Gem Rush

Game Review

This studio isn’t particularly active, but seems intent on producing rather complex online slots that will please mainly slot gaming veterans. The playing field of the game, after all, has 5 reels and 7 rows, and it can generate up to 16,807 ways to win once you clear all the blocker symbols!

There isn’t anything original or innovative about the theme, as it really is just a gem mining slot at its core. We’ve seen that before, of course, and we are bound to see it again as well. We do appreciate this game’s colorful graphics, though, and we also like the various small animations that are thrown into the mix here and there. Overall, this game certainly delivers in terms of presentation!

Let’s now turn our attention to the game’s math model. Its volatility is high, but you can win up to 10,000x your bet if you get lucky. The betting range starts at £0.20, but high rollers can risk up to £50 per spin if they want. Finally, the theoretical RTP of the game is 96.10%, which is slightly above average and completely fine.

Game Features

There are as many as 12 pay symbols in the game, and they are divided into 4 low pays, 4 mid pays and 4 high pays. For low pays, there are classic card ranks from Jacks to Aces, which pay up to 0.4x your bet for a combination. For mid pays, there are various mining tools, while the game’s high pays show gems of various colors. Purple gems are worth the most, and they pay 2x your bet for a five-of-a-kind combination.

In addition to pay symbols, you can also look forward to Wilds and Cart Scatters. Wilds substitute for other pay symbols, while Cart Scatters are there to trigger free spins.

Kicking off the gameplay, we have to tell you that the game uses the Dynamic Ways system. What this means is that you’ll start each game round with up to 15 blocker symbols below the available positions.

Next, the game works with Avalanches, which means that winning combinations are automatically removed and replaced with new symbols once they pay out.

There’s also a certain Gem Crusher machine right next to the playing field and it is there to reward you with various power ups if you keep triggering new Avalanches.

There are 7 power ups available in the Gem Crusher feature, which makes room for some truly dynamic gameplay. First, there are win multiplier power ups that increase your win multiplier. Then, there are Wild conversion and gem conversion power ups that transform symbols. There are then also two power ups that grant you extra Wilds, and the Dynamite power up that removes 5 blocker symbols. Finally, you can also get extra free spins power ups, but those are naturally available only during free spins.

To trigger the Free Spins feature, you have to land 3, 4, or 5 Cart Scatters. For that, you’ll get 5, 7, or 10 free spins, respectively. During free spins, you’ll always get to play with the entire playing board unlocked, and your Gem Crusher progression will never reset. This, by the way, also means that you can accumulate a nice win multiplier over time!

Players can also use the Fast Track option and pay for various game scenarios without having to wait for them to occur naturally. For example, you can pay 400x your bet to get free spins with a guaranteed 10x win multiplier. It’s worth noting that all these options actually increase the slot’s theoretical RTP, so they aren’t bad deals by any stretch of the imagination.

Finally, there’s the Burst Mode feature. It’s an autoplay mode that even does away with all the graphics, leaving you with just numbers flying around. It suffices to say that it most definitely isn’t for everyone.

Review Summary

Slots about gems and mining are usually pretty boring, but the developer managed to deliver a real stunner with this game. It looks good and feels good, but, even more importantly, it offers a complex gameplay loop with plenty of power ups for us all to enjoy. The bottom line? This is a slot that you should check out as soon as possible!