Barb’s Best Bets: Top Music-Themed Games at NJ Online Casinos
Slot machines are available today with every theme imaginable, so it is no surprise at all that some of the most popular slots at NJ online casinos have a music theme.
Sound effects can certainly enhance the immersive feeling of any slot, keep you mesmerized to the screen, and make you feel part of the action. But the top New Jersey online music-themed slot games truly succeed in this regard because the songs you get to hear are already familiar to you.
All of the slots I am going to tell you about today are in the rock ’n’ roll genre. They feature past artists who need no introduction since they are household names to music fans of all generations.
What you might not know about these slots, however, and what makes them best bets in my book, is not just that they are highly entertaining, but they are some of the best paying slots in the house!
What you need to know about RTP
An important stat for any slot player, because it directly affects your longevity in the game, is return to player (RTP).
The RTP is expressed as a percentage regarding how much of a player’s total investment is expected to be paid back over time. The reverse of the RTP is the house edge. All slots have an RTP under 100 percent because that is how the casino makes its profit. However, the higher the RTP, the better the game is in the long run for the player.
In general, NJ online slots have a higher RTP than slots in brick-and-mortar casinos, but both online and offline, the percentage of return varies. Any online slot whose RTP is 96 percent or better is considered excellent, and all four top NJ online music-themed slots featured here fall into that lofty group.
It is important to keep in mind that the RTP is the expected results over millions of spins. Your results in any given session may be either better or worse than the stated RTP, as anything can happen in the short run. However, over time, the RTP is a reliable indicator of how well you are likely to fare in a particular game.
The Grammys and NJ online casino slot games
As I write this, the 60th Annual Grammy Awards are ready to kick off on Sunday night, Jan. 28. Hosted by James Corden for the second year in a row, the Grammys will be broadcast live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. New Jersey audiences will be able to watch the presentation in its entirety on CBS TV or online from 7:30 to 11 p.m. local time.
Of course, the Grammys are more than just an awards show. It’s a night to recognize the accomplishments of musicians past and present in every music genre. Some of the illustrious artists selected to perform include Sting, U2, Sam Smith, Pink, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Kesha, SZA, Childish Gambino, Emmylou Harris, and Little Big Town (just to name a few).
On the other hand, if you’re both a music lover and NJ online slot enthusiast, your musical entertainment doesn’t have to start and end with the Sunday night telecast. You can be dazzled by the top NJ online music-themed slot games anytime and have a good chance to win, too.
You can play the four slots highlighted here on the NJ gambling website of your choice. For example, Betfair, Borgata, Caesars, Golden Nugget, Tropicana, and Virgin online casinos all offer them.
So the list of NJ online casinos that will spark the music enthusiast inside you is unbeatable.
Guns ‘N Roses
Guns N’ Roses is a video slot created by NetEnt and Bravado International Group, released in January 2016 as a tribute to the legendary 1980s hard rock band. It is also the first in a trilogy of highly acclaimed classic rock-inspired slots that make up the NetEnt Rocks Tour.
Guns N’ Roses has five reels, three rows, and 20 lines. It is considered a low-medium volatility slot. The minimum bet is 20 cents and the maximum is $150. The RTP is 96.3 percent.
Symbols
The highest value symbols are the band members Axl Rose, Slack, and Duff Kagan and two decorative plectrums. The playing cards 10-Ace are the lower paying symbols. The Guns N’ Roses logo, which appears on all of the reels, is the game’s Expanding Wild symbol. The bonus symbol, which appears on reels 1, 3, and 5 only, is a platinum record. You need to get the bonus symbol on all three of the reels simultaneously to spin the Bonus Wheel.
Special features
Adding to the non-stop excitement of the game and giving you many more chances to win, here are the notable special features.
Expanding Wilds: The Expanding Wilds feature allows a wild symbol to expand to cover every position on the reel.
Solo Multiplier: This is a randomly occurring feature after a win, where the player receives a 4x to 10x multiplier.
Legend Spins: This feature is activated very infrequently, but is capable of generating huge wins. The player receives three extra spins. In the first of these, reel 3 becomes a stacked wild. In the second, reels 1 and 5 are both entirely wild. In the third, reels 2 and 4 are entirely wild.
Appetite for Destruction Wild: This is another special feature in the base game that is very infrequent, but capable of producing large wins. The feature is activated when a big wild symbol shaped like a cross appears in either the top, middle or bottom row of reel 3. This extra powerful wild symbol substitutes for all other symbols except the bonus symbol.
Bonus Wheel: If you get three platinum records on reels 1, 3, and 5, it triggers the Bonus Wheel, which has three possible outcomes:
- Crowd Pleaser Bonus
- Encore Free Spins
- Win the number of credits shown on the wheel
Why you’ll love this music-themed slot
This is a highly entertaining slot. If you’re a Guns N’ Roses fan, the graphics and sound effects, and attention-getting animations draw you into the action. The soundtrack includes your choice of five of the band’s biggest hits. In fact, whenever you experience a big win or receive a bonus, concert footage ensues.
The whole time you are playing, you feel like you really are at a Guns N’ Roses concert, not sitting in front of a computer screen.
