Now here’s a Novomatic video slot everyone has probably played, but nobody quite remembers what it’s called. It could be a local phenomenon, but in our circle of friends, it was always called ‘that sparkly Novomatic game’. As it turns out, the gems were sizzling rather than sparkling.

This classic masterpiece found itself with an online version a few years ago. Now, the thrill of possibly winning up to 50,000 coins falls to you.

Will you rise to the challenge?

Sizzling Gems introduction, including RTP and variance

Sizzling Gems is played on a 5×3 board with 9 adjustable paylines. That means you can turn some or all of them on or off to lower your total wager. Wins are granted for collecting three or more identical symbols in consecutive reels from left to right. Pays must follow one of the currently active win lines, or else they will not grant their reward.

The theoretical payout (RTP) for this slot is 95.66%, slightly below the current industry average. Novomatic’s release skirts the border between medium and high volatility as if it is afraid to commit to either side. At times, it is no different than playing any other medium variance game.

But straight after a big win, you can expect a slow grind to make up for any good luck you had!

Gameplay and Pay Table

Icons are what you might expect from an older slot that used to be a physical machine – fruit and gemstones galore! But trying to make a fruit bowl full of these symbols is going to be prohibitively expensive. Admittedly, not every symbol is a fruit. For example, you can still come across a diamond-encrusted lucky seven, or a dazzling golden star.

Speaking of the golden star, it is a Scatter win. Sadly, it does not activate any free spins or other thrilling special features. However, it can net you an impressive cash prize and can pay from any position.

The jewel-encrusted lucky seven is the top paying symbol.

Bonus Features

There aren’t any bonuses to talk about in Sizzling Gems. The closest thing you get is the ability to gamble on your win. After netting a prize, you get the choice to pocket it or to gamble it further. Choosing to gamble takes you to a separate screen.

Here, the game gives you a seemingly simple task – guess the card colour, and your win is doubled. However, you should be very careful! If you fail to predict it correctly, you lose your entire prize.

Considering the absence of all other special features, and the offered volatility, we feel like Novomatic wants you to use it. It is hardly the most reliable thing, but with enough luck, it can make even small wins into jackpots.

CasinoWizard’s verdict: 3 out of 5 stars

While it was fun to revisit this Novomatic release, we cannot say it aged well. By the time it was released for desktop and mobile devices, the slot was already ancient. The absence of any bonuses may appeal to more nostalgic players, but modern crowds will not be impressed. The developers did their best to make the Gamble special feature attractive, but it fails to capture our imagination.

It is fair to say that the game did not age gracefully. As we mentioned, it was an old physical machine, to begin with. Add to the fact the online version was made five years ago, and you can see how the graphics would suffer.

Still, it has a decent RTP and a medium-high variance. It also promises a 50,000 coin win for gamblers who get lucky with the Scatter symbol. Despite all of its positive sides, we would recommend skipping this Novomatic release, unless you’re a real fan.

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