Colt Lightning Inferno

Colt Lightning Inferno: Slot Overview

Casino game maker Play'n GO has saddled up to go galloping across rugged outdoor terrain in the online slot Colt Lightning Inferno. This is the third time the studio has done so in this series, having previously explored the unique connection between horse and lightning in Colt Lightning (2023) and a year or so later in Colt Lightning Firestorm. What separates this iteration from the previous two is the addition of a hold 'n' win round, which can award four different jackpot values. Maybe not the most exciting evolution that some fans may have been hoping to see, given the divisive nature of fixed local jackpots, but that's not going to stop us saddling up to inspect part three.

Colt Lightning slots are 'get out there on the range' type games, where the air is clean, and there are no signs of human habitation as far as the eye can see. It's a place where animals roam free, especially the central Colt figure, galloping about in the base game before being transformed into the mythical Fire Colt in free spins, where it not only looks cool but is also worth a lot more. Colt Lightning Inferno takes place on a dark and moody day with a storm brewing up above, teetering on the edge of unleashing lightning and thunder onto the parched ground below. A sense of movement occurs in free spins as the game grid flies at high speed across the ground, a little dizzying if you stare at it too long. Part nature, part magical, the Colt Lightning range has found its niche and is clinging on to it like a lichen to rock.

In the base game, a 5x4, 1,024 ways to win game grid plays out the action, while in free spins, an extra row is added to make it 5x5, 3,125 ways to win. They have all been highly volatile, Colt Lightning Inferno included, and it has a top RTP of 96.2%. There is a single way to play, and that is betting $/€0.10 to $/€100 on each spin.

Colt Lightning Inferno's pay symbols include 10-A royals, snakes, wolves, cougars, and eagles, paying 1.2x to 4x the bet for 5 OAK. The most valuable pay symbol in the base game is the Colt, worth 8x for 5-of-a-kind, which transforms into a Fire Colt during free spins that is worth double the value. The game's wild symbol replaces all regular paying symbols.

Colt Lightning Inferno: Slot Features

In the features department, Colt Lightning Inferno has Inferno Core collecting, a Hold n' Load bonus, Lightning Blaze, and free spins.

Inferno Core

The Inferno Core collects Bonus Inferno Coins when they land. Coins come in three types: Reward Boost, Power Boost, or Mystery Boost. Reward Boosts have multiplier values of x1-x5 awarded during the Hold n' Load feature. Power Boosts include the Mini 10x, Minor 25x, Major 250x, and the Grand 1,000x, though they do not appear in the base game. Mystery Boosts collected by the Inferno Core reveal a Reward Boost or Power Boost, but only during the Hold n' Load round.

Hold n' Load

The Hold n' Load can be triggered in the base game when a Bonus Inferno Coin is collected. During it, only Bonus Inferno Coins may land, and they stick to the reels. 3 respins are awarded, and each time a Bonus Inferno Coin lands on active rows, the count resets to 3. Landing a Grand on the reels or filling all 40 positions with Coins guarantees the Grand award.

Initially, the top four rows are locked. The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th rows are unlocked by collecting 3, 10, 15, and 20 Bonus Inferno Coins, respectively. Coins that land in locked rows, or are activated when rows are unlocked, do not contribute to unlocking rows and do not reset the spin count. The Extra Boost feature can also trigger. Three to five x2 multipliers can randomly appear and stick to any position. Once a position has an x2 multiplier, no additional multiplier can appear on it.

Lightning Blaze

This is triggered when a Horseshoe symbol lands on reel 3. It causes 3 to 20 Fire Frames to appear on the reels, transforming symbols into one of the animal symbols.

Fire Free Spins

Landing 3 scatters triggers 8 free spins. During free spins, all Colts become Fire Colts and one row is added to the grid. Landing a Fire Ball scatter awards +1 spin up to 47 spins at the most. If a Horseshoe lands on the middle reel, it adds 1 to 4 Fire Frames that stick to the reels. At the end of Fire Free Spins, all Fire Frames in view transform into one of the animal symbols.

Colt Lightning Inferno: Slot Verdict

Colt Lightning Inferno continues Play'n GO's series of high-voltage, horse-themed slots, yet it falls back on familiar mechanics rather than trot over new ground. The series' signature look, all rugged wilderness and main Colt character, is as attractive as before, with the transition to Fire Colt for free spins providing another satisfying visual twist. However, since this is the third time around and all, the novelty has worn thinner, not only in terms of the presentation, but also some of the features accompanying the game are starting to feel a little worn as well.

One of the main ho hums from the review is that the new bits are essentially a pretty average hold 'n' win round with a few jackpots on the side. Nothing wrong with them as such, but they fail to really elevate the game past what the second Colt Lightning had to offer. In fact, the high point is arguably collecting Lightning Frames during free spins before filling them all with the same symbol at the end. With jackpots and cash symbols hogging some of the RTP now, that all-or-nothing final free spin has potentially been diluted as a result. The max win claims remain astronomical, however, where on paper, the max exposure has been listed as 50,000x the bet.

Realistic or not (not really), that is a figure which should grab the attention of the big numbers people, and Colt Lightning Inferno's artwork is of a high enough standard to hold on to it. However, the features aren't strong enough to give the franchise a major uptick. The ride should be bumpy enough to thrill those who have enjoyed what's preceded Colt Lightning Inferno, depending on how the hold 'n' win and jackpots are viewed, but sceptics are unlikely to be won over by the latest additions.