Crazy Shark Slot
Well, if there is something that shouldn’t go together is the word crazy and the fish shark. No one really wants to meet a shark, never mind one that has been driven crazy. Therefore, it is hard to believe that this slot is going to be at all fun. But, apparently the land of the crazy shark is filled with sunken treasure – including rarely seen pearls.
Crazy Shark is in fact representative of the sort of game that Altea like to produce – which is fun, entertaining content and some great artistic style. There is a classic feel to the game – something of the vintage slot of the early 2000s. There are some of the symbols and features that we have come to know and love about slots.
Retro-Tastic
The graphics really are old style gaming at its best. The images are reminiscent of some of the Disney films, such as Finding Nemo. The backdrop is the ocean – with bubbles and all. The bubble writing is very early 2000s and has a fun feel. Even the cartoon shark looks kinda friendly – so maybe this crazy shark is more your eccentric uncle than your sinister stalker.
The sound effects have that same old-style arcade feel that you remember hearing as a kid walking along the seafront. There is also a satisfying click and clack of the reels, as they fall into place. Although the style could be described as basic, there is something to be said for a calling on the user’s nostalgia like this.
The jackpot symbol and the wild symbol is the shark – this doubles your winnings too! The scatter symbol is the pearl. There is also a chance for a free spin feature – which also doubles the winnings. Added to this there is a gamble feature – which gives the user the choice of doubling your winnings again – though you also risk losing the winnings at the same time. No risk, no reward though – right?
The simple red and black card game is actually really tempting – it feels like a simple matter of probability and a 50/50 chance of making some real money, or losing it all. Some experts advise avoiding the gamble feature with every chance that the bankroll will run out quickly.
Booming Jackpot
This is a randomly created progressive jackpot slot. So, as you progress with the slot there is something called the Fairy Bonus. This is basically a randomly generated moment when money is added to the jackpot and significantly increases your desire to place down a maximum stake – the only way to win this progressive jackpot. Cleverly the slot jackpot is at the top of the screen the whole time, continually tempting the user into trying the maximum stake of $5 on 10 lines – so $50 a spin!
What is great about Crazy Shark is that it pays out on 2 symbols in a row for some of the symbols. Even though some of these offer small reward there is that constant feel that you have had a return on your stake. This is a clever incentive for continuing to spin, even though you can see you bankroll going down. There is that sense at some point that the tide is turning in your benefit at regular intervals. This is just good psychology by the game developer and it’s sure to keep even the most cynical game players playing.
Worth a Splash
So, Altea have made a definite decision with this game. They have gone for a classic, animated sea-scape – with a sense of retro vintage slots from our childhood. The sounds are classic of slots of old and you are sent back to the arcades of your youth.
There is a lot to suggest that this is just a bit of fun and that there is nothing wrong with sitting and gently risking 50 cents a spin for an afternoon. It is likely that it will pass the time just fine and you will more or less end up where you started by the end of the afternoon. Not much extreme excitement, but no great sense of loss either.
Yet, hidden behind the cute cartoon shark there is a sense of crazy – remember. There is a chance to bet a high stake and come out with a decent reward. The gamble feature – doubling up your winnings each time – and suddenly your gentle afternoon has turned into an adrenalin fuelled high reward afternoon. The clink clink clink of the reels falling into place are just as addictive in this classic game as they are in any casino lobby around the world.
