Mr.Hat: Before the Sunrise

It’s murder on the streets of London in Spinmatic’s Mr. Hat: Before the Sunrise slot. This hard-boiled detective slot is the first in the Mr. Hat series, and it begins with a bang. Free spins offer guaranteed wilds and win multipliers up to 5x as players try to win big without getting blood on their hands.

Theme

This initial installment in Spinmatic’s excellent slot series has a theme in keeping with classic works of horror literature. There are strong echoes of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the great initiator of the true crime genre, Jack the Ripper. The killer looks down on the rooftops of London on a dark and stormy night, bloody bone saw in hand, with the reels set to his right.

Gaming symbols include bowler hat-sporting killer, as both civilized Dr. Jacob and the terrifying, green-skinned Mr. Hat, the mustachioed policeman trying to stop him, a glamorous redhead caught in the middle, and the playing card values ace through nine, which act as lower-value symbols. A green beaker of potion that transforms hero of science to violent criminal acts as scatter, while bone saws, one clean and one bloody, act as linked wilds, spreading their winning ways to adjacent symbols. The ominous sounds of rain and thunder support a thrilling soundtrack.

Betting Options and Functions

Both successful police and criminals are known for a meticulous attention to detail, an approach taken to heart by the excellent Spinmatic design team. There are 20 paylines, each paying from left to right. Bet level is set simply from 0.20–80.00 times the betting currency per spin. Autoplay is available for up to 100 spins, or without limit, with optional loss limits available on a separate screen. Player options, payline information, game rules, quick spin, and more are available via an expanding menu at the upper right corner of the game screen. The overall theoretical return to player ratio is slightly above-average at 95.87%.

Features

One of this slot’s lovely features is available on every spin: linked wilds. In base play, the bone saw wilds may “link,” turning other symbols from regular icons into wilds. This greatly increases the chances of big wins.

Players’ best hopes, however, occur during bonus play, which is triggered by the appearance of two or three scatter symbols on the reels: either five or ten free spins will be awarded. During free spins, a multiplier symbol randomly appears on the fifth reel, multiplying each win by that factor. Each time it appears, the win multiplier symbol increases by one, up to a maximum of five, with its 5x payouts. Bone saw wilds are replaced by bloody bone saw wilds, which appear on every spin and guarantee at least two symbols turned into wilds on every spin. The feature can be extended should more scatter symbols appear.

Our Take

Spinmatic showcases some of its best work yet in this slot, with a delightful and counterintuitive pairing of horrific material with terrific win material. Players who enjoy this title should consider checking it the next installment Mr. Hat: Sunshine, set on a beautiful beach, a far cry indeed from this slot’s rainy and gruesome London setting.