Some movies are so good that they spawn other forms of entertainment based on their storylines. One of these alternative forms of entertainment is online casino slots. Some film-themed slots are just fads that fade quickly, while others become firm favourites with online casino players, and in this blog, we take a look at 3 of the best and where you can play them, starting with Jumanji.
Jumanji by NetEnt
Screenshot of the Jumanji slot by NetEnt, courtesy of bitStarz Casino
The film Jumanji, which one of the top, themed film slots owes its existence to, is based on a 1981 book by Chris Van Allsburg. It tells the tale of a mysterious board game that has a treacherous mind of its own, where every roll of the dice potentially results in dire consequences.
The movie, which was released in 1995, recounts the adventures of Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce, an orphaned brother and sister who move with their Aunty Nora into a spooky, abandoned mansion in New England. They discover a game in the attic and find themselves transported to the jungles of Jumanji. Here, they find themselves among swarms of huge insects, crazed monkeys and dangerous animals and meet up with Alan (played by Robbie Williams), who has been entrapped by the game for 26 years.
It’s a great storyline with magical special effects; perfect as a base for one of the most popular movie themed slots of all time.
The Jumanji slot by NetEnt was launched 21 years after the film first screened. Like the movie, the slot machine transports you to a different world, courtesy of the game’s Bonus Game. This 5-reel slot has variable rows of 3-4-5-4-3 from left to right. It’s a low-volatility game, so you can expect to land regular wins. The Hit Frequency is 24.6%.
Jumanji’s Symbols and Paytable
| Symbol | 3 of a Kind | 4 of a Kind | 5 of a Kind |
| J | 2x | 3x | 7x |
| Q | 2x | 3x | 8x |
| K | 2x | 4x | 9x |
| A | 2x | 4x | 10x |
| Pelican | 3x | 8x | 2×5 |
| Crocodile | 4x | 10x | 30x |
| Rhino | 5x | 15x | 50x |
| Lion | 6x | 20x | 14×0 |
You can adjust your bet when playing this 36 payline game by selecting your preferred coin size and bet level (number of coins per line).
Special Symbols
There are 2 special symbols, the Wild and the Scatter. The Wild symbol is the word ‘WILD,’ and the Scatter is the Jumaji Game Box.
The Wild is used to substitute any symbol apart from the Scatter.
The Scatters activate the Board Game Feature.
Specials Features
Jumanji is one of the most popular film slots thanks to the many special features it offers. Inspired by the movie itself, they include:
The Sticky Vines Feature
Like many of the features of the Jumanji slot by NetEnt, the ‘Sticky Vines Feature’ is activated at random. Any winning symbols that comprise wins will stick in position, as will any Wilds that are visible on the screen, even if they are not part of a winning payline. Any non-sticky reels will then respin, creating the opportunity for more wins.
The Monsoon Wilds Feature
The Monsoon Wilds Feature, like the Sticky Vines Feature, is also triggered at random. Movie slots often feature random mechanics.
A Crocodile momentarily appears, signalling that the Feature has been activated. The Croc then disappears to be replaced by a complete reel of Wilds.
Only reels 1, 2, 3, and 4 can undergo this conversion.
The Monkey Mayhem Feature
Another randomly activated feature, the Monkey Mayhem Feature, creates chaos as pairs of Monkey Hands appear, grabbing hold of symbols and repositioning them wherever their fancy takes them. You’re guaranteed a win of one size or another whenever this Feature is activated.
The Jumanji Wild Stampede Feature
If you see a herd of Hippos careering across the screen, it’s a signal that the Jumanji Wild Stampede Feature has been activated. Not all film slots have good video sequences, but Jumanji certainly does, as you’ll see when this Feature is triggered at random.
Once activated, the reels will spin with between 4 to 9 Wilds being added into the mix. After the reels have stopped spinning, any winning combos that have landed will be paid out.
The Board Game Feature
This Feature is not randomly activated. Instead, it is triggered by landing 3 or more Scatters in the base game. In the Board Game, you must move your token (all 4 of which are equal) around the board depending on what you score when you roll the 2 dice. The more Scatters you land, the rolls of the dice you will be awarded. Here’s how it works:
- 3 Scatters – 6 rolls of the dice
- 4 Scatters – 7 rolls of the dice
- 5 Scatters – 8 rolls of the dice.
