The Family Board Game Bought to Life in Two WMS Slots
The Game of Life board game has a long history. This was originally created in the 1800’s – and became popular after its re-release in 1960. While this game (which involved getting married, careers and saving for a house) seems dated these days – it does make for an entertaining slot.
WMS have a track record in bringing slot games to life. Other titles include Clue, Mousetrap and the various Monopoly themed slots. The two Game of Life slots are complex and entertaining. Both include board game bonus rounds, free spins – and an element of progressing along different career paths.
Here is what to expect from the original and updated Game of Life: Pay Day slots:
- Board Game Bonuses: Move around a board, collecting cash wins, multipliers and extra features.
- Progressive Element: Move along career path in aerospace, entertainment or even police work.
- Pay Day Bonuses: Increasing prizes as you pay, with wins getting the bigger amounts.
- Free Spins Bonuses: Get multipliers on top of your wins.
- Card Pick Bonus: Choose cards for extra prizes which depend on your career rank.
Game of Life: Pay Day Bonuses
An on-reel feature can boost your wins in the newer of the two Game of Life slots. Above reels 2 through 5 you will see letters (L, I, F and E) along with win amounts. Each time you get a special symbol on reel 1 with an arrow pointing right – any Game of Life symbols show a letter. This moves to the meters, boosting the win for each one.
When you then get a line hit with special symbols with blue surrounds, you are awarded one of these – depending on whether you hit 3, 4 or 5 of a kind. If you get the ‘Take a Break’ symbols, the meters reset.
A second progressive element comes with some entertaining animations. You enhance career paths as you play. These include aerospace (you go from flight crew to captain) and entertainment (from DJ to Hollywood star). The better your rank, the bigger your wins in the different bonus games.
Three logo symbols will trigger the board game feature. This involves a figure-8 style board, which you will randomly move along. You get cash awards depending on your career rank in different disciplines. You can also win a card picks game, which has even more opportunities to win.
Original Game of Life Slots Bonuses
There is still a progressive element, though this works in a different way. When you trigger the free spins, you can enhance the wins for different coloured avatars, representing the professions. You are awarded these (which can come with multipliers) when you get special symbols on the reels. In addition, the free spins bonus comes with win multipliers that change every spin. These can go as high as 10x – and also apply to the career wins.
Board game bonuses are on a huge screen, which spans two slots. Again, you move around at random, and can win cash prizes and further bonus games (for example the card-picks game).
Base Game Setup of Game of Life Slots
While the bonus games are progressive elements make these slots complex – the base game is relatively simple. You’ll spin on a 5×3 grid, with small avatars the main winning symbols. There are 40 win-lines, with bets in multiples of 40c.
Higher paying symbols include the career icons (which change as you move up ranks), and cartoon animals which reference the family life on which this slot is based.
Avatars Come to Life: Design
There are some entertaining elements to the design which involve the bobble-head style coloured avatars. You might see the captain entering an aircraft, or two DJs working their decks. These are lively slots – there is a lot going on all the time. Letters moving upwards, animated symbols and special arrow symbols on reel 1 all contribute to the intense feel.
On the original Game of Life slots, the board game bonus is visually impressive – as well as huge. This moves around as you travel, shifting your perspective. On the newer version, the board is smaller (on the upper screen of a single cabinet), though still well produced.
Will You Succeed in the Game of Life?
I found the game-play of these slots harder to follow than normal. There is so much going on every spin, that you’ll need a couple of sessions to understand all the elements. In addition to the entertaining animations, the Game of Life slots have plenty of big win potential. With progressive elements where your wins get better as you play, picks games, free spins and the board game bonus – you might just end up with a win that could change your life!
