Casino Bonuses
Provider | Slotmill |
Reels | 5 |
Rows | 4 |
Paylines | 576 |
Bonus Rounds | 1 |
Bet Range | 0.20 - 50 |
Volatility | High |
Max Win | 15,000x |
Bonus Buy | Yes |
RTP | 96.11% |
Our Rating | 7.8 |
Latest Slots
Game Overview
What’s the first thing you picture when you hear the word “bandits”? I suspect that many of us would think of a stereotypical balaclava-clad bank robber, perhaps, or maybe even a Western cowboy-type wearing a bandana over his nose and mouth. It seems that we all lack imagination regarding this particular issue, as Slot development studio Slotmill has a very different idea about what constitutes a bandit in 2023. Get ready to meet the stars of Chilli Bandits – Clint Heatwood, Chilli the Kid, and Belle Pepperr! What do these amusingly named berries (yes, chillies are berries, apparently!) have to offer? Clint tells me there are 576 pay ways, a 96.11% RTP, and a 15,000x jackpot… and if I’m not happy, it’s my chicken wings or my life!
This is perhaps the third machine I have come across in recent weeks to use an unusual 3-4-4-4-3 reel setup, which makes me wonder if this could potentially be about to become a fad in the world of online slots. Slotmill’s creativity doesn’t stop there though, as the game also features three so-called ‘Chilli Wilds’, each of which has its own unique prize-boosting function. Trigger the main bonus rounds, and the Chilli Wilds become even more valuable, as everyone that lands on the playfield will boost your active multiplier by 1x. You’ll find a few fresh ideas inside the bonus buy menu, such as the option to guarantee two scatter symbols on your next game round. I’m uncertain if this is preferable to a regular bonus bet facility, but it’s always nice to see developers experimenting with new ideas.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t resist the opportunity to take on a gun-wielding vegetable named Chilli the Kid! So if that sounds like your idea of a good time, our free demo slot of Chilli Bandits is available to play below!
Chilli Bandits Slot Theme, Stakes, Pays & Symbols
Who would have thought that the humble chilli would make for such an enduring basis for an entire category of online slot machines? I can’t imagine that there would be many players who would agree this was a sensible suggestion prior to the release of Big Time Gaming’s Extra Chilli! Those days are a distant memory now, of course – I’ve reviewed at least three different chilli-themed games during the last month or two alone! The most recent example – Chilli Master – came courtesy of Realistic Games, but I’m pretty sure every top-tier developer has had a blast at this genre by now. I still feel that BTG’s original remains the king of the chilli slots for now, but I suspect that the Chilli Bandits could well have something to say about that!
Those mouthy chilli berries can’t intimidate me though – they’ll have to bring a great paytable with them to stand a chance! On that note, the highest-paying symbol is a huge bag of cash with a payout of 3.5x the total bet for a complete payway of five of a kind. This doesn’t sound like much, but don’t write Chilli Bandits off just yet, as the Chilli Wild symbols can considerably boost the value of all these payouts. The second-place spot is occupied by a bottle of hot sauce which pays 2.25x the bet for all five symbols, followed by a revolver with a return of 2x for a complete payway. Next, there are two more high-paying symbols: a cactus at 1.75x and a pair of maracas at 1.5x, after which we have the royals, which pay either 1x or 0.9x for a five of a kind combination.
The minimum/maximum permitted stakes are set at €0.20 and €50.00 per spin, respectively, but as this is a high-volatility machine, I would advise caution before veering too close to the top end of that range. Thankfully there are plenty of options between these two amounts, so the vast majority of those that want to try this slot out should be able to do so comfortably.
Base Game & Modifiers
Chilli Bandits is a five reel machine with an unusual 3-4-4-4-3 row layout. This makes the slot interesting to look at but doesn’t make much of a difference to how the game plays. The unusual playfield configuration results in a total of 576 payways, and all wins require at least three matching symbols on adjacent reels starting from the left.
Chilli Wild Symbols
The Chilli Wilds are four-high symbols that only appear on reels two, three, and four. Whenever a Chilli Wild lands partially in view, the game will automatically nudge the symbol up or down so that it covers its entire reel. In addition, each Chilli Wild has a special feature assigned to it:
- Clint Heatwood (Green) – Activates a pays-both-ways payout mechanic.
- Chilli the Kid (Red) – Randomly selects up to six symbols on the playfield and divides them into two. If the chosen symbols are included in a winning combination, the number of winning payways is increased.
- Belle Pepperr (Yellow) – Randomly selects up to six random symbols from the reels and converts them into a matching high-paying symbol.
Bonus Symbols
Whenever one or two bonus symbols land, they will immediately transform into wild symbols to help complete regular payway wins. If three bonus symbols land, the free spins will be triggered instead.
Chilli Bandits Slot Bonus Features
Bonus scatter symbols appear on reels two, three, and four only, and you’ll need to hit all three simultaneously to trigger eight free spins. Let’s find out below what you can expect to see once this bonus has been activated.
Free Spins
Before every bonus round, a wheel of fortune screen is displayed, which gives you the option to gamble your bonus round for the chance to win additional free spins. Each time you win the gamble, four more spins will be added to your starting total. If a gamble is lost, the entire bonus round will be forfeited.
During the free spins feature, a new chilli multiplier feature will be active. The chilli multiplier will only multiply your winnings when one or more chilli wild symbols make up part of a winning combination. Every chilli wild that lands on the reels during this part of the game will increase your chilli multiplier by 1x.
A new +1 symbol is added to reels one and five during the bonus round, and each one of these that lands will top up your remaining spin counter with one additional spin. Alternatively, a full set of eight more spins can be added to your total by catching all three bonus scatter symbols on reels two, three, and four.
Bonus Buy Feature
If you don’t want to wait for the bonus round to trigger naturally? You might be in luck – a bonus buy facility is available in all countries where such features are permitted. There are three choices available on the menu:
- Free Spins Bonus: Purchase a set of eight free spins at the cost of 80x the normal price per spin. The wheel of fortune will be displayed as if you had triggered the feature organically, giving you a chance to win up to eight additional spins.
- 1+ Chilli Wild: For 40x the normal price per spin, you can guarantee that at least one of the three chilli wild symbols will land on the next spin.
- 2+ Bonus Symbols: If the full 80x price of purchasing a bonus feels a bit steep, you can opt to pay just 10x in return for a guarantee that two scatters will land on the next spin. This means that you only need to catch a single additional scatter to trigger a bonus round.
Chilli Bandits Slot Review Final Thoughts
There are a whole bunch of positives and negatives to this machine – the chilli wilds can be amazing if two or three of them land together, but the regular payway hits featured on the paytable are somewhat disappointing. Then there’s the bonus buy menu – the 80x cost of the regular bonus seems like a bargain, but I’m not convinced by the other two options.
Chilli Bandit undoubtedly has its faults, but I love the fact that Slotmill has done its best to try new things with this machine ( even if there is a hint of Nolimit City’s Deadwood to them ). Of course, you’ll need plenty of luck to get anywhere close to the 15,000x jackpot, but I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun trying!
- Game Types:
- Western Slots
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