Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win

Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win is the latest in the Fortunator series from Playson. At first glance, there is nothing particularly outstanding about this game, and you might find yourself wondering if you can even be bothered to play ‘yet another fruit machine’. But hold on! There is a lot more to this classic Vegas style one-armed bandit than meets the eye, and Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win proves to be far more fast-paced and dynamic than we were expecting.

With 5 reels and 3 rows, this is a very typical setup for a slot game. And with just 10 fixed paylines, this feels like it's going to be quite a straightforward game. But where this title from Playson really comes alive is with the added extra of the Diamond Reel.

This is your key to the bonus round, where you can land that all-important Mystery Symbol and potentially pick up one of the 4 different jackpots. Not to mention, in the base game itself there are some pretty high-paying symbols on offer as well, so you don't have to trigger the bonus round in order to walk away with a decent win.

Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win certainly looks like a typical fruit machine, but the graphics are particularly crisp and vibrant, giving it a far more modern feel than some of the older and perhaps tired-looking Vegas-style slots. So as you can see, Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win is a classic fruit machine with a very modern and futuristic twist.

Design

Being a classic fruit machine, all the symbols you would expect are present and accounted for. As mentioned, the graphics are extremely slick, and we especially like the gold detailing on the BAR and dice symbols, as well as the border around the game.

Like a lot of its predecessors, Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win has no real soundtrack in the base game. Instead, you have some cranking noises that mimic a physical fruit machine. This is a bit of a shame, and it feels like Playson missed a trick here with an opportunity to spice up the gameplay a little.

And when you enter the bonus game, you're introduced to an inexplicable backing track of classical orchestra music that wouldn't be out of place in a tea room. A strange option, to say the least! That said, music aside, this game is still fast-paced, exciting and dynamic. And once the Diamond Reel in the middle gets going, you can look forward to a few more sound effects as you try to land those 3 diamond bonus symbols.

Overall, this is a good-looking fruit machine that will not win any points for original design, but it has enough special features added in to make it distinguishable from the countless other fruities on the market.

Gameplay

Playing Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win is not only easy but extremely fun. What we really like about this slot title is that the base game follows a very classic format, and you will get to grips with it in a matter of seconds. But with the Diamond Reel, bonus game and the possibility of 4 different jackpots all on offer, this will also suit slots fans who are after something a little extra from their gaming session.

If you are a beginner, you can click on the pay table to find out how to play and how each special feature works, but this is not a complicated slot to master and you’ll be au fait with Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win in absolutely no time at all. 

You can adjust your bet amount at the bottom of the screen, which will also change the jackpot amounts at the top. This means you can always see what is in reach at a glance. There is also the option to adjust some other settings, and you can't activate the autoplay feature if you wish. Just be aware that if you reside in the UK, autoplay will not be available to you.

Win Potential

Usually, fruit machines are not the most lucrative slot games. But that doesn't seem to be the case with Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win. With medium to high volatility, you might be waiting around for a payout for some time, but with the 7s paying out up to 100x your stake in the base game, plus the chance to land one of the 4 jackpots in the bonus round, this game has a lot more potential than many other fruities out there. 

Unfortunately, the RTP of this slot is 95.55%, which is a little shy of the 96% average. However, that's not to say that walking away with a decent prize is out of the question at all, and we believe that most players that give this a spin with a decent bet amount will be more than satisfied with the results of Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win.

Our Verdict

It’s fair to say that we were very pleasantly surprised by Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win. When you've been in the iGaming industry as long as we have, you often think you've seen it all, especially when it comes to fruit machines. But Playson has done a great job here of creating a classic and easy-to-play fruit machine with enough special features to keep even the fussiest slot fan happy. 

We love the Diamond Reel feature in the base game, and looking for the vibrant and colourful Mystery Symbol in the bonus round will certainly keep you on your toes. 

We feel that the low RTP of 95.55% lets this game down just a touch, but with medium to high volatility and a far greater win potential than most other similar games on the market, Ultra Fortunator: Hold & Win is certainly a contender for one of our new favourite fruities!