Superstar Sevens: Slot Overview
Software provider Hacksaw Gaming has heeded the call of history and designed the retro-themed slot Superstar Sevens. People acted differently in the past, and it's easy to knock them, but we wouldn't be here if not for our forebears, and when it comes to gambling, this means things like fruits and sevens and so forth. These things Superstar Sevens has, but it also comes with gameplay that is decidedly not classic, mixing it up with Super Cascades, multipliers, and a trio of bonus rounds.
Superstar Sevens pitches itself as 'a timeless arcade-style game that brings the retro age of casinos back to life.' This has resulted in an old-fashioned-ish looking game, but one which Hacksaw Gaming has put a lightly modernised spin on. The background's kind of plain, as retro slots often are, and the gaming grid lands a lot of classic yet jagged slot symbols. The music is a bit unusual, too; nothing wrong with it, but the tunes aren't as electric disco as some might have been expecting. The final product is retro, but with hints of originality that prevent it from being characterless.
Superstar Sevens has Super Cascades that not only remove winning symbols, but all matching symbols used in a win from the reels. It then cascades symbols down to fill the gaps and repeats if a new win appears. A medium volatile math model runs the game, which is available in four RTP variations, topping out at 96.37%. When betting, players can stake a minimum of $/€0.10 to a maximum of $/€100 per spin.
Classic yet funky-designed symbols are used in Superstar Sevens. They are 10-A, limes, dice, cherries, crowns, and diamonds. At 13+ OAK, winning combinations pay 15x to 100x the bet. The wild symbol substitutes for all symbols in the paytable.
Superstar Sevens: Slot Features
Superstar Sevens' features are its Cascade Counter, Reel Charge, Lucky Strike, and Juicy Joltz free spins rounds, plus several feature buys. It also has a Total Win Bar at the top of the reels tracking wins and multipliers.
Cascade Counter
The Cascade Counter is activated by landing a Lightning symbol and a win on the same spin. When activated, all non-winning symbols removed by Super Cascades are collected and converted into a multiplier. Each collected low pay non-winning symbol adds a +1 additive multiplier, and each collected high pay non-winning symbol contributes +2 to the Total Win Bar. The Cascade Counter is active at the end of the spin. When cascades end, the final win is multiplied by the multiplier value from the Cascade Counter. If an Epic Lightning symbol lands and there is a win in the Total Win Bar, the total win is multiplied by an additional multiplier of x5 to x100 at the end of the spin.
Reel Charge Bonus Game
Hitting 3 scatters triggers 10 Reel Charge free spins. It has an increased chance of landing Lightning and Epic Lightning symbols. In this and the other two bonus rounds, landing 2 or 3 scatters awards a further +2 or +4 free spins, respectively.
Lucky Strike Bonus Game
Landing 4 scatters triggers Lucky Strike with 10 free spins. On top of Reel Charge's mechanics, a Lightning symbol is guaranteed on every spin.
Juicy Joltz Hidden Epic Bonus
This feature is triggered by landing 5 FS scatters, awarding 10 free spins, which keeps the mechanics of Lucky Strike. In addition, the Total Win Bar is progressive, and the final win is awarded at the end of the round. Epic Lightning symbols cannot land in this round.
Feature Buys
BonusHunt FeatureSpins cost 3x the stake to make each spin 5 times more likely to trigger free spins, while Juiced! FeatureSpins cost 50x to guarantee at least one win and one landed Lightning symbol. Reel Charge may be bought for 100x or Lucky Strike for 250x the bet.
Superstar Sevens: Slot Verdict
Hacksaw Gaming has forged a reputation for being unpredictable at times, and Superstar Sevens is a slot that purports to be one thing, but is as much, if not more, something else. On the surface, it might be trying to pass itself off as a 'retro age' game, but take it for a spin, and it's soon apparent there is more going on under the bonnet than first meets the eye. Instead of being a simple homage to the golden age of gambling, the actual experience is more interestingly layered. Not to say this is complex, but Hacksaw Gaming has dealt the game a few pleasant surprises.
One is the way non-winning symbols that match winning symbols can be used to grow the Cascade Counter. The studio has combined this effect in the Total Win Bar in ways it has done in the past, but here, it is a little different since now you actually want winning and non-winning symbols hitting on the grid for a change. Of course, not all non-winning symbols will grow the counter. You still need landed Lightning symbols to activate the effect. This makes free spins desirable, since Lightning symbols are technically more likely to appear. Lightning Strike is even better since Lightning symbols are guaranteed, while Juicy Joltz is even more highly coveted since it acts like the Cradle of Chaos bonus from Pray for Six, holding everything in the Total Win Bar till the very end. Neat, though hidden, so good luck finding it.
So while Superstar Sevens isn't as fresh as it might have been, there are tweaks here that are worth a look. A 10,000x win cap helps, making Superstar Sevens a somewhat retro, somewhat modern slot with points of interest to draw the attention of the connoisseurs' eye.
Superstar Sevens dresses itself in retro style but sneaks in a few modern twists, resulting in a solid, lightly surprising slot that’s more interesting than it first appears.
