The Dead or Alive slot machine game is a popular video slots release from NetEnt, a renowned Swedish gaming developer. This 5-reel, 9-payline online slot is set against the backdrop of the Wild West, an era known for its rugged lawmen and outlaws. The game boasts a unique theme, engaging design elements, and exciting gameplay features that make it a thrilling experience for players.
Theme
The Dead or Alive slot machine game takes inspiration where to play dead or alive from the iconic Western genre, often associated with cowboys, gunslingers, and saloon girls. The game’s setting is a dusty, sun-scorched town, complete with cacti, wanted posters, and cowboy hats. Players are transported to this lawless frontier where outlaws reign supreme.
Design
Visually, the Dead or Alive slot machine game is an eye-catching affair, with vibrant colors and detailed graphics that bring the Wild West to life. The game’s background features a sprawling saloon, complete with swinging doors and creaky floorboards. Players can see several cowboy characters roaming around, including womenfolk who seem just as deadly as their male counterparts.
Symbols
The Dead or Alive slot machine game features a variety of symbols that tie in perfectly with the Wild West theme:
- High-paying symbols include:
- Sheriff: 5x multiplier
- Outlaw: 4x multiplier
- Saloon Girl (Female): 3x multiplier
- Gunslinger: 2.5x multiplier
- Low-paying symbols:
- Cactus: 1x multiplier
- Six-shooter Pistol: 0.75x multiplier
Payouts
Players can win payouts by landing three or more matching symbols on an active payline, starting from the leftmost reel. The payout table is divided into several tiers:
- Low-paying symbols (Cactus, Six-Shooter Pistol) offer a maximum of €200 for five-of-a-kind
- Medium-paying symbols (Gunslinger, Saloon Girl: Female) pay up to €750 for four-of-a-kind and €1,500 for three-of-a-kind
- High-paying symbols (Outlaw, Sheriff) have the highest payouts:
- Outlaw pays out a maximum of €5,000 for five-of-a-kind
- Sheriff offers a staggering maximum payout of €25,000
Wilds
The Dead or Alive slot machine game features two types of wild symbols:
- The Saloon Girl (Male): can substitute any symbol to create winning combinations
- No special wild is provided in the free spins feature.
Scatters
In addition to wild symbols, there are no scatters available in the base game; however, during the Free Spins round, an Outlaw and Sheriff appear together on reels 1-3. If they do so simultaneously (one on each of these three reels), it triggers a Respin feature that guarantees at least two Gunslingers’ wins.
Bonus Features
One of Dead or Alive’s most unique features is its Wild West-themed bonus round called the «Free Spins» mode:
- To activate this, players must land 3 outlaws and/or sheriffs on reels 1, 2, and 3 within one spin
- The number of free spins awarded corresponds to the number of sheriff symbols landed
The Free Spins feature has some distinct characteristics that make it particularly exciting:
- A Respin round is triggered when two Gunslingers appear together (on any reel)
- During this respin, any Gun-slinger in a winning combination earns 1-3 additional free spins
- A special «Respin» mechanism occurs if an Outlaw and Sheriff land on the first three reels simultaneously within one spin. If so, it triggers another round of Respins to create as many possible Gunslingers’ wins.
Free Spins
When activated, players can enjoy 12, 15 or a maximum of 18 Free Spin rounds depending upon the outcome:
- Each additional free spin earned results in increased volatility but may provide bigger potential gains
- Total possible payouts are not guaranteed to increase with more free spins
Players must be aware that although there is no single payline for Gunslingers wins, several combinations will often result due to a combination of wilds and Respin rounds.
RTP
The Dead or Alive slot machine game features an average RTP (Return To Player) rate of 96.8%, making it a reasonably profitable experience for players over time. The medium-volatility setup also implies that the chances of achieving high-payout combinations will be relatively balanced between low, mid-level, and very large payouts.
Volatility
As mentioned earlier, Dead or Alive operates at medium volatility levels due to its moderate probability distribution:
- This means wins come in a steady stream without significant waiting periods
- Some massive combination winnings are possible
To summarize, Dead or Alive’s gameplay revolves around three main elements: Free Spins activation with the «Gunslingers» icon on all reels; Gunslingers appearing after Outlaw and/or Sheriff land together; Respin round which can lead to various combinations of winning chances due to wilds. Medium volatility implies the possibility for high payouts throughout play rather than only seeing an explosion in potential wins every now and then.
Betting Range
Players have the option to set their wager amounts between €0.25 (minimum) to €250 per spin, allowing both low-stakes and high-roller players to participate in this Wild West-themed slot machine game.