Frankenslot’s Monster Slot
Frankenslot's Monster is the latest '3D' style slot released by slotting experts Betsoft. It has 5 reels, and a fixed number of 20 pay lines. It is – as you've probably already guessed – based on one of the fiction world's most famous monsters, in Frankenstein's monster (and not, as pedants will yell at you, "Frankenstein", which was the name of the mad doctor who performed the stitch-up job. The monster itself was never given a name). The origins of Frankenstein and his monster can be traced back to the original gothic novel penned by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley) in 1818. Originally, 'Frankenstein' was not a horror novel – simply a musing on how life would be for someone whose corpse had been re-animated. Shelley's 'monster' was intelligent and spoke like a true English bloke. It wasn't really until the 1931 film adaptation by James Whale in which the monster was played by Boris Karloff that Frankenstein's monster came to be regarded as a true brute and beast.
The monster in this game is a true stitch-up job, and he sits besides the reels safely strapped to a vertical bench. Frankenslot himself stands on the other side of the reels looking suitably bonkers. Both characters like to celebrate the big wins with you. The symbols used on the reels are all monster-related – both the monster and the doctor, plus a charging device, an eyeball in a jar and the moon. Also included are playing card symbols ten to ace, and two bonus symbols. All twenty pay lines are in play at all times, but you can choose your coin size from 0.02 to 1.00, and your bet-per-line between one and five. When you're ready to scream "It's Alive!" hit the 'spin' button.
Payout & bonus rounds
The '10' symbol is the lowest payer in this game, as three tens will win you five times your line bet. The most monstrous payout comes with the monster himself. Five of his ghoulish gizzog will win you five hundred times your line bet.
The 'Wild' symbol substitutes for all other symbols aside from the bonus and scatter symbols. Land three or more wilds on the same line and you win a cash prize too.
If you land three or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels you win eight free spins. During each spin one, two or three symbols will turn wild, and substitute for all symbols aside from the scatter itself. Free spins can be re-triggered.
Landing three or more bonus symbols anywhere on the reels wins you through to the bonus round. You get to mess with Frankenslot's leccy machine to give the monster a jolt. Depending on what the monster does once he's been zapped, you are awarded a cash prize.
All wins can be gambled on a double-or-nothing basis via the flip of a coin. You can bet all or half of your winnings.
Frankenslot's Monster is wonderful when it comes to animation, but is severely lacking when it comes to gameplay. Given Betsoft's reputation for awesome slots, this is a bit of a mystery. The bonus round sort of makes no sense (you just set sliders and switches then pull the lever to see what happens), so it's just a 'normal' slot with wilds and scatters. Hardly a 'monster' of a slot from Betsoft, and that's a real surprise.