Bompers

Bompers: Slot Overview

Bompers is the third slot from ELK Studios to use their gravity mechanic, and they've combined it with classic slot imagery this time around. In the previous two, Cygnus and IO, ELK went all cosmic, so utilising a sort of disco pinball theme takes things into a completely different direction. Here, the team has dialled up almost every element. Audio is a standout, as are features, including a new trademarked one called X-citer which is like a menu of feature buys. Let's see how it stacks up.

Of the three gravity slots so far, Bompers is the least busy one visually speaking. A pinball table displaying a couple of bumpers makes up the background, so you can see how ELK possibly came up with the Bompers concept. On each new spin, 24 symbols drop into a 6x4 grid where columns are staggered rather than flush - this means symbols randomly fall to the left or right in new drops or avalanches. While visuals are decent, the tune is banging indeed, and a lot heavier than your typical fruit slot jazzy number. When the action heats up, so does the tempo, mixing in a bit of dubstep, voice-overs, and makes a major contribution to the overall enjoyment of the game.

Bompers is available on any device, offering the usual ELK bet range of 20 p/c to $/€100 per spin - or drop, as they are called around here. Highly volatile, drops can just as easily lead nowhere or blow up, avalanching into special symbols, extra rows, and more ways to win. At the start of a drop, 4,096 ways are in play, rising to 262,144 when all 8 rows are active. The RTP, meanwhile, has dropped ever so slightly compared to the previous offerings in the range, now coming in at 95.8%. As most will have noticed, this is in line with the overall current trend.

Regular pay symbols are made up of classic icons such as cherries, lemons, oranges, watermelons, 4-leaf clovers, horseshoes, and bars. The most lucrative is the lucky 7 - land 3, 4, 5 or 6 of these for an award of 2, 4, 6 or 20 times the stake. The final regular symbol is the wild, substituting for any of the pay symbols.

Bompers: Slot Features

Bompers is the name of special wild symbols which appear throughout the game - up to 5 during the base game. When other symbols bump them, either from dropping in or by the gravity effect, they fill the Bomper's meter. When it is completely filled, the Bomper turns into a sticky wild. In the base game, Bompers are sticky throughout wins or avalanches.

Mystery bombs trigger when avalanches end, transforming itself and all connecting symbols into one matching symbol type. If 2 or more mystery bombs overlap, then all overlapping symbols become wild.

It's the job of the shooting star symbol to travel upwards on the grid. When it gets to the top, it creates a mixed group of up to 7 symbols, out of which up to 3 are guaranteed to be wild.

The 'B' symbol is the scatter, and 3 in view trigger 7 free drops which can be retriggered during the course of the round. Before free drops commence, up to 5 Bompers are randomly placed on the grid. Moreover, during the bonus sticky wilds remain in place for the full duration.

Lastly, the X-iter is a list of features you can activate for different prices. First is the normal mode, where you hit spin for the regular stake. For 25x the bet you can guarantee 3 symbol drops with an increasing number of Bompers. The first drop starts with 1 Bomper, and each subsequent drop adds one extra Bomper. 50x the bet gets you 5 symbol drops using this method, while 300x the bet gets you 10 symbol drops with an increasing number of Bompers. Finally, for 100x the bet, you can guarantee 3 bonus symbols will appear on the next drop.

Bompers: Slot Verdict

It might not sound like it on paper, but in practice, Bompers can get pretty manic when it winds up. Audio is a large piece of the puzzle. Bomper's music was made in the same spirit as the manically good tune used in Nitropolis. If anything, it's even more maniacal, mixing in a bunch of genres over its relentless house beat. If Bomper's visuals seem a little light at first, the music more than makes up for any sensorial shortfall - big count ups are especially enjoyable. If Willy Wonka was tasked with making a fruit slot, it would probably be a lot like this.

Onto gameplay and Bompers is similar to previous gravity-driven slots, or Gold Series games, in that it needs several components working together to provide best results. One thing about Bomper symbols themselves worth reiterating, is they are not wild until their meters fully charge. If you're unaware of this, they can be disappointing at first, particularity if you've forked out for a bunch of them and they're just sitting there dividing regular symbols. Fortunately, the wait can be worth it, and having several wild Bompers in action causes all manner of mechanics to come into play.

Elk's new X-iter feature is an interesting addition providing several bonus buy options for all wallet types. The increasing number of Bompers can turn into a real Bomper-fest, and it is nice to have a cheaper option to get a taste without hammering your account. One thing to consider is Bomper symbols often need quite a bumps to turn them wild, which can be tricky to achieve in just three drops - though it can happen of course. The ten drop option gives you more room to manoeuvre, but it is pricey. At best, Bompers can produce wins of up to X,000 times the bet.

All up, Bompers is a genetically modified fruit themed slot, like none other out there. It's got the gameplay to match when it goes off, just make sure you've turned the sound up.