Master Joker Slot 

Single-row gameplay and retro fruit machine thematics are the defining aspects of the Master Joker slot, a Pragmatic Play creation that was revealed back in February 2020.  Nowadays, there is no shortage of retro-style classic slot games; however, this specific title brings a brand new take to the old-school formula. By merging vibrant, fruity symbols and smaller play basis with a dynamic bonus wheel mechanic, the Master Joker slot has a traditional-looking gameplay blueprint that has been modernised in a unique way.

Like most modern online casino slots, there are a total of 5 individual reels in the Master Joker slot. However, each of these only produces 1 symbol per spin, with this reduced playgrid size closely resembling the ones seen in the first fruit machines. As a consequence, there is only a single payline spanning the golden-framed segments, above which the gold and jewelled Master Joker slot logo can be seen. 

Standing above the 5x1 playtable in this Master Joker slot is a joker wearing a traditional gold and red jester getup, just like titles such as Fire & Roses Joker and Juicy Joker Mega Moolah. Their hand rests on a giant, multi-coloured bonus wheel, each of its segments having a different multiplier value displayed on it. The rest of the backdrop here is filled with the colour purple, having a chequered pattern across it to add more depth to the aesthetic, all while still retaining a retro appearance.

As you may expect, considering the old-school playtable design, all of the symbols in the Master Joker slot have been taken directly from fruit machines and other classic releases. The lower-valued icons are composed of various fruits, as is common with traditional titles, while the higher-valued ones are represented by golden bars and crystalised sevens.

Lower Value Symbols:

Strawberry

Lemon

Cherries

Medium Value Symbols:

Plum

Watermelon

Higher Value Symbols:

Golden Bars

Pink Crystal Seven (7)

The Joker, standing above the reels, also makes an appearance in symbol form. This icon serves as the wild symbol in the Master Joker slot; however, it also possesses scatter properties similar to those found in the Book of Dead.

Starting with the standard ability of the Joker wild, this could potentially substitute for all fruit machine symbols, assuming their value in the process. The wild symbol can only appear on reel 3 of the Master Joker slot and substitute for base game symbols to make or increase a combination.

Should one of these joker wilds be landed on reel 3, though, this may trigger the ‘Multiplier Wheel Feature’ in this Master Joker slot. This sees the bonus wheel above the playtable brought front and centre, with players then receiving a single spin of said wheel. The various coloured segments across this each have different multipliers displayed on them, with these being valued at 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 25x, 50x, or 100x. Whichever section is landed on could potentially be collected, similar to titles like Wheel of Wishes.

Although it is not necessarily a bonus feature, it is worth breaking down how the single payline in the Master Joker slot works. Similar to titles like Gerard’s Gambit, 3 or more matching symbols need to land adjacent to one another, starting from the first playgrid column.

There are no free spin rounds, jackpot mechanics or any other nuanced gameplay features in the Master Joker slot. Although this may seem like a downside to many releases, this classic, back-to-basics approach to game design has been intentionally adopted by Pragmatic Play, recreating the style of original fruit machines in the process.

The HTML5 backbone that supports this Master Joker slot also makes cross-device play a possibility, should players wish to access it on a smartphone, computer, or tablet. This technology, found in many online casino games from Pragmatic Play, resizes the visuals and the gameplay to different screen sizes, all without compromising the original level of quality. As long as one of the mentioned play methods is connected to the internet, the experience stays the same.

Overall, the Master Joker slot manages to provide a modernised take on classic fruit machines, adding some dynamic bonus wheel mechanics that pair seamlessly with the retro playgrid layout. Pragmatic have not gone over the top with the game design here, but they have still added in a couple of unique layers that make it a distinct entrant to the old-school genre.

Nuanced game design is not only found in the Master Joker slot, but also in any other creative releases within Pragmatic Play’s portfolio. Some other impressive titles hailing from this studio include Buffalo King Megaways and Sweet Bonanza 1000, both of which are iGaming staples nowadays.

Please remember to always gamble responsibly, this is a real money gambling site.