As we mentioned earlier, the best movie themed slots are featur-rich, and Jumanji excels in this department. At each corner of the gameboard, there are special feature squares. Each time you token lands on one, it will activate the associated Feature. They are:
- Vines Free Spins: This Feature awards you 10 Free Spins during which the Sticky Vines Feature (see above) is active on each win.
- Monsoon Free Spins: Awards you 7 Free Spins. Similar rules apply as per the Monsoon Wilds Feature. However, the same covered reels do not get selected for 2 consecutive spins.
- Monkey Free Spins: Comprises 6 Free Spins, and follows the same rules as per the Monkey Mayhem Feature apply.
- Stampede Free Spins: Comprises 5 Free Spins. The mechanic in this feature is as per the mechanic in the Jumanji Wild Stampede Feature.
- The Mystery Feature: If your token lands on a Mystery Feature, a carousel will pop up, but instead of horses, the carousel carries coin wins from x2 to x10. You’re awarded 2 extra dice rolls, and wherever your token lands, that is the multiplier that applies to your win.
- Additional Rolls: If your token happens to land on the Additional Roll section, you’ll be awarded an extra roll of the dice.
GamBonus’s Concluding Thoughts on the Jumanji Slot by NetEnt
If you’re a fan of the Jumanji movie, you’ll love the NetEnt slot of the same name. It’s true to the movie, including its soundtrack. It is one of the most feature-rich film slots, and being a low volatility game with a 96.3% RTP, you’re sure of landing some regular, nice-sized wins. This is one of the top movie-themed slots that guarantees lots of fun and excitement.
Gladiator Mega Cash Collect by Playtech
The Welcome Screen of the Gladiator slot by Playtech, courtesy of bitStarz Casino
The movie Gladiator, directed by Alien director Ridley Scott, was released in 2000. It won 5 Academy Awards and confirmed its place as a cinematic masterpiece, which remains a historic-adventure classic that continues to captivate audiences around the world. Software provider Playtech decided to cash in on the movie’s popularity and created one of the best movie themed slots of all time.
Gladiator Mega Cash Collect is a 5-reel, 3/4/4/4/3-row slot machine.
The Symbols and Paytable
Lower paying symbols are 10, J, Q, K, and A. Each pays 0.10x for 3 of a kind, 0.40x for 4 of a kind, and 1.50x for 5 of a kind.
The higher paying symbols are:
3 = 0.20x
4 = 0.50x
5 = 2.50x
3 = 0.20x
4 = 0.50x
5 = 2.50x
3 = 0.20x
4 = 0.80x
5 = 3.00x
3 = 0.30x
4 = 1.00x
5 = 5.00x
3 = 0.40x
4 = 1.50x
5 = 5.00x
Special Symbols
The Wild
The Wild appears on all reels. It substitutes for all symbols but not the Cash or Cash Collect symbols.
The Cash Symbol
Cash symbols appear both in the base game and the bonus feature game. The cash amount shown on the coin is collected automatically, but only when you land a Cash Collect Symbol (see below) in the same spin.
The Cash Collect Symbol
When the Cash Collect Symbol lands, it will automatically collect the cash that it shown on any Cash Coin Symbols that are visible.
Gladiator’s Free Games Features
Most top movie slots have unique special features, and the Gladiator Mega Cash Collect Free Games Feature is one of the best we here at GamBonus have come across. It, in itself, is feature-rich, giving you plenty of opportunity to increase the size of your win by landing the Free Game special features shown below. But, first things first. How is the Free Games Feature triggered?
You trigger Gladiator’s Free Games Feature by landing 1 or more Cash Collect Symbols on reel 1 or 5. However, you must also land at least 1 Free Games Coin, like the one pictured on the left. The number of Free Games awarded depends on the number displayed on the Free Games Coins. Typically, it is between +3 and +10 per coin, but you might land multiple coins in the triggering spin, which will be added together. When the Free Games Feature is activated, you’ll be presented with a screen similar to that shown below.
Film slots like Gladiators Mega Cash Collect by Playtech don’t come along very often. The reason that this particular online slot machine is still so popular is the potential for large wins that this unique Free Games Feature offers.
