I don’t know about you, but when I think of online video slots I think first of the masters of Renaissance art. In fact, I don’t, so IGT games are to be congratulated for making me do so on this occasion, by combing online gaming with history’s greatest artist (that’s an argument for another day!). They do so in this stylish, artistic slot that features the “tumbling reels” style of introducing new symbols, and reels full of top-notch versions of Leonardo Da Vinci’s pictures. Da Vinci Diamonds slot machine can be played on all platforms and offers scatters, wilds and a big free-spin bonus game.
Da Vinci Diamonds slot machine is an IGT Gaming title that was designed by H5G (High 5 Games). IGT is a multinational gaming company who make both on and offline games of a huge variety. Among the more than 600 games, they currently offer are Alfred Hitchcock, the Baywatch games and Charlies’ Angels.
H5G also make a big range of games, including Birds of Wonder, Circus Treasure, and Hoot Loot.
The first thing to note about this game is that the most basic function of all in slot machines is missing! Gone are spinning reels – in their place are symbols that fall down from the top of the screen. And it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference! The end result and the sums behind the scenes are exactly the same with one exception – winning symbols vanish to allow new symbols to arrive, possibly delivering a new win. It’s a re-spin feature basically.
Those symbols are inspired by Renaissance art and the classic “gems” of the slot machine world. The pay-table opens with the gems.
The yellow stone pays 10-times stake for three, 20-times for four, and 80-times for five. The green diamond and the red one both pay 10-times for three, 30-times for four and 100 times for a full house.
Then we’re onto the art!
The portrait of the young woman (it’s The Lady with an Ermine from 1489ish, and you’ll have to go to Poland to see it) pays 20-times stake for three, then 60-times and 300-times. Then we have a portrait of a young man, (Portrait of a Musician, circa 1485, currently in Milan), who pays 30-times stakes for three, 80-times for four, and 500-times your stake for five. Then the Mona Lisa (which you all know) pays 50-times stake for three, 200-times stake for four and 1,000-times stake for five. The game logo pays 100-times stake for three, 500-times stake for four, and 5,000-times stake for five.
These payout from 20 pay-lines.
You’ll also see a Wild and a Bonus symbol, both of which are named. The Wild subs in for everything except for the Bonus.
The Bonus triggers the free spins rounds. If you see three of them on the first three reels then you’ve won six free spins. In the free spins round you can win more free games – up to four for three symbols, 4-10 for four, and 6 to 15 for five symbols.
There is a maximum free spins allowance of 300!
The free spins round brings in a new set of symbols.
A gold gem pays 10, 20, and 80 times stake; a blue one pays 10, 30, and 100; a purple one is worth 10, 40, and 150-times stake; the pearl pays 10, 50 or 200-times stake; and the game logo now pays 200, 1,000 and 5,000 times stake.
A new set of portraits appear as scatters. They are all portraits of young women, the lowest paying of which pays double your stake for three, the five-times stake for four, 20 times for five. The next one up pays three-times stake for three, eight for four, and 25-times for five. The highest paying one pays four, 10, and 30-times stake.
This is a five-by-three game with a theoretical return to player of 94.94%.
When you theme your game after the best-known artist in history you’re going to need to put some effort into the design. Thankfully IGT has very much done that with this game.
The backdrop is all black, with detailing around the main game area that is based on the frames around early modern period art. The text is bright and easy to read, and the controls are clearly set out.
The symbols arrive by falling in, which they do nicely. When they do, they look great – big and clear and actually providing a fairly decent version of some great art.
Da Vinci Diamonds online slot game is visually sophisticated but super simple to play. The controls are at the bottom of the screen, underneath an information bar. Then there’s a Win window, alongside a window of changing the text that advertises and explains game features.
The bottom row of game buttons runs from left to right: the pay-lines, then the line-bet amount, to give a total that is displayed in the next window. In the centre is a golden spin button. Next is another win window, then a Balance window. Then there is an auto spin button that simply allows you to set a number of spins – or tumbles – and a settings button that allows you to set the graphics quality to suit your screen.
The sound control, rules (which opens a new window), and pay-table options are in a grey line at the bottom of the game screen.
Da Vinci Diamonds slot game certainly looks the part. The tumbling symbols effect is great, and the fact that it offers you a respin on every win is a big bonus. There is a wonderful look at the symbols and it feels sophisticated and fun while you’re playing it.
Very generous totals from the base-game symbols and a massive number of possible free spins look like they will deliver big wins. However, the RTP isn’t nearly as generous as the industry average at the moment. Remember, this doesn’t mean you won’t win and won’t win big, so if you like great looking and sounding machines that might even encourage you to educate yourself a little then you should definitely come to this gallery now.