Hot To Burn

Playing Hot To Burn for the first time

Unlike old fruit machines, I didn’t have to go out to find this casino game; it’s online! If I’m honest, I like cranking a one-armed bandit, but pressing play is so much easier. Here’s how I did it.

1. Even though I didn’t need to leave my house, I still had to find a site to play this slot. I had a look at the best online casinos and found a reputable site with excellent game variety.

2. Before signing up, I checked the promotions page. I wanted to know about the welcome offer, including how much I could claim, what I had to do to get it, the wagering requirements and any restrictions.

3. Next, I launched the registration form. I filled out the fields and made sure to select my chosen bonus when the option appeared. Your casino might ask you to opt in, use a bonus code, or just make a qualifying deposit.

4. After verifying my email address, I headed straight to the cashier. I deposited my money using PayPal, and that action triggered my bonus as well as topping up my account with funds.

5. I visited the classic slots tab in my casino’s game library. From there, it was easy to find Hot To Burn, and I launched the game, which loaded in just a few seconds.

6. Before betting, I checked the paylines, looked at the payables, and read the rules. I used the plus and minus arrows to adjust my wager, and I was happy to see that the bet range is flexible, going up in increments of €0.05. 

My experience playing this slot

There’s a certain look to the fruits on classic slots, and there are specific fruits involved. If you throw some bananas, kiwis, pineapples, and raspberries on the reels, it’s a fruit-themed slot, but it isn’t traditional. Have no fear; this title sticks to the originals with oranges, lemons, and plums in the timeless design.

Enjoyably elementary

I admit, I’m a sucker for bells and whistles in slot design. I like characters, animations, attention to detail, and sound effects to match. While this fruity title doesn’t have a quirky character, it delivers everything else I could want. The light bounces off of the fruits, making them look juicy, and the seeds on the watermelon and strawberries make them lifelike. 

As for animations, the flames lick at the reels when a win lands, and they’re accompanied by a burning and crackling sound effect. Otherwise, there’s no music, just the traditional sounds of a slot machine. You get some celebratory chimes for a win and a ramping up of excitement for the final reel if a potential win could land.

True to its roots

In my mind, there are three categories for these games: traditional slots, modern slots, and modern slots that take inspiration from tradition. Many newer releases fall into the last category, but Hot To Burn stays true to the roots of traditional slots. It doesn’t mess with the sounds, graphics, or format, so the nostalgia is strong.

If you’re looking for a storyline, there isn’t one. We don’t know how all this fruit got on the reels or why it burns when fruit matches. I, for one, don’t need to know; I just enjoy it for what it is: a slot with excellent payouts.

Burning hot bonus features

This part is where I wax lyrical about the exciting features in the base game and bonus rounds. If you’re hoping for Wilds, multipliers, Free Spins, and a pick’em game, you’ll need to keep searching. This game stays so true to the format that it only has one bonus feature, and it barely qualifies as that.

The special symbol is the star Scatter. It only serves one purpose, which is how the original Scatters worked. It pays out when three or more land anywhere on the reels, regardless of paylines. I saw three stars land, and it got me 2x my bet. If I had seen four Scatters, I would have got 10x my total bet, and five would have led to a nice win of 50x my wager.

Most titles require bonus features to increase the action and the win potential. In this slot, that’s already happening with every spin, as the payouts are great, and the pace is decent. The Scatter is a nice addition that is commonly seen in traditional fruit machines.

Hot To Burn’s RTP

While I might forgive a classic game for not having many or any bonus features, I still need the details. If the RTP or volatility is disappointing, then it could put me off. Fortunately, this game impresses on both fronts. It has a medium volatility, which is just right for a steady flow of action. Plus, the payouts range from low to high, keeping things interesting.

There are five active paylines on five reels and three rows. The wins pay from left to right, with the wins from paylines combining, although only the highest win per line pays. I’m happy with the RTP of Hot To Burn, which is 96.71%. It’s slightly above average, making it worth my attention. 

What attracted me to Hot To Burn?

There are two key attractions at play here. If I start with what caught my attention, it’s the theme. Sometimes, a classic is harder to do than something unique. This slot made me happy because it stuck to tradition in ways that reminded me of the old-school fruit machines. I enjoyed seeing the plums and lucky sevens click by on the reels accompanied by the appropriate sound effects.

What sealed the deal for me was the paytable. The payouts are good, no matter if it's the top symbol or the lowest. I do prefer online slots with bonus features, but I wouldn’t swap them for decent payouts. Adding this game into the mix makes a nice change from the other top titles out there.