Ride the Lightning: A Slot Game with a Thrash Metal Vibe
Ride the Lightning was the title of Metallica’s second album and has been labeled thrash metal at its finest, while also introducing genre-expanding elements such as acoustic guitars and more elaborate harmonies. Interestingly, the term ‘ride the lightning’ comes from the Stephen King novel The Stand, where it refers to death by electric chair. That’s a powerful combination of cultural touchstones, and it’s not hard to imagine casino game maker Pragmatic Play trying to latch onto these with Ride the Lightning, an online slot game that evokes the spirit of thrash metal — but with no official links to the metal band or horror author.
A Retro-Inspired Slot with a Thrash Metal Vibe
Not sure about the riding part, but the game flashes bolts of lightning in a background depicting clouds that seem to be flying at high speed. While this visual might bring to mind the raw power of a lightning strike, the loop reset dulls the effect. In keeping with the 80s metal atmosphere, the background music echoes thumping drums, driving riffs, and Metallica-esque fills. The music is designed to complement a slot, so don’t expect a okebet Grammy-worthy track — but it’s certainly something Beavis and Butt-head might headbang to for a while, even if it gets repetitive.
Slot Mechanics and Design: A 3×3 Classic Setup
Ride the Lightning is a throwback to classic slot machines with a 3×3 reel structure and 9 paylines. It’s a simple yet highly volatile game, offering players an RTP of 96.5% at best, with lower models also available. A hit rate of 1 in 3.29 spins is solid for a 3-reel game, which makes for a potentially thrilling experience. Players can stake between 10 cents and $/€250 per spin, making the game accessible to a wide range of budgets.
The Symbols: Classic Imagery with a Retro Twist
In Ride the Lightning, you’ll find just five regular paying symbols: the Bar, Double Bar, Seven, Double Seven, and Triple Seven. These symbols land on the reels and form winning combinations worth anywhere from 0.5x to 7x your stake. The straightforward nature of these symbols gives a nod to the simplicity of vintage slot machines while offering solid payouts to keep players engaged.
Wild Symbols: Lightning Strikes
The Ride the Lightning slot doesn’t just rely on its classic symbols to keep things interesting — it also features three different wild symbols. The blue bolt wild, red bolt wild, and the 3x wild all appear on any reel during the base game and free spins. These wilds can substitute for any regular paying symbol and can significantly increase your chances of landing a win. The 3x wild even multiplies the value of any winning combination it’s part of (excluding jackpot wins).
Jackpot Wins: Striking Gold with Wilds
For those hoping to hit it big, Ride the Lightning offers several jackpot opportunities. If you land three wild symbols on a payline, you’ll trigger the 25x Mini Jackpot. If you land three blue bolt wilds, you’ll win the 100x Minor Jackpot. Three red bolt wilds on a payline award the 250x Major Jackpot, and three 3x wilds will trigger the 500x Grand Jackpot. These jackpots can be especially exciting, with big rewards waiting for those who land the right combinations of wilds.
Free Spins: Let the Lightning Strike Twice
The game also features a free spins round triggered by the appearance of scatter symbols on the central reel. Hitting a scatter symbol awards 10 free spins. During these free spins, a multiplier between x2 and x20 is randomly selected and applied to the total win of the spin, including any jackpot wins. If you hit another scatter symbol, you’ll get an additional +10 free spins, giving you more chances to rack up rewards.
Feature Buy: Skip Ahead for a Price
If you’re impatient or simply want to get straight to the excitement, you can use the Feature Buy option. For a cost of 100x your bet, players can buy direct access to the free spins bonus round. However, note that the RTP for this mode is slightly lower, at 96.48%, so it’s a trade-off between immediate access and a slight decrease in the payout percentage.
The Ride the Lightning Slot Verdict
While Ride the Lightning from Pragmatic Play is a fun, retro-inspired slot, it feels like a missed opportunity for a truly epic branded experience. Given the name and the thrash metal connotations, it’s almost surprising that Pragmatic Play didn’t team up with Metallica to make an officially licensed game. Imagine spinning reels with the band’s music and iconic imagery! In fact, competitors like Play’n GO have partnered with big rock bands like Saxon, KISS, and Twisted Sister to create licensed slots. While this game may not have the star power of a Metallica-branded slot, it’s still a solid option for players who enjoy high volatility and a throwback to 80s metal. And if you’re looking for an extra boost, try betting on okebet for even bigger opportunities.
