Astronaut Review
The best way to think of Astronaut is perhaps as a mixture of High/Low and a crash game. You get a lot more input than usual but you can only get the sequence going when you hit a green gem. This is the major downside to this slot as it’s possible to hit a run of red gems that present no option to win. Then again, it is a slot and we all kind of accept that eventuality before we play, right?
Design
It’s a fairly familiar space theme with the reel sitting among the prize tube as the cosmos drifts slowly by. The symbols are suspended on the only reel and they bob away waiting for the next spin. The soundtrack kicks off with a kind of 90s ‘prodigy’ vibe before settling down into a calm groove. Nothing mind-blowing, but nice enough!
Game Play
If you aren’t quite sure what’s going on even after reading the rules and/or this review, the best thing to do is lower the stake down to the 20p minimum and let it get going for a while—you’ll soon figure it out.
The game’s 'help' section also has a guide to when it’s best to cash out or gamble, depending on where you are in the sequence. You can always take a screengrab and check that out before making your next move.
Win Potential
Despite the lack of features and other regular elements—reels, for example—Astronaut still gives you a fantastic opportunity to hit an enormous win of up to 48,000x. The volatility is high and the hit rate is very low, so your balance could take a bruising as the red gems arrive, but the upside is that wins can grow very large very quickly. The RTP is a little under 96%, which is about right.
Our Verdict
Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that the win potential is huge but for many fans it's about the journey as much as the destination and this may or may not be their proverbial cup of tea. You might hit the Astronaut spin button once and walk away, or you could be sat there for a while grinning with delight as this game’s simple concept captures your imagination.
Paul spent plenty of time in arcades up and down the UK discovering all of the best fruit machines and watching them grow into the incredible online slots we see today. He still loves the basic format but also has a soft spot for games with big bonus rounds that progress as you play. Immortal Romance is one of his favourite slots of all time.
Learn more about Paul here