There are a number of special symbols that only appear in this feature round. They include:
- An Arrow Up Symbol
- Dropping Wild Symbols
- Cash Spreader Symbols
- Sticky Cash Symbols
- Random Coin Symbols
Each symbol either increases the size of the wins or creates additional wins and spins.
GamBonus’s Concluding Thoughts on the Gladiator Mega Cash Collect Slot by Playtech
Gladiator Mega Cash Collect is an exciting slot to play, One of the most exciting of all of the film slots we’ve tested, and the video scenes that play out from the movie are a nice reminder of what is after all an amazing film But it is a high variance slot so you’ll have to stick at it if you want to land the Free Games Feature or on of its 4 Jackpots.
Terminator 2 by Microgaming
Screenshot of the Terminator 2 slot by Microgaming, courtesy of Cloudbet Casino
The first of the Terminator movies was released in 1984. Directed by James Cameron, it was the daddy of the Terminator Series, of which Terminator 2 (Judgment Day), released in 1991, is rated the best by movie critics. Software provider Microgaming (now Apricot) recognised the global popularity of the movie and launched their online slot of the same name in 2014.
Terminator 2 is one of the best film slots the team here at GamBonus have played. It’s a 5×3 slot that offers 243 ways to win in its base game, and 1,024 ways to win in its Free Spins Feature Round. With its T2 Wild Symbol and its Time Shere Scatter, you’ll connect with all of the main characters of the movie via its other slot symbols, which include Arnie, John Conner, Sarah Connor, the T800, and the T1000.
The Symbols and Paytable are laid out below.
| Symbol | 2 of a Kind | 3 of a Kind | 4 of a Kind | 5 of a Kind |
| Club or Diamond Symbol | – | 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.50 |
| Heart or Spade Symbol | – | 0.07 | 0.30 | 1.00 |
| T800 | – | 0.10 | 0.40 | 2.00 |
| Sarah Connor | – | 0.12 | 0.45 | 3.00 |
| T1000 | – | 0.15 | 0.50 | 4.00 |
| John Connor | – | 0.20 | 0.60 | 5.00 |
| Arnie | – | 0.30 | 1.50 | 8.00 |
| Scatter (Time Sphere) | 0.30 | 0.60 | 3.00 | 30.00 |
| Wild (T2) | – | 0.50 | 3.00 | 15.00 |
Special Symbol
In addition to the Time Sphere Scatter and the T2 Wild, the other special symbol is the T1000 Terminator. As well as having the monetary values as shown in the paytable above, when landed during the Free Spins Round, it can transform into any of the other character symbols to create the highest potential win.
The Special Feature of the Terminator 2 Slot
Movie themed slots like Terminator 2 by Microgaming, depend on their special features to realise their full potential, and this game’s features are first-class.
Scenes from the T2 Movie
When more than character symbols combine to form a winning payline, they switch into video mode to display key scenes from the movie itself. The T2 Wild and the Time Sphere Scatter also have this capability. Terminator movie enthusiasts will love this Feature.
The T800 Vision Feature
Another feature that T2 lovers will enjoy is the T800 Vision Feature. Of all the film slots we’ve reviewed, this is the one that stands out the most. It’s triggered totally at random. When it activates, you’ll be looking through the eyes of the T800. You’ll zero in on any of the characters that are showing. The character’s name will appear, and a win value will be randomly assigned. All values will be totalled and paid.
The Free Spins Feature
The Free Spins Feature is kicked into life when 3 or more Scatters are landed in base gameplay. You’ll be awarded 10 Free Spins and the ways to win will shift from 243 to 1,024. Any T2 Symbols you land will transform into one of the other characters to provide you with the biggest win.
GamBonus’s Concluding Thoughts on the Terminator 2 Slot by Microgaming (Apricot)
Probably the best of the movie themed slots we here at GamBonus have come across in recent times, Terminator 2 by Microgaming, has really captured the essence of the film. They’ve used it to create a first-class, entertaining slot that movie fans will find it hard to stop playing. Even the quiet, robo-like hum of the reels spinning adds authenticity. A medium to high volatility slot with a 96.62% variance rating and 243 or 1024 ways to win, this is one of the film slots that has stood the test of time. If you’re a movie fan and haven’t played it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing.
