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NetEnt has released over 200 slots and other casino games
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They have won awards and are popular around the world
A Spotlight on the 5 Best Online Slots by NetEnt
NetEnt is one of the best-known brands for online casino games and, even though it was acquired by Evolution, continues to rank among the top software providers. Over the years, the brand won various awards, including ones for innovation and mobile slot development.
Several of its slots have also won awards, including Slot of the Year, and have helped to shape the genre by introducing innovative mechanics, bigger max payouts, and immersive animations.
1. Gonzo's Quest
Several features made Gonzo's Quest one of the most innovative slots in 2011. The game begins with a 3D-animated backstory which introduces the player to the protagonist, Gonzo. On a personal mission to find the lost city of gold, he appears throughout the game to provide additional humour and entertainment.
The 5x3 Gonzo's Quest slot grid was also full of unique features when it first appeared. Replacing reels with columns and spins with drops, the slot removes winning symbols to create fresh win opportunities during the same paid round. In addition, with every subsequent cascade, the base multiplier is increased until it reaches 5x. The game also includes a bonus round of 10 free falls which can be retriggered.
2. Aloha! Cluster Pays
The Hawaiian Islands and tiki masks seldom feature as slot themes, but these are not the only original features in Aloha! Cluster Pays online slot. When this slot was released in 2016, Cluster Pays mechanics were in their infancy but were becoming very popular thanks to their ability to deliver winning payouts without needing symbols to land on specific paylines.
The Cluster Pays mechanic plays an important role in Aloha! Cluster Pays. Whenever a win is created, the Sticky Win Re-Spins feature may activate, and if it does, triggers one or more respins that can grow the size of the winning cluster. This slot also features a round of free spins. Up to 12 can be triggered during the base game and up to four can be retriggered at a time while the bonus is active.
3. Starburst
When the Starburst slot was released in 2012, it surprised many players. The attention, however, was not due to the intergalactic theme or the futuristic soundtrack. The surprise was that this slot did not feature a round of free spins. At first, many players thought this game would quickly be forgotten, but it went on to shine brighter than the supernova that's featured in it.
The Starburst slot has seven standard symbols and 10 paylines. A colourful supernova is the game's wild and substitutes for any standard symbol to complete or grow a winning combination. When it lands on the grid, it expands to cover the entire reel and triggers a respin. If the respin leads to a new wild symbol, this too will expand and trigger yet another respin.
4. Dazzle Me
The Dazzle Me slot is another great example of NetEnt's inability or unwillingness to conform. Each of the five reels in this game has a different number of rows that range from three on the left to five on the right. The slot also has 76 paylines and just five standard symbols.
During the Dazzle Me slot base game, the Dazzling Wild Reels feature can activate randomly. When it does, it will introduce one or more overlay reels full of wild symbols. In addition to this bonus feature, the slot has a round of free spins that are triggered when three or more scatter symbols land on the grid. During this bonus, identical linked reels appear at the start of each new spin, increasing the likelihood of landing a winning combination.
5. Dead or Alive 2
Dead or Alive 2 is the sequel to another successful slot by NetEnt. This Wild West-themed slot features an impressive max win equal to 100,000x of your base wager. The 5x3 grid also has five wild symbols that substitute for any standard symbol to complete a winning combination. Moreover, landing three or more scatters during the base unlocks the bonus round, and you'll get a chance to choose which bonus to play.
All three Dead or Alive 2 bonus rounds have 12 free spins. Every type of bonus round has different modifiers or special features, such as multiplier wilds or a bonus progress bar. Some modifiers also allow additional free spins to trigger, but this feature is not present in all bonuses.
A Summary of the Best NetEnt Slots
These are NetEnt's top accomplishments conveniently summarised in a table.
|
Slot Name |
Max RTP |
Max Win |
Paylines |
|
Gonzo's Quest |
92.74% |
1,875x |
20 |
|
Aloha! Cluster Pays |
96.42% |
2,000x |
Cluster Pays |
|
Starburst |
96.10% |
500x |
10 |
|
Dazzle Me |
96.90% |
794.6x |
76 |
|
Dead or Alive 2 |
96.80% |
100,000x |
9 |
Key Takeaways
- NetEnt has become a leading software provider that's known for creating innovative slots that are full of entertaining features.
- Most NetEnt slots have higher RTPs than average, with the overall majority featuring percentages above 96%.
- Almost all top NetEnt online casino games feature one or more rounds of free spins. Starburst, however, does not offer this type of bonus but instead features an expanding wild that triggers respins.
- Several of the best NetEnt slots introduced innovative mechanics, such as Cluster Pays or Tumbling Features.
- You should always play online slots responsibly and never gamble money that you cannot afford to lose. Even though many NetEnt slots have high RTPs, this percentage offers no guarantees.