Diamond Strike Demo and Review

Sometimes you just want an online slot that gets straight to the point, and that’s exactly what Pragmatic Play’s Diamond Strike delivers. This isn't some complex adventure into a fantasy world; it's a throwback to the classic slots, but with a modern twist that includes free spins and a very exciting jackpot feature.

Diamond Strike Slot Summary

Diamond Strike Demo

This game has two different bonus rounds that are triggered in completely different ways. I’d recommend giving the Diamond Strike demo a few spins first to see how both the Free Spins and the Jackpot Bonus Game work before you play for real Rands.

Game Overview

Pragmatic Play released this classic-style video slot back in October 2017. It’s played on a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid with 15 fixed paylines. The game offers a solid RTP of 96.48% and a balanced medium volatility. For South African players, the bet range is very accommodating, typically starting from R0.15 and going up to R75 per spin. The main attraction is the fixed jackpot feature, where you can win up to 1,000x your total bet.

Theme and Storyline

There’s no complex story here; the theme is a high-energy fusion of a classic fruit machine and a modern diamond-filled slot. The background is an electric blue, with lightning bolts striking to add a bit of drama. The symbols are exactly what you’d expect from a classic slot: lucky 7s, bells, and a variety of juicy fruits. 

Graphics, Sounds and Animations

The graphics are bright, bold, and simple. They’re not designed to be groundbreaking, but they are clean and effective, perfectly capturing that retro Vegas feel. The animations are minimal, mostly consisting of flashing lights on winning lines. The soundtrack is a funky, upbeat electronic tune that speeds up during wins, creating a fun and energetic vibe that makes you want to keep spinning.

Gameplay

The gameplay is very straightforward and perfect for players who enjoy traditional slots. The base game is all about lining up classic symbols on the 15 paylines, with the sparkling diamond symbol acting as a Wild to help you out. The real excitement comes from hunting the two different bonus triggers: the "Free Spins" symbol for the bonus round, and the special Golden 7 symbol to get a shot at one of the four fixed jackpots.

How to play

Getting started with Diamond Strike is incredibly easy. The 15 paylines are fixed, so all you need to do is use the plus and minus buttons to set your total bet for each spin. Wins are awarded for landing matching symbols on a payline from left to right.

• Diamond Wild: The diamond is the Wild symbol. It appears stacked on all reels and can substitute for any other symbol except for the Free Spins and Golden 7 symbols.

• Free Spins Scatter: This symbol appears only on reels 1, 3, and 5. Landing all three on a single spin is your ticket to the Free Spins feature.

• Golden 7 Jackpot Symbol: This special version of the lucky 7 is the key to the main event. It has the same payout as the regular red 7, but landing three of them anywhere on the screen triggers the Jackpot Bonus Game.

Diamond Strike Bonus Features

This is where the game becomes more interesting, offering two distinct bonus rounds to chase.

Free Spins Feature

This feature is triggered when you land the "Free Spins" Scatter symbol on reels 1, 3, and 5 at the same time.

• How it works: You are instantly awarded 8 free spins. The best part of this feature is that a huge number of extra Diamond Wild symbols are added to the reels before the round starts. This increases your chances of landing multiple stacked wilds and hitting a full screen of diamonds.

• Retriggers: The feature can be retriggered with no limits! Landing another three Scatter symbols during the round will award you an additional 8 free spins.

Jackpot Bonus Game

This is your shot at the biggest prize. To trigger it, you need to land 3 of the Golden 7 symbols anywhere on the screen in a single spin.

• How it works: You are taken to a new screen with 12 diamonds. This is a classic "pick 'em" style bonus. You click on the diamonds one by one to reveal jackpot symbols underneath. The goal is to match 3 identical jackpot symbols to win the corresponding prize.

• The Jackpots: There are four fixed jackpots available:

  • Mega: 1,000x your total bet

  • Major: 100x your total bet

  • Minor: 30x your total bet

  • Mini: 10x your total bet

Payouts & Volatility

This slot offers a very balanced experience, which is perfect for a long and enjoyable session. The game's medium volatility means that payouts feel steady, with a good mix of small wins to keep your balance ticking over and the constant possibility of hitting one of the two bonus features for a bigger score. The RTP is a solid 96.48%. In the paytable, the red lucky 7 is the highest-paying regular symbol, followed by the golden bell. The lower-paying symbols are represented by classic fruits: cherries, watermelon, plums, and lemons. The ultimate goal is to trigger the Jackpot Bonus Game and pick your way to that 1,000x Mega jackpot.

Tips for playing Diamond Strike

• Don't Confuse Your 7s: Keep a close eye on the two different 7 symbols. The standard red 7 is your highest paying symbol on a payline, but it's the special Golden 7 with the diamond that you need to land to trigger the Jackpot Bonus Game.

• Appreciate the Medium Volatility: Unlike high-volatility slots where you’re just trying to survive until hitting a bonus, in this game you can play more steadily.

• Aim for a Full Screen of Diamonds: In the Free Spins feature, the main goal is to take advantage of the extra stacked wilds. A full screen of diamonds is the ultimate prize in this round and pays out much more than any other combination.

• Understand the Jackpot Values: The jackpots are fixed multipliers of your total bet. This means the higher your stake per spin, the bigger the Rand value of the four jackpots will be. Always play at a bet level that is comfortable for your budget.

• Use Turbo Spin for Faster Play: If you're playing on a PC, you can speed things up dramatically. By holding down the space bar, you'll activate Turbo Spin, making the reels stop almost instantly. This is a great tip for players who want to get through lots of spins quickly to hunt for those bonus features.

What is the RTP for Diamond Strike?

The theoretical RTP (Return to Player) for Diamond Strike is 96.48%.