The world of casino slots is a vast and fascinating one, with thousands of games vying for players’ attention. Among these, there are some that stand out due to their unique themes, innovative features, or simply the promise of big wins. "Hot and Cold Slots" is one such game, which we will examine in detail below.
Introduction
Developed by a well-known online casino software provider, Hot and Cold Slots https://hotandcoldslots.uk/ boasts an intriguing theme that sets it apart from other slots games on offer. The idea behind this slot is to combine the concepts of hot and cold temperatures with those of winning and losing streaks, creating an experience unlike any other in the world of online gaming.
Theme and Design
As players enter the game, they are transported to a chilly winter wonderland, complete with snow-covered trees, frosted lakes, and frozen waterfalls. The backdrop is designed to evoke feelings of excitement and anticipation, as players look forward to discovering which symbols will come out hot or cold in each spin.
The reels themselves feature an assortment of symbols that fit perfectly into the wintery theme: ice skates, ski poles, snowflakes, and even a smiling Santa Claus. Each symbol has been meticulously designed with high-resolution graphics, making them stand out against the backdrop.
Symbols
Hot and Cold Slots features six basic symbols, each associated with either hot or cold temperatures:
- Ice Skates (hot)
- Ski Poles (cold)
- Snowflake (hot/cold)
- Frozen Lake (cold)
- Christmas Tree (hot)
- Santa Claus (cold)
Additionally, the slot includes two special symbols: Wild and Scatter.
Payouts
Hot and Cold Slots has a standard payout structure for five-of-a-kind combinations:
- Hot Symbols:
- Ice Skates: x100
- Ski Poles: x50
- Snowflake: x20
- Christmas Tree: x10
- Santa Claus: x5
- Cold Symbols:
- Frozen Lake: x200
- Snowflake (cold): x15
The Wild symbol substitutes for any other symbol except Scatters and pays out according to the highest possible combination.
Wilds
In addition to being a substituting wild, Hot Skates can appear as stacked wilds on reels 2-4 during Free Spins. When these hot skaters appear together with the cold Santa Claus or Snowflake symbols, they trigger the ‘Winning Streak’ feature.
Scatters and Bonus Features
When three Scattered Santas (hot) land anywhere on the five-reel game area, it triggers 10 Free Spins and a 2x multiplier. During these free games, all Hot Symbols will be transformed into high-paying Wilds.
Moreover, landing two or more consecutive ‘Cold’ symbols can activate one of four randomly selected bonus features:
- Ice Cube Bonus : Players receive up to x500 multipliers for their wins in the next three rounds.
- Snowflake Bonus : 3-4 additional free spins are granted with a growing multiplier (x1, x2, x5).
- Winter Frenzy : All reel positions fill up with random symbols that contribute towards the maximum win.
- Cold Streak : Players continue playing until no colds appear in three rounds; then all ‘cold’ multipliers disappear.
Free Spins
During regular play:
- Each round, there is a chance to receive two Hot or Cold symbols, one each, as rewards for consecutive wins and losses.
- These are shown at the bottom of the game area; players can choose which ones will appear in subsequent rounds (e.g., Hot –> Ice Skates and Snowflake; Cold –> Santa Claus).
- If a combination from either set occurs during regular play, you win an additional Free Spin.
Return to Player (RTP) and Volatility
The theoretical Return to Player is about 95.28%, which is below average compared with other games online but in line with that of some ‘cold’ slots on offer today.
With a maximum payout of x5000 the bet, Hot & Cold offers an extremely high volatility level; for this reason, it’s not surprising there are fewer cold streaks triggered by wins than losses. The game is therefore more suitable to fans of medium-risk gamblers rather than low-rollers looking for short-term benefits from ‘cold’ symbols alone.
Betting Range and Max Win
Minimum bet per spin begins at x0.20; the maximum, on the other hand, reaches up to a very high figure – $/€ 100.
In terms of returns, one thing’s clear: this slot gives you what it says (no pun intended). Given its lower RTP compared to games elsewhere and its steep volatility levels due solely because some cold symbols only appear every 2.5 rounds instead of each round or two out sometimes; even more so – it offers little probability for such frequent results that yield nothing but losses.
