Tesla: Spark of Genius Slot Machine
Tesla: Spark of Genius is an inspired name for a slot dedicated to an inspired man. In recent years, the Serbian-American inventor has enjoyed something of a renaissance as a new generation has caught on to the maverick creations of the madcap scientist who changed the world. It it wasn’t for Tesla we wouldn’t have AC and thus we couldn’t have the means to even play this game.
Spark of Genius is an apt name for a Tesla-themed slot given the man’s propensity for tinkering with alternating current. The futurist, best known for his spiral coil generators and other high voltage inventions, is rightly revered today for his brilliance and audacity. Tesla: Spark of Genius is a fitting testament to some of the man’s finest moments.
The Current Year
Doing dangerous things with electrical current was Tesla’s forte, and this 5-reel slot from GameArt features some of the eccentric genius’s life-changing inventions. Symbols include a glowing plasma ball, a lightbulb and the laboratory where Tesla did some of his best work. The game has 243 ways to win, an appropriately high number that feels commensurate with the number of inventions that Tesla was constantly juggling and refining – not all of which worked admittedly, but then sometimes you have to fail to succeed.
That’s a lesson to take to heart as you’re rolling the reels of Spark of Genius; if at first you don’t succeed, spin, spin and spin again. With multipliers galore, a Tesla Coil as a scatter symbol and a backdrop of a schematic of one of the Serbian’s many creations, GameArt have really done their homework with this game, and their efforts don’t go unnoticed. Tesla: Spark of Genius is a thing of beauty.
Plug and Play
We’ll get to the gameplay in a moment, but first a quick word about the playing controls. The line bet for this 5-reel slot can be set between 0.01 and 0.5, with a maximum line bet of 15 per spin. That technically marks Tesla: Spark of Genius down as a 30 payline slot, even if it’s correctly classified as 243 ways to win.
GameArt don’t tend to go in for audio in a big way, and they’ve elected to keep things minimal in this game; the odd click of the reels and a subtle swoosh any time you notch up a win is about as exciting as it gets. It’s no biggie though, for the graphics and the immersive theme more than atone for this.
When Sparks Fly
Aside from the generic playing card symbols, every other symbol in this game is artfully done. Symbols include a stack of Tesla’s notebooks plus a portrait of the man himself, looking resplendent with his neat black moustache. Five Teslas on a payline are worth 500. Scatter will pay left to right anywhere on adjacent reels, while wild substitutes for all symbols except for scatter when it appears on reels 2-4.
When free spins are activated, there are three more plasma ball wilds that come into play, a blue, yellow and red. Red will award 10 free games, yellow will award 15 and blue will award 25. In addition, look out for the light bulb symbol appearing on reels 1 or 5 during free spins. If it shows up, you’ll be awarded an additional bonus.
Tesla Slots
Not surprisingly, GameArt aren’t the only developer to have tackled Tesla’s life and work, though arguably they’re the ones who’ve done it best. NetEnt’sTesla looks markedly different, with a honeycomb grid layout that’s refreshingly different.
Alternatively, try Tesla Power by Casino Tech. It doesn’t look nearly as good as GameArt or NetEnt’s efforts, but it does sport 100 paylines and you can win up to 15 free spins.
Genius Effort
Tesla: Spark of Genius is one of GameArt’s finest works to date. It’s a fitting tribute to the man who changed the world and advanced physics and scientific understanding in so many ways. Aside from the gorgeous graphics themselves, the game is rich in features that ensure there’s rarely a dull moment as you chase down free spins while watching Tesla’s artifacts and inventions zap past on the reels.
