Double Stacks from NetEnt: Slot Review - stack'em up to win really big!

Fruit machine based online slots remain as popular as ever in a thriving online casino world as software developers constantly release games on a daily basis revolving around this classic theme. This latest release from software giants NetEnt is another one to add to the mix as this game focuses entirely on fruit machine symbols which are presented by smart neon-style graphics and feature a wide selection of fruity stacked symbols. Read on to find out if this online slot has what it takes to make it really stand out from the crowd?

Double Stacks is a 5 reel slot with 10 paylines and comes with Free Spins, Stacked Symbols, and a Double Stacks Feature.

Special Features

The first feature to discuss is that the 4 highest paying symbols (Diamonds, 7s, Bars, Bells) appear stacked on the reels in the main game. Stacked symbols greatly boost your chances of landing a big win on the reels especially when you land a bunch of them together on one spin.

The obligatory Wild symbol is represented by a gold star with the word ‘Wild’ displayed inside. Like most Wild symbols, the main job of this symbol is to substitute for all other symbols apart from the Scatter to help form winning combinations on the reels.

Whenever a reel stops and all the stacked symbols on it are identical then all the symbols on the reel will double to count as two symbols instead of one. This is known as the Double Stacks feature. This makes it possible to land 10 of kind winning combinations. Manage to fill all 5 reels with identical double stacked symbols then you will win the maximum payout displayed beside the appropriate stacked symbol which is located just above the reels. If you are lucky enough to fill the reels with double Diamond symbols then you will take home the top prize of 1,000X your total bet!

The Scatter symbol is depicted by the word ‘Scatter’ surrounded by a pink and blueish circle. Land 3 or more of these symbols anywhere on the reels to activate the Free Spins feature. It goes without saying, the more Scatters you land then the more Free Spins you will receive. 3 Scatters awards 5 Free Spins, 4 will give you 15 Free Spins, and 5 Scatters will give you a nice set of 30 Free Spins. During this feature, Wild symbols will also appear on the reels as normal symbols or in stacks. This is a nice addition to this feature as it makes things super easy to fill the reels with just 1 specific symbol. It is also possible to retrigger Free Spins by landing additional Scatters during this feature. For example, getting 2, 3, 4, or 5 Scatters awards 2, 5, 15, or 30 extra Free Spins.

Theme, Graphics and Sound

The game has a real retro feel to it with an almost 80s colour scheme consisting of soft pinks, bright oranges, and radiant yellows. The reels feature a stylish purple design and the background of the game is a swirling reddish pink pattern. Symbols are wonderfully created and a nod to fruit machine games of the past. They consist of Diamonds, Bars, 7s, Bells, Cherries, Plums, Lemons, and Watermelons. The animations are superb as symbols dazzle and sparkle brightly when part of a winning combination on the reels. I especially like whenever you trigger the Free Spins feature, a smart intro video sequence will kick in.

The music is ambient and quite soothing with lots of soft techno sounds. It ties in really well with the classic fruit machine theme of the game.

Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots

The game features 10 paylines, a fairly respectable RTP of 96.10%, and has a maximum payout worth 1,000X 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: 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, 0.50, 0.60, 0.70, 0.80, 0.90, 1.00, 1.20, 1.40, 1.50, 1.80, 2.00, 2.50, 3.00, 4.00, 4.50, 5.00, 6.00, 7.00, 8.00..200.00

• Blue Diamond Symbol: 15 for 3X, 30 for 4X..250 for 9X, 1,000 for 10X
• Lucky 7 Symbol: 10 for 3X, 20 for 4X..175 for 9X, 500 for 10X
• Bar Symbol: 10 for 3X, 15 for 4X..120 for 9X, 250 for 10X
• Liberty Bell Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X..80 for 9X, 100 for 10X
• Cherry Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X..50 for 8X, 60 for 9X
• Plum Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X..50 for 9X, 60 for 9X
• Lemon Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X..50 for 9X, 60 for 9X
• Watermelon Symbol: 5 for 3X, 10 for 4X..50 for 9X, 60 for 9X

Our Verdict on Double Stacks

This game comes from NetEnt and is quite a simple slot to play but also very enjoyable too. Double Stacks features cracking visuals, a hypnotic soundtrack, as well as a decent amount of features. Make no mistake, this game is all about the lucrative Stacked Symbols which make it nice and handy to fill the reels with the same matching symbol. The highlight of the game is the Free Spins feature which can take quite a few spins to trigger but is definitely worth your patience as the Wild becomes stacked here to really increase your chances of landing a massive payout cash prize. In terms of variance, I found this slot to be Medium so it won’t take you too long to see a profitable return on the reels. For slots with a similar classic fruit machine theme, check out Jackpot Jester 200,000 and Electric Tiger.

Rack up one big win after another on the reels when you play Double Stacks!