The Wombat says: Well well well, look at the Steam Tower slot! It’s a steam-punk-inspired game complete with a one-armed hero, a fiery dragon and a helpless damsel.
It’s also a multi-level game with a tiered playing structure which means the further up the tower you go, the more bonuses, multipliers and cash you’ll win. This game was designed by NetEnt, those Swedish chaps behind the blockbuster Starburst Slot machine.
“So what’s this Steampunk business all about then?”. Well, I’ll tell you.
Although the word was only added to The Oxford English Dictionary in 2015, the first ever steampunk convention took place in 2006 and is: ‘…a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology…’
The term originated from sci-fi geeks and is all about mixing modern-day tech with the style and philosophy of the Victorian age. Think Around The World In 80 Days and you’re not far off.
Look and Feel
NetEnt’s Steam Tower slot offers some stylish graphics that are perfectly in keeping with the industrial steampunk theme. The reels are set against a backdrop of smoking chimneys and ye olde industrial England, while the symbols themselves spin on a rusty steam-spewing tower.
You’ll see that there are 16 floors, each of which has different rewards and bonuses. There’s a ‘Floor Meter’ just below the reels and a ‘Tower Meter’ to the side to let you know how you’re doing – these are also nicely designed with Victorian-style levers. It’s a long way from some of our classically designed games like Play’n GO’s Rise of Olympus slot.
Then there’s the soundtrack. The background music sounds like the theme tune to a Sherlock Holmes or Jack The Ripper BBC series, giving the slot a slightly sinister vibe. During the Free Spin Bonus, the graphics come alive as the Steampunk Dude uses his grappling hook arm to shoot up and climb the tower. As he’s climbing, we’re also treated to a flash of the fearsome dragon who swoops across the screen every time you reach a new level.
Steam Tower Slot Game Play
This is a five-reel, three-row and 15 payline game, which keeps things nice and simple. Your lower-value card symbols are all decorated with gears and cogs, a traditional Steampunk touch, while the one-armed Steampunk Dude, the Damsel, the Red Dragon’s Eye, the Tower and the Grapple Hook are the higher-paying symbols.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Red Dragon’s Eye as it’s the biggest payer on the reels. It will trigger a 2000 coins win for five in a row.
The wild symbol in this game is the green Grapple Hook. Land one or more of these Wilds on the reels during the Free Spins round and two additional spins are awarded to you. You’ll progress to the next floor up until you’ve reached the 16th floor – where you’ll rescue the damsel in distress.
Steam Tower uses stacked Wilds on all the reels during the base game. The base game is like your average fruity slot, until you hit the Free Spins feature which is much more interesting. Here you’ll find win multipliers up to 7x.
Free Spins Feature
Here’s where it gets more complicated.
You’ll set off the Free Spins bonus when one or more of the stacked Wild symbols lands on, and covers, a whole reel – and this triggers ten Free Spins no matter how many Wilds you landed to begin with!
A quick tip: You have to click the ‘Start Free Spins’ button on your control panel to activate the Bonus.
During the Spins, the stacked Wilds are replaced with single wild symbols. The first indicator on the dashboard will show which floor you’re on, the next one will show the number of spins left and the last one will show which win multiplier you’ve reached. Players will always start on the first floor, with ten Free Spins and a 2x Multiplier.
Level Multipliers
For each spin that lands one or more wild symbols, the floor indicator will increase by +1, and you’ll get two extra Free Spins. The multipliers will increase on the 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th floors, giving you 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x and 7x your win.
Every time a Grappling Hook shows up on the reels, you’ll also get two more free spins and climb up an extra floor. If you manage to reach the 16th floor, and scoop the 7x multiplier, you’ll also be given a top floor bonus of 1000 coins! All remaining (and any new spins) will end with the 7x multiplier.
The Free Spins round also ends when no more spins are available. Unfortunately, you cannot re-trigger the feature.
Mobile Ready
The Steam Tower slot is fully powered up for mobiles and tablets. The designers have done a fantastic job with this- as soon as you spin the reels for the first time it goes full screen. Swipe down to come out of full-screen mode and hit the 3-bar menu to change your bet size.
You can play Steam Tower in portrait or landscape mode. We prefer the sideways mode.
Conclusion
The game is a cracker of a slot. With its quirky theme, excellent graphics and multi-level gameplay, this Wombat had very high expectations for the Steam Tower slot. The downside is, you’re going to have to trigger and play, the Free Spin Bonus round many times before you’ll make it to the 16th floor and save the poor damsel from the dragon’s clutches.
But the slot is worth a spin for its unique mechanics – and we do love the Steampunk Dude and his mechanical bonus arm!