Fire In The Hole Slot
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Do dwarves use dynamite? Apparently, yes. Fire in the Hole xBomb is an online slot from Stockholm-based casino software developers, Nolimit. On first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking the game is set in the Wild West and based on the mighty Gold Rush of the mid-1850s.
- Abundance of bonus features.
- 60,000x max win.
- Exciting, varied gameplay.
- Can be confusing at first.
- High volatility.
Although a popular theme, on closer inspection, you soon discover the leading man is – in fact – a dwarf; a flame-haired, bearded, vertically-challenged, dude who likes beer, gold, and blowing stuff up. Your goal is to spin him in the right direction and mine some money. This is well-engineered game from an operation that knows its stuff. Nolimit is part of the mighty Evolution Group, which is also home to online casino greats like NetEnt, Big Time Gaming, and Red Tiger.
You might be only three feet tall and stuck in a tunnel, 800 feet underground, but you are in safe hands with these giants by your side. Ready to dig in? Grab a pick and let’s begin…
Fire In The Hole Slot Look And Feel
Fire in the Hole xBomb is set deep underground in a sombre, candlelit, tunnel. Graphically, you could argue it’s a little confused; these dwarven digs are more California Goldrush than Lord of the Rings. Whatever: it’s atmospheric and lots of fun to play.
The gameplay is quick and responsive. The sound effects are explosive. The music is on point: suitably majestic, mysterious, and cinematic. The leading dwarf is – literally – a blast. Hit a big win and he goes kaboom! The key innovation with the Fire in the Hole xBomb slot is its shifting grid. More on this below.
How To Play Fire In The Hole Slot
Fire in the Hole xBomb is an avalanche-style game with collapsing symbols. When you win, the winning icons are immediately replaced; often leading to multiple wins from a single spin.
It gets better. Initially, the game starts with six vertical reels in a six by three grid. You win, when you match any three identical symbols on adjacent reels. On the first spin, there are 64 potential winning combinations.
However, if you hit a winning payline, a new horizontal line opens up. Now the grid is 6 x 4, with even more ways to win. If you blast open the maximum number of horizontal lines, you end up
with a six-by-six grid and 46,656 potential winning combinations. It’s a very cool flip of the ever-popular Megaways mechanic.
The xBomb reference in the game’s title comes as a wild. One wild simply explodes, creating more possible wins from a spin. It doesn’t need a winning combination. It simply blasts in a fresh set of symbols. When it explodes, another horizontal layer comes into play. The other wild is triggered by matching adjacent symbols that do not form a winning line; that is: they don’t start on the far left-hand reel. These wilds explode, unlocking more potential wins. The other key icon is the scatter – a gold nugget. Three or more, of these chunks of awesome ore, activates the Lucky Wagons Spins feature.
Fire in the Hole Symbols
The Fire in the Hole xBomb online slot portfolio of symbols is full of everything you need for a hard day’s graft down t’pit (as they say ooop north). The base symbols are the standard playing card icons, from nine to King. Next up, the tools of the trade: a pickaxe, rope, boots, saddlebag, and a lantern. The wild is an explosive charge. Coal fills the gaps when no symbol appears.
The symbol you really want to see is the golden coin/nugget. This is the Fire in the Hole xBomb scatter. Three or more activates the Luck Wagon Spins bonus game.
In Summary
Fire in the Hole xBomb is a beautifully put together game, from a developer with some serious pedigree. Collapsing online slots always offer that promise of multiple. It’s what makes them so alluring. You can also choose to buy the bonus with this game. It’s a shortcut, but make sure you understand the risk.
One thing: as much as we *ahem* ‘dig’ this game, the branding is a little confusing. The dwarf looks like a hillbilly and this game feels like the Wild West. Annoying, if you spent a lot of time researching the great California Goldrush, of the late 19th century, before realising it’s (apparently) a game about a dwarf. Hey ho, hey ho… it’s off to work we go…