Barbarossa DoubleMax

Barbarossa DoubleMax: Slot Overview

Unless you're well versed in piratical lore, it might seem like Barbarossa DoubleMax is an attempt by software provider Peter & Sons to bring one of World War 2's major operations to the reels. In the same controversial spirit as Remember Gulag from Nolimit City. However, Barbarossa, in this instance, appears to be referring to Hayreddin Barbarossa, one of the most feared pirates of the 16th century. Barbarossa DoubleMax then is a buccaneering-themed online slot that makes use of partner studio Yggdrasil Gaming's infamous DoubleMax multiplier mechanic.

It used to be that you could pick a Peter & Sons' slot out of a crowded line-up in moments, so distinct their style. Peter & Sons still pulls out the trademarked artistic style every now and then, but Barbarossa DoubleMax is another example of the team branching out to try new things. Doing so certainly has not spoiled Barbarossa DoubleMax's visuals, as it remains a lush-looking slot in both the base game and bonus round. In the base game, play begins out of doors in a palm-treed, broken cannon, sandy spot, while free spins shift players to a cavernous domain where a skeletal pirate rests his bones atop a mound of glittering rich stuff. Are players going to get their hands on some? Perhaps, let's see how.

The first thing to do is pick a bet that suits from a menu ranging from 20 p/c to $/€50 per spin. Next is deciding to engage the Golden Bet, which increases the cost of the stake by 50% whilst doubling the chance of hitting the free spins feature as a result. Also, checking the game rules page is a good move to verify whether you've got the highest 96.2% RTP version or one of the three lesser models. All models are highly volatile and are available on both handheld devices and desktop computers.

The loot chasing occurs on a 5x3, 243 ways game board, where matching symbols landing on three or more adjacent reels, starting from the left, creates a win. Hitting a 5 OAK winning way awards 2.5 to 3 times the bet for the bottle, anchor, wheel, compass, and pistols symbols, or 5 to 10 times the bet for the 5 premium character symbols. Wilds help link wins, too, by substituting for any regular pay symbol.

Barbarossa DoubleMax: Slot Features

For the most part, Barbarossa DoubleMax is equipped with standard DoubleMax features such as tumbles, wild adds, the doubling multiplier, free spins, and a bonus buy. However, a new feature called the Multiplier Jump feature worms its way in there, too. Here's how it all works.

Wild Cascades

The first thing to know is winning symbols are removed from the reels by the cascade mechanic. Before the newly vacated spaces are filled, a wild symbol is placed in one of the empty positions. Then, symbols fall to fill the rest. If a new win is formed after a symbol drop, the feature triggers again.

DoubleMax Multiplier

Cannon balls below the reels make up the multiplier meter. Each time a win occurs, the multiplier doubles in value. There is no set upper limit to the multiplier; however, it resets between paid spins in the base game.

Multiplier Jump

On any spin, the multiplier meter may jump a value. For example, if starting on x1, it may jump straight to x4 rather than increment normally to x2. This may occur up to 3 times in a row.

Free Spins

In the base game, hitting 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols awards 7, 10, or 13 free spins, respectively. Free spins cannot be retriggered, but one of the main benefits of triggering them is that the Multiplier Meter does not reset between free spins. It can only remain at its current level or increase further.

For this reason, players may be keen to skip the base game formalities and leap right to the bonus. This is possible via the Bonus Buy feature, where users may buy at least 7 free spins for the cost of 100x the bet or a random number of free spins for 200x the bet.

Barbarossa DoubleMax: Slot Verdict

Yggdrasil Gaming is certainly generous with sharing its homegrown features around with partner studios. It's unlikely the team is doing this solely for their health, but nevertheless, you couldn't accuse the studio of clutching its gaming mechanics in a kung fu grip, unwilling to share them or any associated glory. Still, just borrowing a bunch of proven features doesn't guarantee a great game. Slots from non-Yggdrasil Gaming studios built on things like Gigablox have been hit or miss in the past.

The good news? Peter & Sons has done a neat job on Barbarossa DoubleMax, which should please enthusiasts in either the DoubleMax or pirate-themed slot crew. Peter & Sons has largely left the features alone, which means it's up to the audio-visuals to really make Barbarossa DoubleMax stand out and sparkle. Fortunately, fine graphics and, arguably to a somewhat less famous extent, audio is something that Peter & Sons excels at. Despite Barbarossa DoubleMax not possessing the exact trademark Peter & Sons visual style, it looks great, boosting DoubleMax's built-in star quality. The Multiplier Jump injects a degree of originality, a small one, but one with the power to thrill in the right circumstances. And with winning potential of 20,000 times the bet, Barbarossa DoubleMax's definitely got loot to unearth should players be metaphorically clutching the right map in their hands

Barbarossa DoubleMax isn't the first time Peter & Sons has had a burn with one of Yggdrasil Gaming's slot mechanics. Previous examples have included games like Monster Blox and Water Blox, both commendable uses of the Gigablox feature. Barbarossa DoubleMax keeps the trend of making these sorts of high-quality slots going, and while the game might not do much that hasn't been done before, technically speaking, it's a solid pirate-themed release, heavy on salty entertainment opportunities.