Turn up the temperature for a sizzling new slot with live dealer experts, Evolution. With an impressive catalogue of games already under their sombrero, Evolution has returned with a Mexican-themed title which fuses Megaways slots and live dealer play.
First launched in April 2023, Extra Chilli Epic Spins offers the best of both worlds, bringing red-hot slot action to a real-time environment.
Players can bet on the reels to win up to a potential x20,000 in a high volatility game that’s packed with action.
If the style of the game looks a little familiar, that’s because it’s based on the 2017 online slot Extra Chilli from Big Time Gaming. Evolution has tweaked the popular game by adding live dealer play, creating a completely different experience in the process.
But is Extra Chilli Epic Spins filled with hot wins that are guaranteed to thrill – or will it prove to be a damp squib? We’ve joined the online fiesta to find out.
First Look
If you’ve ever played any of the Evolution live dealer titles before, you’ll know that they’re masters in creating a themed studio.
In Extra Chilli Epic Spins, you’ll feel as if you’re walking into a Mexican market with decorated stalls all around, loaded with delicious local produce. The reels are set in a similar style and accompanied by a live dealer wearing authentic Mexican clothing.
With blue skies peeking in the distance and bunting on the streets, you’ll almost be able to smell the peppers in the air!
How to Play
Extra Chilli Epic Spins is based on a Megaways slot game, but being brought into the live dealer environment switches up the gameplay. Although you’ll play by spinning the reels, it’s not as simple as a basic slot.
Before your turn begins, you’ll need to place your bet. The stake ranges from 0.10 to 40.00 per spin, and you bet in the same way as you would for a slot.
Once you’ve placed your bet, the reels will be spun, and the aim is to land three matching symbols starting from the far left. The purple chillies are the highest pays, and you only need two of them on consecutive reels to trigger a payout.
The more matching symbols on consecutive reels you land, the higher the prize will be.
As it’s a Megaways board, in addition to the six vertical reels, there’s also a single horizontal reel across the bottom. You might find wilds landing on this extra reel, helping players to create more winning lines.
The tiles can land in all different sizes, just like a regular Megaways slot, and this provides variety to each spin. When you land a winning line, the matching symbols will disappear, and replacements will drop onto the board. This provides the chance for new matches to be made, giving the potential for multiple wins from a single spin.
Each game is made up of five spins, with certain features resetting at the end of each game. We’re going to look at those next.
Bonus Rounds
During every turn, a wooden crate bursts in the centre of the reels; this may reveal either a prize or nothing. If you’re lucky enough to get a prize, this could be a multiplier or one of the letters making up the word “HOT”. Occasionally a pinata may land instead of a crate; this awards larger multipliers and entry to the free spins round.
Any multipliers will accumulate and apply to every winning spin until the game is complete when the multiplier will reset.
You’ll need to land all of the letters in HOT in a single game to trigger the free spins bonus round unless you are awarded instant entry from the pinata.
Free Spins Bonus
No matter how you trigger the free spins bonus, you’ll receive eight free spins, which will be played out after the base game has finished. Crates and pinatas also appear during the bonus round, giving the potential to retrigger another eight free spins.
Multipliers continue to accumulate from the base game, only resetting once all the free spins have been completed. Before returning to the base game, you’ll move onto the Gamble Wheel.
Gamble Wheel
The Gamble Wheel provides the opportunity to win extra free spins; players must choose between red and purple before the wheel is spun.
If you guess correctly, you’ll receive a further two free spins. If you win these, there’s a second chance to collect two further free spins by playing on the next Gamble Wheel. This has four coloured segments, and players must guess correctly to win.
Once all four free spins have been taken, players will return to the base game. If players lose on either Gamble Wheel, they will return to the base game right away.
Odds, Payouts & RTP
Just like a regular slot, the different symbols pay out a variety of prizes on a sliding scale. The playing card royals are the low pays, offering between x0.4 to x0.5 for lining up six in a row. The variety of coloured chillies is where the prizes start to sizzle, with a maximum of x10 for a full row of six.
The multipliers in the crates award between x1 and x5, while the pinata offers up to x20.
The maximum prize that can be won from a combination of the base game and the bonus rounds is x20,000. However, with a high volatility and RTP of 96.74%, the larger payouts can take a while to drop.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fantastic live dealer version of a popular slot game
- Generous payouts of up to x20,000
- Multipliers and free spins included
Cons
- Very similar to the original Extra Chilli Megaways slot
- Bonus features are very simple
Review Summary
If you’re looking for a brand new type of game, then Extra Chilli Epic Spins isn’t for you. However, if you loved the original but wished it was more interactive and dynamic, you’ll LOVE this title from Evolution. With its themed studio and live dealer play, Extra Chilli Epic Spins offers a party atmosphere that’s packed full of potential prizes – a truly fun fiesta!