If there’s one vintage slot machine that can be called a predecessor to modern slot games, it’s the Fireball slot. Developed by Bally technologies labs exclusively for land-based casinos, Fireball is based on another type of game.
Back in 1972, Bally released a highly popular pinball machine called Fireball. It was noted for several pinball innovations like the flippers, a spinning disc, and trapped ball bonuses. Bally used those technologies as a blueprint for its Fireball slots, which grew from a single release to a full series.
Fireball is known for its traditional and non-traditional gameplay. How does that work? On the outside, it’s a 5×3 slot that plays just like you expect. It features 40 paylines to win across and an RTP of over 96%. The bet denominations go as high as $1,000 per spin, making it suitable for both new players and high rollers.
The game doesn’t feature many symbols, but it does have various Fireball bonus rounds. They’re called Bonus Frenzy mini-games, and that’s where you hit true fireball wins. There’s a progressive jackpot for each bonus, making this a slot you don’t want to miss, even if it’s land-based only. There’s a catch, though, but more about that later.
You’ll need at least three Fireball scatter symbols to trigger each, which sets off a fiery animation that lives up to the Fireball game name.
The theme and symbols in Fireball slots are inspired by fiery celestial bodies. Call them great balls of fire from the sky, and yes, that’s a Jerry Lewis reference. The most popular slot machine in the series, Fireball, features symbols that will instantly click with fans of vintage spin cabinets.
Those symbols include fiery sevens in all kinds of flaming colors, a triple mixed combination of sevens, a BAR symbol, a dollar sign, and cherries. Payouts range from 25x for mixed BARs to 1,000x for five red sevens. These are recurring symbols in all Fireball slots, so it’s pretty clear what Bally technologies’ inspiration for this series was, apart from its own pinball machine.
Fireball’s layout resembles that of any vintage slot machine. All the buttons are in their usual spots, and you can access the paytable with a single click. It’s the same for the whole Fireball slots series, so you don’t need to worry when you play any of the other slots.
Visually, it’s not the most impressive game we’ve seen, but that’s done on purpose because the developer has focused on the gameplay aspects—particularly the bonus game and progressive jackpot—rather than the look of this slot machine.
We have to say that the Fireball base game isn’t particularly lucrative or even exciting. Your best bet to win big is hit five of a kind wins, with wilds stepping in. Each wild symbol win increases your chances to win again, and that’s what keeps the action going.
The main attraction of the Fireball slot machine is the eight bonus rounds with progressive jackpot prizes. You get to these Fireball bonus rounds by landing three scatter symbols in the base game. At this point, a ball of fire moves across the screen, displaying the eight different rounds:
The number of Fireball bonus symbols you land in the base game determines how many of these mini-games you’ll play. This isn’t a Fireball slot free spins round. For example, if you land three bonus symbols, you get three Fireballs that land randomly on the bonuses.
They will then play out quickly. Each spin lasts for a short time, and once that is done, a fireball moves down the screen to reveal your wins.
The rewards for each bonus game are different. There’s a mini paytable right next to each one so you can see what you might win. Just keep in mind that it’s a single spin, not a free spins round. With that being said, these bonuses are worth your while and can deliver prizes worth thousands of times your bet in a flash.
Each of these mini-games includes a progressive jackpot. The jackpot can be won if you lay a max bet, so keep that in mind. In other words, unless you offer a max bet, you won’t be able to hit this jackpot. The seed value is not displayed, so you’ll have to try a Fireball slot machine to see how much the jackpot grows.
Obviously, the payout is large. Considering the fact that this is a network jackpot shared by all Fireball slot machines, it’s certainly not a small one.
While Fireball slots aren’t available at online casinos, the developer has treated players to a Fireball online version. It’s a perfect replica of the casino cabinet slot game and is available on Android and iOS.
No need to register at a casino or do anything to play it. Download it from the store, fire it up on your phone, and go for a bonus round and jackpot. Not for real money, of course, but hey, gambling is supposed to be fun.
Because you can’t play Fireball at online casinos, you won’t be able to play online and get a bonus round to play a Fireball slot. Land-based casinos have different reward structures, giving you comps in the form of free drinks. Extra casino chips are a possibility, but only for high rollers.
Fireball’s online slots are not casino games, so you can only play online for fun. So, unless Bally brings it to online casinos, you won’t be able to use a bonus on it.
Winning combinations in Fireball are completed from left to right. This means there are no complex mechanics such as Megaways—it’s a vintage slot machine, after all.
The bonus round is the only special feature in Fireball slots, along with the progressive jackpot. Outside of that, we can’t say that there are special winning combinations you should think of, so it’s just about matching symbols, like three or more fireballs.
The original Fireball slot kicked off a full series for Bally Technologies, and the series has been just as successful as its other slot games. The most popular releases mostly follow the gameplay and style of the original game. This means a variety of bonus rounds as well as progressive jackpots that can turn your life around if you’re lucky.
One of the good things about Bally technologies is a rare “Store Finder.” In short, Bally technologies lists all locations where its slots—including Fireball—can be found.
So, if you want to play the slot but don’t know where, you can use the locator to find a joint near you. That way, you won’t have to take a trip down to the Vegas Strip and look for the Fireball slot machine on crowded casino floors.
If you go to a physical casino with Bally games and buy chips, you can play it for real money. However, the developer hasn’t released an online version of its popular game so far, so you’ll have to stick to the cabinets at land-based casinos.
Yes, you can. While Fireball is not available as an online slot game, Bally has released apps for Android and iOS devices that let you have fun with the iconic slot machine in demo mode.
The precise RTP of the Fireball slot game is 96.7%. That’s above the industry average for highly volatile titles.
You can’t improve the odds on a slot—you need plenty of luck on your side if you want to win.
Yes, it is. Bally offers a Fireball app that lets you try the slot for free on your Android or iOS device.
Yes, it does. It offers one for all eight bonus rounds that you can hit with three scatter symbols. This is why it’s been going strong for such a long time and is a favorite of players around the world.
No, you can’t. Slots are a game of chance, so all you can rely on is luck.
Yes, it is. This is a slot where bets go as high as $1,000. That may look scary to you, but for high rollers, it’s a dream come true.
No, it isn’t. Fireball operates exclusively at land-based casinos, although you can play the demo version online on your phone if you download the Fireball Bally app.
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