When I need a break from my party lifestyle, I love to rest my snout in a book to recharge my batteries. After all, who doesn’t love a page-turner? And one of my favourite authors is Conan Doyle, the bloke behind the legendary detective tales of Sherlock Holmes.
And what do you know? Rabcat and Microgaming have come out with a Sherlock in London slot that had me leaping off the sofa and onto the reels. Microgaming have teamed up with some great smaller design studios (the Tiki Vikings slot from JFW is another example). It’s proving to be a great strategy for them.
Finally! My chance to hang out with the famous detective himself.
So what did this master of suspense have in store? I was stoked to find that the game’s Wild unlocks a host of money-spinning bonuses. These extras include Connecting Wilds, Double Wins and Bonus Spins. And, that’s before you unlock 20 free spins with an enhanced free spins game. I’d have to say that the deerstalker hat would probably look better on me than him. No ****, Sherlock!
Look and Feel
The guys and gals behind this game’s gorgeous looks must be feeling pretty pleased with themselves. This slot is an absolute peach, very easy on the eye, I must say. And it’s not just the clever animations, the graphics are off the scale too. Just for the Win are behind games like the Rising Royals slot and they are well known for their design skills. This is another game that has had the beauty treatment.
There are no two ways about it, the Sherlock in London slot goes down smoother than an ice cold one on a hot day. You might recognise some of the London sites from Leaders of the Free Spins World game. Well, that´s if you manage to get into the Winston Churchill bonus that is.
Game Play
This Victorian-themed caper plays out over over 3 rows, 5 reels and 25 pay-lines. So far, so standard, but lets look under the bonnet shall we?
The brassy address plate icon for 221B Baker Street (the detective’s famed home) is the highest value standard icon. Land 5 of these on an active pay-line and you will snuffle out wins of 40x your wager. Right, with digits like those I’ve postponed my fridge raid and I am on those reels!
You will notice the other big-hitting icons are the major characters of the novels themselves. There’s ol’ trusty Dr Watson, Sherlock’s slightly lower IQ’s sidekick, Irene Adler (the love interest), Inspector Lestrade and Sherlock Holmes’s nemesis, Dr Moriarty.
The Ace through 10 of the card deck is shown against some arty Victorian architectural settings. These are the eye-catching lower value icons of the game.
The game’s Wild is the key to all the best bits of this crime drama. The main man, Sherlock Holmes, appears as the Wild on the reels in his famed deerstalker hat with a magnifying glass. You only need to land a single Wild to automatically receive a free spin. He’s one good egg, that gent.
There are also Free Spins symbols with the head of the sleuthing duo Holmes and Watson.
The Bonuses
Connecting Wilds
Just uncover more than one of the sleuth-master Sherlock Holmes Wilds onto the reels. Next, a super-smart Connecting Wild mechanic will spring into action. Now you’ll see the 2 Wilds joined together, connecting through a path of Wilds that arrive on the reels. Concentrate on the details my dear Watson, and we may well crack this!
Free Spins
10 Free Spins trigger when you land a trio or more of the Sherlock and Watson Free Spin icon anywhere in sight. During this mode, you will spot an animated chase between the criminals and our crime-busting detective. Now, any Wilds that land will expand to cover a whole reel. And that’s not all! In additiona, Dr Watson’s icon, true to character, will try to help by transforming into an additional Wild. And that’s not all, Dr Watson can also trigger 10 additional free spins. Wait up, that means that you could get your paws on 20 free spins if you play your reels right! “It’s long been an axiom of mine that the little things are the infinitely the most important”, as the great man once said. “It’s all in the details”, as I once said.
There’s a clever Double Win feature if you are able to persuade 2 Sherlock Wilds to land as neighbours on adjacent reels. This lucrative double act makes sure that all the wins you generate are doubled. And I thought it was too much amber necta that had me seeing double.
Maybe it’s time for a quick bit of shut-eye to keep my energy levels up for the next big thing.
Bonus Spin
You might also luck out with the Bonus Spin feature that triggers if you land a Sherlock Wild on reels 1 or 2. You will get a single or double free spin. And if you’re rolling in good luck and land more Wilds, each one will give you further free spin.
Summary
Sherlock of London slot brings a Victorian world to life with Rabcat’s clever design and animations. There’s a feast of bonus extras that make this journey into the fictional past potentially as lucrative as it is swanky if your luck in in. And, Sherlock, you know, wombats make excellent sidekicks if you get tired of the Watson, our names both begin with “W”.
Wombat Score: 4.5 out 5
A fictional feast. Cheers!