Sidewinder is a video slot from Microgaming and Just For The Win. It provides a similar game to Rainbrew, but with some slight variations.
Pros
- The ability to increase the paylines to 1,125
- The payout of 2,720 is generous for a medium volatility game
- The free spins feature allows for more free spins to be earned
Cons
- It is very similar to Rainbrew
- The medium volatility means that it sits right in the middle in terms of excitement and potential wins
Gameplay, Playability and Volatility
Sidewinder takes its gameplay almost directly from Rainbrew. It features many of the same features and the only real difference is the aesthetics. However, it still features a number of paylines and some additional features to keep players interested.
Sidewinder Feature
The Sidewinder feature is triggered when you manage to trigger either the top, bottom or both horizontal reels. When a wild lands on the top or bottom reel along with the sidewinder symbol on the horizontal reels then that reel will open up to increase the number of paylines. If just one is opened then there will be 576 paylines and if both open it increases to 1,125 paylines.
Free Spins
When you manage to land 3 or 4 scatters on the reels it will trigger the free spins feature. Only reels 2 and 4 can land the scatter as well as the two Sidewinder reels. If you land 3 scatters you are awarded 6 free spins and 4 scatters awards 10 free spins. The two horizontal reels can also create an expanding wild if a wild symbol lands opposite on both reels. Everytime a Sidewinder symbol lands on the horizontal reels it will award an additional free spins.
Volatility
Sidewinder has a medium volatility which means that wins come along quite often. It also means that there are not huge payouts associated with Sidewinder when compared to higher volatility games.
RTP, Wagers and payouts
Lucha Legends has an RTP of 96.02% which is slightly below the market average.
With a maximum wager of $100 Sidewinder allows players with a large bankroll to really sit into a long game if they so wish. It also allows small bankroll players to engage because of the $0.10 minimum wager. For most players a $50 wager game will allow for a long term game without worrying about small returns. The maximum win of 2,720 times your wager offers an excellent payout on a $50 wager game, but obviously offers the potential for a much bigger win on a maximum wager game.
Sidewinder: Overall
Sidewinder is an interesting game, that offers some innovative game mechanics, especially around the number of paylines. Despite being a reskin of Rainbrew it feels like a smoother game and is in general a more popular choice for players. It also has a good payout for a medium volatility game which helps to attract players. 3.4/5