Eyecon are the developers behind the Highland Reels slot game, which was released to the online casino industry in 2021. The Highland Reels is one of the few Scottish-themed releases in the online casino industry, and its theme is among the most interesting out there. Over the years, slot developers have been quick to base their titles around ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Aztec civilisations, with Scotland being overlooked by many. This game draws inspiration from Scottish culture, with the infamous Scottish Highland Games reflected in its visuals.
Highland Reels Game Background
As mentioned, Eyecon developed this title, which is one of their many online slot releases, part of their incredible portfolio. Headquartered in Australia, Eyecon is one of the most notable slot developers in the history of the iGaming industry, a testament to innovation and creativity. Eyecon was founded in 1997, making it an extremely experienced name in the industry, as online casinos were only just on the rise. Since its inception almost three centuries ago, Eyecon has released over 150 slot titles, encompassing a range of themes. Unlike many developers who dabble in other casino games, such as live casino releases, Eyecon has placed a full focus on the creativity of slot games.
Base gameplay is relatively standard in the Highland Reels slot title, with a 5-reel 3-row playgrid set up, which contains 25 individual paylines. All the paylines in this slot game begin at the leftmost reel and work from left to right in adjacent reels. If players land the required number of identical symbols across a payline, a base game prize will be awarded.
In the backdrop of the Highland Reels slot, there are rolling green hills beneath the bright blue sky, which makes for an overall fitting setting given the theme. Located on the hills in the backdrop are flags aligned with each other, at either side of the playgrid, which can be assumed to be a capture the flag style game. Behind the playgrid on either side are silhouettes of cheering crowds as bagpipe music plays, adding to the ambience. To add to the aesthetic, there are two unique Scottish characters to either side of the playgrid, dressed in kilts, and there are Scottish flags above the reels.
Highland Reels Slot Symbols
There are a total of 8 base game symbols in the Highland Reels slot, composed of different designs and values. The lower-value symbols in this slot title are drawn from live casino games, featuring classic playing card imagery with unique colouring. The higher-value symbols in this title are made with some relation to the theme, showcasing the same items that the two characters on either side of the reels are holding.
Lower-Value Symbols:
- 9
- 10
- J
- Q
Medium-Value Symbols:
- K
- A
- Stone Ball
Higher-Value Symbols:
- Caber
There are some additional symbols that can land on the reels in the Highland Reels slot, with the hammer scatter, Scotsman scatter, and the wild.
Highland Reels Bonus Symbols
The gameplay in this Scottish-themed slot game is elevated by the use of different mechanics enabling the bonus features, one of which is attached to the wild symbol. The wild can land on reels 2 and 4, potentially stepping in for any base game symbol to form or extend a matching combination. If the wild does step in and partakes in a matching combination, the base game prize will be doubled.
When three or more hammer scatter symbols land on the reels in the Highland Reels slot, the hammer throw feature is triggered. In this feature, the user selects hammer targets until a matching pair is revealed, completing the feature. Once the hammer targets are revealed, they will reveal a multiplier ranging from 2x to 100x the bet stake, which will be awarded when matched.
If players land three or more Scotsman symbols in the Highland Reels slot, the caber toss feature will be triggered. In this feature, the player will be awarded one pick for each Scotsman scatter symbol that lands on the reels in the base game to trigger the bonus. On each pick, a Scotsman will toss a caber, which can reveal a prize of up to 100x the bet stake or 10 free games. It is worth noting that the free games can only be triggered once in the caber toss feature.
In the free games feature, the gameplay will remain relatively unchanged, though all prizes triggered are doubled, and the hammer throw, or caber toss, features cannot be triggered.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Highland Reels is an interesting online slot game that features a theme centred on Scotland. The developers have added some fun gameplay bonuses that can be triggered in this title, including the caber toss and hammer throw.