Western Belles harks back to an era of retro pin-ups, all based on the illustrations of Gil Elvgren, famed for his illustrations used heavily in ad campaigns throughout the 50s and 60s. If you feel a little nostalgic when you look at Western Belles, it’s probably the familiarity with Elvgren’s illustrations. Featuring in adverts for companies like Coca Cola, the Elvgren pin-up girls are at the heart of the appeal of this slots game – of course, with a decidedly Western theme.
This isn’t ‘guns-and-bandits’ Western – you won’t come across many action-packed symbols and design features. Instead, it pays homage to the Elvgren design style, which has become iconic in its saucy depictions of ‘belles’ from the era. Scratch beneath this highly stylised surface, and you’ll find IGT have gone out of their way to create an engaging slots game with,stacked wilds and free spins bonuses to help you out.
The possible slot jackpot stands at an impressive 1000x, with bets ranging from 0.01 to 200.00. As a low to medium variance machine, you’ll find it’s not as quick to suck away your money. And with guaranteed stacks, free spins and a range of other bonuses and extra features, it’s fun to play Western Belles online or on mobile.
There are 40 paylines in play as standard, but you can also choose to introduce an additional ‘wild’ reel for a minimum stake of 2 coins. With the wild reel, you’re effective guaranteeing stacked wilds with every spin, which increases the chance of completing several paylines. Land 5 wilds in a row with the wild reel in play, and you’re on for the in-game jackpot – up to 25 million coins.
While most of the action comes from having this wild reel, and these stacked wilds in play, it’s optional – you can choose to play on the regular reels and paylines from just 0.01 per spin, so there’s an option to suit any budget. Just don’t be expecting the jackpot win – that task becomes a whole lot easier when the wild reel is in play.
When the wilds reel is in play, the betting in Western Belles can mount up. That means it’s even more important to understand the winning symbols you should be looking out for, and what they can do for your paylines.
Wild Kiss: If you’re fortunate enough to land a kiss from the Western Belles, you’re in luck – it’s the wild symbol, which will substitute in for most other symbols when you’re trying to complete your payline. Bear in mind that with the wild reel in play, you are already guaranteed stacked wilds on each spin – the kiss symbol only adds to your fortunes, making it much easier to land a winning payline on any spin where it appears.
Bonus symbol: The bonus symbol kicks you into the free spin bonus round, where you can pick up a number of retriggerable free spins. Land the bonus symbol on any of the middle reels (i.e. from reels 2 to 4), and you’ll be into free spins territory, where you can win money risk-free for at least 5 spins.
The free spin bonuses in Western Belles can be the difference that could see you walking away as a winner. To claim a free spins bonus, you need to land qualifying symbols on reels 2, 3 or 4, which will give you five free spins, plus additional stacked wilds to make completing your paylines a breeze. These are retriggerable up to 255 times, and come with the promise of two stacked wilds per spin when the wild reel is in play. With the wilds on your side, the possible jackpot becomes a definite possibility.
Western Belles has a great nostalgic feel to it. But this game is about way more than just a stylish interface. This 40 payline, 5 reel slot offers fast paced action and regular payouts, thanks in no small part to the stacked wilds running throughout the game. While there are no guarantees with the low to medium variance, it’s worth checking out for anyone who fancies their chances. Get your cowboy hat at the ready and prepare to meet the Belles with this unique slots game at PartyCasino.