RED HOT ROLL - "Satanic lightshow and evil music"

Another one for the granny brigade RHR is, nevertheless, a fairly enjoyable machine to play. However, it's possible that grannies may find its fiery hell-like artwork a little intimidating. This could explain its appearance in many arcades, where young children, hypnotised by its satanic lightshow and evil music have been known to pledge their souls to Beelzebub in return for a few credits. (Possibly). An absolute stinker on low %ages (it's almost depressing) it becomes a fast, entertaining machine at higher payout levels (90% and higher is ideal). 

Gameplay is simple, 3 holds and flasholds work, reel wins can't be gambled or exchanged (they do hold sometimes though). The Roll feature is activated by getting any 3 roll symbols in view (on, above or below the winline). There are 3 rolls available, 3 mixed symbols give a mixed roll, 3 blue symbols give a blue roll and, as a special surprise, 3 red symbols give a red (hot) roll.

The middle symbol is a "Wild Roll", if you have a red or blue roll symbol on both the outer reels and the 3rd symbol is in the Wild Roll position it will change from red to blue to give a blue or red roll as opposed to a mixed roll. 

Once a roll is activated keep pressing the "roll" button to spin in a series of wins. Mixed roll can give as little as £3, blue roll gives at least £5, red roll gives at least a jackpot. However, the mixed roll can be the most surprising, and spin in 3 or 4 jackpots for £45 or £60.

Needless to say there's little in the way of tactics or strategy, try going for flasholds for rolls as opposed to wins (as long as there are 2 roll symbols in view it will spin in 3 next spin if it gives a flashold), they seem to come in more often.

The machine shown in the photograph is set to a £10 jackpot (note high quality photocopied insert), it's also set to (I suspect) an illegal 70% payout, and is a pile of fetid toss to play (it's been in the arcade for ages, I last played it about 3 years ago). RHR started life with a £6 jackpot, so the values of the other wins made good sense. With a £15 jackpot the progression is rather silly. This is a common problem with upgraded machines, on those where you can gamble wins the last gamble can be from £3 to £15.

Back to RHR... Sounds and music are good, the roll music is quite funky, and the jackpot music is (vaguely) entertaining. I never played this a great deal for real, there just isn't enough going on to keep it interesting, and the ease with which it's possible for anyone to win means that there's no real way to give yourself an advantage with skill or tactics. It's more fun emulated than it is for real. It's a lot cheaper for sure.

10th August 2001