Hotline from NetEnt: Slot Review - are you ready for the chase?

If you grew up in the 80s then you would certainly have heard of the hit TV show Miami Vice. This famous crime series was set on the streets of Miami as it followed two streetwise detectives stopping criminals at every turn. This latest release from popular software studio NetEnt draws inspiration from the show as you accompany two cops called Quinn and Rivera (who look remarkably similar to Crocket and Tubbs) as they track down Kitty Weiss who is about to pull off one of the biggest heists ever seen in Miami. Will Quinn and Rivera stop her time or will Kitty speed off into the sunset with a car stuffed full of tiaras and necklaces?

Hotline is a 5 reel 30 payline slot and comes with Respins, Free Spins, Expanding Wilds, and a Bonus Bet feature.

Special Features

The first feature to highlight is the Hotline Bonus Bet. This is an entirely new feature introduced by NetEnt as it allows you to place bigger bets by activating the 3 rows (Hotlines) in the game. One Hotline is automatically set in the base game and allows you to place 15 coins per bet level. When you activate 2 Hotlines then the game is played with 30 coins per bet level and 3 Hotlines lets you play with a whopping 45 coins per bet level. The more Hotlines you activate the more likely you are to win with Expanding Wilds and Respins.

The Wild symbol in the game is illustrated by a shiny red sports car and substitutes for all symbols except the Scatter symbol to help contribute to winning combinations on the reels. If this symbol lands on an activated Hotline then it will expand to cover the entire reel and award a free Respin to further enhance your chances of landing a big payout. Additional Respins follow when you land new Wilds with the expanded Wilds locking into place until the Respins end.

The Scatter symbol is depicted by a sunset background with the word ‘Scatter’ displayed inside. If you manage to land 3 Scatters anywhere on reels 1, 3, and 5 then you will trigger the Free Spins bonus game. In this feature, you will be awarded 7 Free Spins and if a Wild lands on an activated Hotline then it will proceed to expand to cover the entire reel and will remain in place until the end of the Free Spins. Additional Free Spins can be awarded by landing more Scatters while in this bonus game.

Theme, Graphics and Sound

The game features highly quality graphics and a very slick presentation as it places players right on the streets of Miami with palm trees, a dusky sky, and a hotel in the background. Symbols are bright and colourful and consist of the two cops Rivera and Quinn, the baddie Kitty Weiss, and an assortment of expensive jewellery including rings, necklaces, and tiaras. The animations are excellent as symbols burst into life when part of a winning combination and players are treated to a fantastic action-packed intro video when you load the game up for the first time.

The music is fast-paced with a real 80s vibe to it. It suits the old-school theme of the game perfectly.

Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots

The game features 30 paylines, an RTP ranging between of 96.13% - 97.04%, and a low maximum payout worth 400X your initial wager.

Below is a summary taken from the PayOut Table from the game. The amount won for each combination depends on the value of the bet when you spin the reels.

Bet Range: 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60, 0.75, 0.90, 1.05, 1.20, 1.35, 1.50, 1.80, 2.10, 2.25, 2.40, 2.70, 3.00, 3.75, 4.50, 5.25, 6.00, 6.75, 7.50, 9.00, 10.50..450.00

• Kitty Weiss Symbol: 30 for 3X, 90 for 4X, 200 for 5X
• Rivera Symbol: 20 for 3X, 50 for 4X, 120 for 5X
• Quinn Symbol: 10 for 3X, 30 for 4X, 80 for 5X
• Tiara Symbol: 5 for 3X, 20 for 4X, 30 for 5X
• Necklace Symbol: 5 for 3X, 15 for 4X, 25 for 5X
• Ring Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X, 20 for 5X

Our Verdict on Hotline

NetEnt created this action-packed slot and it’s a fine tribute to the 1980s and more importantly Miami Vice. The game is beautifully designed, very easy to play, and contains the right amount of bonus features to keep the action ticking over nicely. The highly innovative Hotline Bonus Bet feature can really increase your chances of landing some huge payouts in this game but just remember you have to place bigger bets in order to activate each Hotline. I was able to trigger the Free Spins feature quite a few times while playing and it’s fantastic that Expanding Wilds remain in place for the duration of this bonus game. I found this game to be of Low to Medium variance so it won’t take you that long to land a win on the reels but the payouts do err on the small side. For slots with a similar cops and robbers theme, check out The Heat is On and The Wild Chase.

Make the heist of the century when you play Hotline!