Somewhat bizarrely blending the traditional game of darts with a superhero, intergalactic theme, Darts Heroes promises to be a unique and memorable video slot that will keep enthusiasts entertained for hours.
The Basics
Developed by Stakelogic and released by Novomatic in 2017, the game stars four darts legends from both sides of the English Channel, with Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld representing the Netherlands and Gary Anderson and Phil Taylor completing the quartet for Great Britain. The action takes place in a futuristic arena brought to life with slick graphics and energising sound effects. Each character boasts its own individual Wild feature, which can help defeat opponents and maximize winnings.
Stepping up to the Oche
Darts Heroes begins with an introductory video that doesn’t take itself too seriously, offering an amusing portrayal of each champion and their super alter-ego. Joining the four players on the reels are a 180 sign, a unicorn, a Darts Heroes canister, a darts board and the familiar card set of Jack through to Ace. The game utilises a standard 5 reel and 243 paylines, meaning there are 243 ways to win. Betting ranges from 0.40 to 40 credits per turn. Once you are comfortable with the game’s ins and outs, simply press the spin button and take aim for the Bullseye.
Let the Games Begin
Landing three identical playing cards symbols will reward you with the lowest winning prize of five coins. The slot’s jackpot windfall is achieved by securing five identical darts legends on one single payline, which returns 250 coins. Any of the champions’ symbols can turn into a Wild at any time, which will transform each player into their respective superhero mode and add the following new features to the game:
- Gary ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Anderson
A selection of randomly expanding Wilds are added to the reels.
- Raymond ‘Barney’ van Barneveld
Wilds expand vertically to fill the entire reel.
- Michael ‘Mighty Mike’ van Gerwen
His symbol converts to a 2×2 Wild.
- Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor
Wilds are scattered to random positions throughout the reels.
In addition to the Wilds, Dart Heroes also employs bonus symbols particular to each player, present across reels 1, 3 and 5. If three matching symbols are attained, 20 free spins are awarded instantly with an added prize on offer that can equal up to 200 times the line bet. Free spins take place on a special reel set, which solely features the specific player that triggered the bonus round. Extra Wilds are sprinkled into the mix to make things even more exciting and give punter’s a greater chance of hitting lofty monetary heights.
Hit or Miss?
This unusual video slot is certainly unrivaled in terms of originality. Witnessing Michael van Gerwen transform into a hulking green superhero is something of a novelty and the game definitely delivers in both comedy value and fun factor. Combining such an audacious design with interesting features and an enjoyable interplay results in a refreshing and hugely engaging slot that is certain to keep darts fanatics and even the general gaming public happy and, above all, entertained.