Dazzle Me Christmas: Slot Overview
For fans of classic slots, Dazzle Me by NetEnt is a familiar title, known for its gem-themed gameplay and innovative features. The series expanded with Dazzle Me Megaways, and now the holiday spirit takes center stage with the festive addition of Dazzle Me Christmas. This seasonal iteration retains iconic features from its predecessors, such as Wild Reels, Linked Reels, and Free Spins, while introducing a fresh multiplier mechanic to spread some extra holiday cheer.
Interestingly, apart from the festive mistletoe adornments and the title itself, discerning Dazzle Me Christmas as a holiday-themed slot might be tricky. The familiar blurry background and gem-filled grid echo the original game’s visuals. However, a modern bonus buy feature, accessible via the “Elevate” button, distinguishes this version by adding a contemporary twist to the classic setup.
While it stays true to its roots, Dazzle Me Christmas sprinkles in just enough festive magic to give players a reason to spin this reimagined holiday gem.
One of the standout features of the Dazzle Me series is its distinctive asymmetrical reel layout. In Dazzle Me Christmas, the game is played across a 5-reel grid with a 3-3-4-4-5 row configuration, offering 76 ways to win in the base game. Wins are formed by matching symbols from the leftmost reel onward. While the game doesn’t boast massive win potential, it compensates with a high volatility math model and a default RTP of 96.17% (though two lower RTP settings are available). Players can enjoy a flexible betting range, starting from 20c per spin and going up to $/€200 per spin.
The paytable is straightforward, featuring blue, green, purple, and pink gems as the lower-value symbols. For higher-value symbols, there’s a bell and the classic 7. Wild symbols, represented by diamonds, can substitute for any regular pay symbol except scatters, adding extra opportunities to form winning combinations.
Dazzle Me Christmas: Slot Features
Dazzle Me Christmas offers an exciting range of features, including Wild Reels, Free Spins with Multipliers, Linked Reels, and an Elevate Feature with multiple bonus buy options.
Wild Reels
- Wild Reels can activate randomly during the base game.
- When triggered, entire reels are covered with wild symbols.
- Up to 5 reels can become Wild Reels simultaneously, significantly boosting win potential.
Free Spins
- Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols awards 8, 12, or 16 free spins, respectively.
- Scatter symbols can carry multipliers based on the reel they appear on:
- Reel 2: x2 multiplier
- Reel 3: x3 multiplier
- Reel 4: x4 multiplier
- Reel 5: x5 multiplier
- The multipliers are added together if at least 3 scatters land.
During Free Spins:
- The grid expands to 5 rows high, increasing winning possibilities.
- A win multiplier starts at x1 (or higher if boosted by scatter multipliers from the base game) and increases by +1 for each winning spin.
- Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols retriggers the feature, granting 8, 12, or 16 additional free spins.
- Linked Reels are active during free spins:
- At the start of each spin, reels 1-2 or 3-4 link together, with the right reel cloning the left.
Elevate Feature
Players can enhance their gameplay by purchasing features via the Elevate Feature, which includes the following options:
- Scatter Hunt:
- Increases the likelihood of triggering free spins.
- Cost: 2x the bet.
- Wild Reels:
- Guarantees at least 1 Wild Reel per spin.
- Includes a random multiplier ranging from x1 to x50, applied to the spin win.
- If free spins are triggered, the multiplier is added to the free spins multiplier.
- Cost: 10x the bet.
- Free Spins:
- Triggers the Free Spins feature with 3 to 5 scatter symbols.
- Cost: 100x the bet.
- Enhanced Free Spins:
- Triggers the Free Spins feature with 3 to 5 scatter symbols.
- Guarantees at least 1 scatter symbol with a multiplier ranging from x2 to x5.
- Cost: 300x the bet.
Dazzle Me Christmas: Slot Verdict
When reviewing a slot like Dazzle Me Christmas, the evaluation typically falls into two camps—positive or critical. Let’s begin with the positives. Dazzle Me Christmas connects to a game that’s been around for nearly a decade (as of this review), so long-time players may experience a touch of nostalgia. Its visuals and features closely resemble the original, offering a sense of familiarity. Additionally, the inclusion of signature features like Linked Reels and Wild Reels, now enhanced with a new multiplier mechanic during free spins, provides a refreshed twist. The potential payout has also increased, offering slightly better rewards compared to the original Dazzle Me.
On the downside, the maximum win potential, while higher than the first game, caps at 2,306x the bet. This figure is underwhelming, particularly when compared to the massive payouts seen in Dazzle Me Megaways. Critics might argue that while Dazzle Me Christmas isn’t a lazy effort, it feels a bit subdued for a studio of NetEnt’s reputation.
In summary, Dazzle Me Christmas might not radiate overwhelming festive cheer, but it offers a nostalgic journey for fans of the original. It delivers a modestly entertaining experience, though it leans more toward being a stocking stuffer than a grand, show-stopping holiday gift.