Bull Rush Slots
Based around bullfighting, the Bull Rush video slot from Novomatic might not be to everyone’s taste, but we’ll try to stay neutral on the subject and review this game objectively. If bullfighting isn’t your thing, then this game will never be for you, but there’s no depictions of the actual fights, so if you are happy to see symbols of Spanish guitars, roses, matadors and wine, then read on. Some of the bonus features that you can uncover in this 5-reel, 20-payline online casino slot are quite impressive and may tempt some players to overlook the topic when they can score free spins with a special multiplier feature, gain extra win-lines with a wild symbol, and with a bit of luck, multiply wins over and over in a gamble feature.
The reels fill the screen from edge to edge, leaving no room for a background image and focusing attention on lining up symbols, with players needing matching ones across an active line, from left to right to win a prize. The lower-value winning combinations are created by playing card symbols, but the unique picture icons are all beautifully-designed and bring the game to life. Like all Novomatic slots, it’s got smooth, reliable gameplay and of course, is completely fair, with Random Number Generation (RNG) software deciding the results for a good return to player ratio,
Based in Austria, Novomatic is one of the world’s biggest gaming companies, with numerous land-based, online and now mobile optimised sites featuring their range and software. Although Novomatic used to specialise in classic fruit machine-type slots, they have in recent years started to release high-quality themed games to great acclaim, and Bull Rush is a good example of what the company is now capable of.
Rushing to Bull Rush
While the playing cards are common across many slot games, at least spinners know what the relative value is, and these are a colourful collection that brighten up the reels. Landing either the 10, J, or Q across 3, 4, or 5 reels on a line will return wins of 5x, 20x, or 100x the amount staked per line, while the K and A are valued at 10x, 30x, or 150x.
A red rose, and a tasty-looking bottle of red wine are each worth 20x, 50x, or 300x the line stake and the guitar pays up to 500x. The smooth-looking matador is the top-paying symbol, handing you a prize of 50x the line bet if he stops on reels 1, 2, and 3 from the left across a payline, then 200x if he’s also seen on reel 4 and a show-stopping 2000x if he fills an entire payline from one side to the other. Ole!
We finally cut through the bull and get to the wild symbol, which is a close-up view of a very angry looking bull, and who can blame him? This symbull isn’t actually worth anything, even if he fills an entire payline, but he’s able to substitute for others, and so if you have a break in a continuous run of matching icons and the wild is in the right place to fill it, it still counts as a winning line.
Free Spins full of Bulls
A view down into the bullfighting ring isn’t something the animal wants to see, but punters will be more than happy to have this image landing in any 4 or more places, as once it’s paid out a prize, this scatter symbol triggers as special free spins bonus round. Scatter awards are multiplied by the bet, so landing 4 at once equals a win of 4x the stake, 5 scatters is worth 5x and so on.
Any 4 or more takes you to the 12 free spins, which have a Bull Rush feature, whereby the number of bull symbols in a free spin will multiply any wins for that game. If just no bulls appeared, the win is paid at the standard rate, while 1 bull equals a multiplier of 2x, 2 bulls pays any wins at 3x and 3 bulls equals a 4x multiplier for any winning combination landed in the spin. This goes on, until you get to the maximum possible 16x multiplier, although strangely, this would fill all 15 reel positions with a bull symbol that isn’t worth anything, but no one at Novomatic seems to have noticed this detail.
Gamble Feature
Players who like to take a bit more risk can opt to click the Gamble button after any winning spin and double the prize by correctly timing a click on the right colour as a playing card flashes from red to black. Get it right, and there’s the further option to collect the win or go again, but get the timing wrong at any point of the round and the initial prize is lost along with any gains made from the gamble feature so far.
No Bull Betting Options
While free Bull Rush video slots are available, you’ll need just 0.10 to spin the reels for real cash awards, although this only activates 1 of the 20 lines, so to qualify for all wins that land on the reels you’ll need 2.00 per spin. You can then raise the coins per line and play at 10.00 per spin, while other options include an Autoplay button that means you won’t have to do anything as the reels spin, and you can also activate the soundtrack, although it’s a generic tune that’s got no relation to the Spanish theme.
Similar Slots
There’s not a huge selection of games dedicated to bull fighting, but the Arena de Toros video slot from WorldMatch also follows this controversial sport. This game is done in a more cartoon style and even the bull looks relatively calm, as the rose becomes an expanding wild symbol, free spins are triggered and players win a prize whose value is determined by the intensity with which the matador’s girlfriend kisses him.
Cayetano Gaming have their imaginatively-named Bullfight slot available, where free spins with random multipliers and stacked wilds in the bonus games, are boosted by a lucky bull, who nudges symbols into winning positions.
Brilliant. Or just Bull-poo?
Ignoring the subject matter, Bull Rush is actually a high-quality online casino slot machine, which comes with realistic graphics and some unique bonus features. We love the way that more bulls on the reels in the free spins round will multiply winnings, potentially many times over.
Add in the wild substitutions and scatter pays, plus some high-value picture symbols, and anyone who isn’t completely put off by the theme should certainly give the Bull Rush video slot a try at any of the casinos that use Novomatic games and software.
