bonus round without resetting until its conclusion.
Buy A Bonus
The Buy A Bonus feature in Juiced DuoMax offers players the opportunity to purchase the free spins round, presenting four distinct options. For an investment of 50 times the bet, players can acquire 5 free spins. Opting for 100 times the bet provides 7 free spins, while a higher stake of 200 times the bet grants 10 free spins. Alternatively, for 80 times the bet, the game randomly awards either 5, 7, or 10 free spins, adding an element of unpredictability to the bonus purchase.
Juiced DuoMax: Slot Verdict
DuoMax, while not garnering the same attention as the widely recognized DoubleMax feature, unfortunately, doesn’t seem poised to become a breakout hit with Juiced DuoMax. In comparison to its predecessor, Florageddon! DuoMax, Juiced DuoMax lacks the same level of intrigue and polish. A notable drawback lies in the fact that DuoMax remains largely dormant during the base game, akin to a hesitant suitor lingering in the background, lacking the spotlight it deserves. This is in stark contrast to the DoubleMax mechanic or Florageddon!, where the feature takes center stage, prominently showcased during the cascade process with each win.
Transitioning to Juiced DuoMax’s bonus round, where DuoMax finally takes the spotlight, a peculiar phenomenon occurs. Despite introducing an additional gaming grid, there’s a sense of dilution as the four multipliers are distributed based on the direction of the win or both ways. While the bonus round can still yield wins of up to 5,899 times the bet, the exhilarating multiplier progression seen in a DoubleMax game is noticeably absent.
Individual preferences for a party atmosphere vary, and if you lean towards a chaotic, bacchanalian celebration reminiscent of an inebriated circus troupe on a night off, there may be more suitable slot options available, such as Super Fruit Smash or Tropicool 2—both beach-themed alternatives worth considering. Conversely, if a low-key, predictable, and unhurried slot experience reminiscent of a leisurely afternoon with work acquaintances you haven’t quite connected with appeals to you, then Juiced DuoMax might be a suitable match.