Since its debut in 2014, Red Tiger Gaming has come out with some truly excellent slots. Mystery Fruit is not one of them. With five reels, three lines, and a design scheme taken from the one-armed slot machines of the early and middle twentieth century, this is a truly uninspired game. And yet, even in this bland, exquisitely boring slot, there are two attractive bonuses, and some very, very big wins to be had.
Theme
The game’s design is a throwback to the land-based machines that made slot play famous. Gaming symbols include six varieties of fruit, of which watermelon is the highest valued, a gleaming number seven, and a bell. Two modern innovations alert players that they are, in fact, playing in the twenty-first century: a multi-colored spinning wheel bonus symbol, and a mystery apple symbol, which can transform into any symbol (including bonus) and expands out onto the reels, oftentimes creating wins. The reels themselves are situated in a depiction of one of those original slot machines, with a blurry casino floor in the background. True to the form of the original, the game’s sound is only active when the reels are in motion.
Betting Options and Functions
The betting range is broad in this slot, with wagers adjustable between .20 and 500.00 times the betting currency. The autospin feature is sophisticated, with loss limits, win limits, and other custom designations available. Clicking the button marked ‘pays’ launches a menu explaining payouts, symbols, and bonuses in depth. There are twenty fixed paylines, five reels, and three lines for every spin in base play.
Features
The two bonus features of Mystery Fruit are quite delightful. The smaller of the two, which gives the name its title, appears as a golden apple with a question mark in the middle. When one shows up on the reels, it cycles through a series of numbers and, independently of those, symbols. Those factors can be resolved in any combination: for example, five watermelons, two cherries, or three bonus wheels. The mystery symbol then expands out in a random direction, leaving the determined number and kind of gaming symbol in its wake. This is a great way to trigger wins, and can also lead to the second bonus feature.
Bonus wheels, the most lucrative part of the game, launch a pop-up bonus screen when appearing on the reels in triplicate. A Wheel of Fortune-style spinner is revealed, with a series of win multipliers and extras available. A minimum of three spins are awarded, and since more spins can be re-triggered during bonus play, the possible win size within bonus play is astronomical. The bonus win is capped at a rather handsome 1,000 times the bet size. Spin away!
Our Take
Players should not expect inspiration with this title. It can take many spins of the reels to see any win at all, much less a sizable one, with only spinning reels of fruit to pass the time. Furthermore, the RTP of 95.22% is on the lower end of what is generally seen from elite game designers. With that said, there is something to be said for a game that invokes the origins of its genre; what’s more, the bonus features are in fact quite original, and when they lead to wins, those wins can be huge. If players can get past the bland design, Mystery Fruit may yet yield up some sweetness.
Video Slot game data and features
- 5Reels
- 20Pay lines
- $22,500.00Max cash jackpot
- 95.22Payout Percent
- NoWild Symbol
- NoMultiplier
- $0.2 - $500Betting Range
- 0.01 - 25.0Coin bet range
- 1Coins per line
- NoProgressive
- 900Max coins jackpot
- 20Max coins
- NoScatter Symbol
- NoFree spins available
- YesBonus Game
- NoBuy feature
- Fruit Game theme
