Big Bang Buckaroo

The Steam Punk genre is a rather awkward juxtaposition of the very old, steam-powered technology combined with the very modern post-modern punk movement.

That said, it has inspired some spectacular entertainment over the years and the latest is the Big Bang Buckaroo slot game from Rival Gaming.

The slot itself is steam-punk inspired, the title seems to put together the main theory with how the universe began, with a children's game where you place items on a donkey in the hope of avoiding it bucking and throwing the items off. A bit of a strange combination that makes one wonder what were they smoking at Rival Gaming.

Still, it would not be the first unusual slot with an odd name that is not really linked to the theme, but which still proves to be a fabulous game to play. So how does Big Bang Buckaroo stand up to a closer look? Let's find out.

Overview

• Game: Big Bang Buckaroo
• Developer: Rival Gaming
• Reels: 3
• Pay Lines: 5 (selectable)
• Minimum Bet: $0.01
• Maximum Bet: $75.00
• Jackpot: 7,500 coins
• Free Spins Bonus No
• Other Bonuses: No
• Progressive: No
• Volatility: Medium

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Presentation

One of the most pleasing aspects of the Big Bang Buckaroo's presentation is that everything you need is on the screen in front of you. The pay table is constantly displayed to the left of the reels, so you can see instantly what the top prizes are for each combination of symbols.

A quick word here about the sound in the Big Bang Buckaroo slot and that is that it is superb. There is a satisfying whirring sound when the reels spin, which is very different to the standard reel noise, and add to that a gentle soundtrack and gunshots and other sound effects that trigger when you land wins and it provides the perfect ambient backdrop to the slot.

The graphics are in the steam-punk design and at the top of the reels you can see an assortment of cogs and levers, which are presumably linked to the robotic cowboy who is the main protagonist for the slot. Everything has a metallic, industrial feel and if that is the look Rival Gaming wanted for the slot, then they have hit the nail squarely on the head.

What's on the reels?

There are not actually that many symbols on the reels in the Big Bang Buckaroo slot. There is the Sheriff's star, which again alludes to the Old West, then there are three different Bar symbols, Single, Double and Treble. There are also three different colored Lucky 7 symbols (green, purple and yellow) and lastly, the Wild symbol.

The sheriff's star offers pays for just two symbols as well as three, but two symbol pay outs are small.  You can also land regular smaller value wins by landing any of the three bar symbols, or any of the three Lucky Seven symbols across any of the five pay lines. This happens often in the slot, but it does only produce small value wins, often less than what you bet initially to get the reels spinning.

You can select up to five pay lines to have in play and having all five certainly makes the game more exciting and gives you a better chance of winning, but does increase your standard bet size, so you may need to adjust the value of your coin to get the best out of this medium variance slot.

Wild features

The only other symbol on the reels is the Wild symbol which is the robotic cowboy symbol. This is by far the highest paying symbol in the game paying either 400, 800 or 1,500 coins depending on whether you play 1, 2 or 3 coins per spin (again, I'd strongly recommend the latter).

In addition to offering the biggest pay out, this symbol also acts as the in-game Wild and can substitute for any of the other symbols to create additional wins. This feature triggers relatively frequently and can lead the way to some useful higher value wins in the base game.

Free Spins features

There is no Free Spins bonus game on the Big Bang Buckaroo slot.

Other bonus features

Other than the Wild symbol listed above, there are no additional features on the Big Bang Buckaroo slot.

Best feature of the Big Bang Buckaroo slot

I have to admit that Big Bang Buckaroo is certainly one of the most unusual slots I've come across in recent times (and I have come across a great number of games). It's certainly a more retro-styled game with only one bonus feature, the Wild, which does improve the game considerably when it is landed. Although it is an unusual slot, I do rather like the styling and presentation too and although I can't claim to even begin to understand what it is about (the closest I can come is a steam-punk cowboy inspired robot that likes to shoot guns) I think it works rather nicely. The game is presented well and its unusual theme certainly makes it memorable.

What does the Big Bang Buckaroo slot lack?

The key thing that will go against the Big Bang Buckaroo slot is its lack of Free Spins game, but if you are looking for a retro-game, then free spins may not be the be-all and end-all of your requirements. There's no denying that there's not as much to try and activate in this slot, but the regular wins in the base game mean that there's still plenty happening. However, the lack of a tangible bonus feature does make you feel like there's not a lot to get excited about in the game.

Conclusion

There's no denying that Big Bang Buckaroo is a quirky, imaginative slot which is based on a very unusual theme and which is predominantly aimed at retro-styled players. If you want a modern game with lots of bonuses, then this isn't the slot for you. However, if you want to play an unusual slot with a style that you won't have come across before but which still offers the chance of a decent sized jackpot win, then Big Bang Buckaroo is worth a closer look.

Ratings

• Presentation: 15 / 20 - This is a very unusual steam-punk crossed with a mechanical cowboy themed slot and although it sounds very weird, the actual end result has been nicely done. The music and sound effects when you win are excellent and the soundtrack to the game is nice and relaxing. The graphics capture the steam-punk heart of the slot very nicely too and all in all, the presentation is excellent.
• Game-Play: 13 / 20 - The one criticism I have of the game-play is that without the goal of trying to activate a bonus feature, it does get somewhat repetitive. However, in terms of winning on the reels, you do win relatively frequently, especially if you play with the maximum number of pay lines in play. That does make the game more exciting to play, however it must be said that the value of most of the wins is generally less than what you pay to get the reels spinning in the first place.
• Bonus Features: 5 / 20 - There's just the one bonus feature in the Big Bang Buckaroo slot and that is the in game Wild. This however does crop up regularly on the reels and when you land more than one, it can trigger some of the better value wins in the base game and of course, three or more of them will land you the jackpot win. However with no free spins or any other bonus features, this is where the slot really doesn't compare too favorably with more modern-styled games.
• Entertainment Factor: 13 / 20 - I think initially, the slot looks so different and plays in an unusual style that you are entertained but to be truthful, after a while this does start to wear off and it then becomes like most other retro-styled slots. The regular wins in the base game do make this an enjoyable slot in terms of winning but the big caveat with that is that the value of the wins tends to be very small most of the time.
• Play Value: 12 / 20 - As a medium variance game, this is not going to score very highly in terms of play value but the good news here is that if you play with the maximum number of lines in play, then you can win relatively frequently. The problem with that though is that the majority of wins are very small and don't cover your initial bet. They are interspersed with some bigger value wins though, so patience is a virtue when playing this slot.
• Overall 58 / 100 - There's lots to like with the Big Bang Buckaroo slot. It's a great idea for a slot, very unusual, but realized very nicely. It is a retro-styled game and it does have an instant appeal with eye-catching graphics and excellent sound. However, I feel that in terms of longer term appeal, this is a game you'll play for a little while before moving on to something that has a little more meat on the bones.

Good Luck!

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