Be forewarned. If you’re looking for a fairly quiet slot, one that will relax you, the Guns N’ Roses slot game is not for you. But if you love games that are packed with action, excitement, and surprises, this is the perfect slot for you.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix is the second slot game in the NetEnt Rocks Trilogy. As the title suggests, this game is a homage to the guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who was very big in the 1960s. Fans will be treated to a soundtrack of some of his biggest hits.
But despite the psychedelic vibe reminiscent of this artist’s lifestyle that will transport you back in time to the Woodstock era, the technology is clearly 21st century.
The Jimi Hendrix slot game has five reels, three rows, and 20 fixed paylines. The minimum bet is only 20 cents and the maximum bet is $400, for a wide enough betting range to suit almost any player. The low volatility will keep you in the game for a long time without jeopardizing your bankroll. The RTP is 96.91 percent.
Symbols
The game’s symbols include a white guitar, peace logo, heart, vinyl disc, flower, and eye, with the playing cards 10-Ace making up the lower paying symbols.
The wild symbol is none other than Jimi Hendrix himself. It substitutes for all other symbols except the Purple Haze and Jimi Hendrix/white guitar, which are the scatter symbols.
Special features
This game is packed with so many special features and surprises, the only thing that can be said for certain is that you are in for a very exciting ride.
Pick and Click Bonus: The bonus is triggered when three Jimi/white guitar scatter symbols show up simultaneously on reels three, four, and five. You keep picking symbols until you get three matching symbols. You then win one of the following:
- Coin Win: an 8 to 30x multiplier of your bet
- Crosstown Traffic Free Spins: 6 free spins with one or more reels completely wild
- Purple Haze Free Spins: 6-12 free spins where the playing card symbols act as wilds
- Little Wing Free Spins: 6-12 free spins with 3, 4, or 5 red guitar wilds on each spin
Purple Haze Feature: If the Purple Haze symbol lands anywhere on reel one, it becomes wild with any playing card symbols.
Red Guitar Respins: If four red guitar symbols appear anywhere on the reels, they will stay in place for the next spin. The round continues each time you get at least one more red guitar. When no new red guitars appear, the round is over, and your payout is determined.
Why you’ll love this music-themed slot
Regardless of whether you’re a big fan who can’t get enough of Jimi Hendrix or you’re new to his music, it is impossible not to get drawn into the excitement of this game.
Jimi Hendrix is a highly entertaining slot with great graphics and sound effects. There are also bonuses galore, giving you many opportunities to win. The RTP is even higher than that of Guns ‘N Roses — close to 97 percent — which is exceptional.
Motorhead
Motorhead, which pays tribute to the English heavy metal band of that name, is the third slot game in the NetEnt Rocks trilogy.
Unlike its two predecessors, the Motorhead slot has 76 lines to go with its five reels. It is a low volatility game, with a minimum bet of $20 and a maximum bet of $200. The RTP is 96.98 percent.
I have to admit that the jarring hard rock sound of Motorhead isn’t my cup of tea, and it might not be yours either. However, if the constant blasting of their music is too much, the Rock Mode can be turned off.
You will still get the sound of the spinning reels, but you can’t possibly object to that, especially when you hit a big payout!
Symbols
The seven standard symbols include Lemmy (the band’s frontman and the highest paying symbol), a gold star, silver bell, red 7, horseshoe, cherries, and a four-leaf clover. The Aces of Spaces (the name of one of Motorhead’s biggest hits) is the wild symbol, replacing all others to form winning combinations, with the exception of the Motorhead logo, which is the scatter symbol.
Special features
Like the other games in the NetEnt Rocks trilogy, Motorhead is packed with special bonus features that give you additional ways to win.
Mystery Reel: On every spin, at least one reel will be a stacked mystery reel. If any mystery symbols show up, they may transform another symbol, but not a scatter symbol, to produce a win.
Bomber Feature: At random times before a base game spin, several bombs will explode on the reels, creating 10 or more mystery symbols. These mystery symbols have the power to transform another matching symbol.
Free Spins: The Free Spins bonus is triggered when three scatter symbols show up on reels 3, 4, and 5. You get 10 free spins. In addition, the mystery reel now contains not only stacked mystery icons, but wild symbols, too!
Why you’ll love this music-themed slot
Whether you’re a big Motorhead fan or not, you can’t fault the state-of-the-art graphics and innovative bonus features. The 96.8 percent RTP, combined with low volatility, will help you stay in the game for as long as you want to play.
Honorable mention: Elvis the King Lives
Elvis the King Lives is a video slot by Williams Interactive. It has five reels and 80 paylines. The payout structure is rather complicated and the high volatility and many small payouts can be frustrating.
But the RTP is 96.09 percent so you should fare okay. I don’t have room here for a complete review of all of the features, but if your tastes in music run more mainstream, you might actually prefer this slot over the three I have mentioned. With a bet range from 5 cents to $200, it is easily adaptable to players of all levels.
The soundtrack includes five Elvis hits. I personally would have liked a bigger variety, but at least it’s a start. I think this is a game that any NJ online player would find entertaining and enjoyable. Elvis may have left the building, but the music of Elvis, the King lives.
It’s celebrated not only by countless numbers of singers who make their living as Elvis impersonators, but more importantly, in this highly entertaining and potentially high-paying, music-themed slot game.