Max Spinwell Temple Explorer (Northern Lights Gaming) Slot Review

Max Spinwell Temple Explorer: Slot Overview

Max Spinwell is the name given to the moustachioed lawman who has appeared in eight editions of Northern Lights Gaming's Unusual Suspects slot range. He's fought crime, caught fish, gone West, busted cartels, and even gone Greek. Apparently, he's done enough for the forces of good to star in a game that bears his own name. The slot is Max Spinwell Temple Explorer, which sends Max on an expedition to Central/South America, adventuring, solving mysteries, discovering old wonders, taking a break from crime, all that sort of thing.

Northern Lights Gaming has picked a bright part of the outdoors to host Max Spinwell Temple Explorer, but there won't be much here for well-travelled gamblers to tick off their travel bucket list. A temple looms over the reels in the background, behind a map that charts players' journey through unlocking features, and a cluster of jackpot prizes sits to the left. Trigger free spins and play transfers from day to night, and while everything looks nice enough, there isn't much visually unmissable, except perhaps Max in his adventure shorts. On the other hand, there certainly isn't anything here that is visually off-putting either, onward we go.

The adventure begins after picking a stake of $/€0.20 to $/€40, where certain features get unlocked in 50 spin batches on the 5x4, 20-payline grid. Northern Lights Gaming has designed three RTP variants depending on the market, topped by a 96.09% value generated by its medium volatile math model.

The pay symbols consist of five gems on the low side, then binoculars, compasses, bags, and maps on the high side. Landing a 5 OAK winning combination pays 1.5x to 5x the bet. Wilds substitute for all regular symbols and pay 5x when five wilds create a win.

Max Spinwell Temple Explorer: Slot Features

Trek around the bush long enough and you may bump into the five features unlocked upon unlocking all five levels, free spins, super free spins, jackpots, and a feature buy.

Temple Explorer Levels

The spin counter displays the number of spins until the next level is unlocked:

• Level 1 - Cash Collect is available from the first spin. The Cash Collect symbol lands only on the rightmost reel. It is wild and collects all Coin values. Silver Coins are worth up to 3x while Gold Coins are worth up to 50x. Silver Coins can be upgraded to Gold Coins by the Coin Multiplier.
• Level 2 - Idol Bonus is unlocked after 50 spins. Randomly at the start of a spin, the Idol above the reels activates, spawning Coins or wilds onto the middle three reels. If Coins spawn, the Cash Collect symbol will land.
• Level 3 - Walking Collect is unlocked after 50 more spins. Landing this symbol on the rightmost reel triggers the Walking Collect feature. The reels respin, and all Walking Collect symbols move left 1 position on each respin, collecting Coin values. This ends when the symbol exits the grid.
• Level 4 - Respin Collector is unlocked after 50 more spins. Landing the Respin Collector symbol on the rightmost reel holds it in place. Each position that is not held respins to land Coins or blanks. Coins are held. This continues till no new Coins land or all positions are filled, then Coins are collected.
• Level 5 - Super Free Spins are unlocked after 50 more spins, and the super scatter becomes available. The regular scatter does not appear once the super scatter is unlocked.

Free Spins & Super Free Spins

Landing 3 scatters triggers 10 free spins. During the round, hitting 2 scatters on reels 2 and 4 triggers +5 free spins. The bonus starts with a 1x2 sticky Cash Collect symbol in the middle of reel 3, which is wild. On each spin, it collects all Coin values. The Super free spins are triggered and retriggered the same way as regular free spins, but by the super scatter when it is available. It also starts with a sticky Cash Collect symbol, but this symbol can expand to fill the middle reel, and Coins are guaranteed on every super free spin.

Coin Multiplier & Jackpot

The Coin Multiplier is available in regular free spins and super free spins. Each time Coins are collected, the Coin Multiplier increases by +1. The Coin Multiplier applies to all Coins that land before they are collected. Each Coin not collected by the Cash Collect gets collected into the Jackpot Chest instead. When one or more Coins are collected this way, there is a chance of triggering the Jackpot Bonus. When triggered, a wheel spins to award 1 of 4 Jackpots - the 10x Mini, 50x Minor, 1,000x Major, or the 5,000x Grand.

Feature Buy

It is possible to buy free spins for 100x the stake or super free spins for 200x.

Max Spinwell Temple Explorer: Slot Verdict

Max has made the shift from lawman to explorer without a hitch, and acting as sheriff, fisherman, and more during his time might have smoothed the transition. Brave of Northern Lights Gaming to move away from the Unusual Suspects name, though whether this is a total rebrand or a parallel series, we'll just have to wait and see. In either case, Max was already the star, and he's quite a recognisable character in the world of slots, who looks like a reliable bloke, as adept at stopping crime as uncovering ancient mysteries.

There isn't a ton of mystery when it comes to Max Spinwell Temple Explorer's features, though. The heart of the game is collecting Coins, which is a popular, if common, mechanic. The progression feature adds a motivational element as players grind through the first 200 spins to unlock various extras. The unlockable parts offer a measure of diversity as they range from different collect effects, spawning action, and the super scatter symbol. Not having all the extras available from the first spin might irk some people, but with the spin counter on display, and progress tracked on a map giving the game an adventure aspect, and it's not like wandering around lost in the bush, players do know exactly where they stand.

So, for his first headliner, Max Spinwell Temple Explorer is a cheerful slot, but if you're over Coin collecting and aren't interested in localised jackpot prizes, then forget it. However, it would seem a lot of gamblers do enjoy this sort of stuff, and Max Spinwell Temple Explorer offers an upbeat alternative for those tracking Max's career progression, and who enjoy a sense of progressive achievement in their sessions, as well as a max win of 5,000x.