Hula Nights Slots

Tropical-themed slot games are always a hit with gamblers. Even if you live in the coldest place on earth, there's nothing better than transporting yourself off to a land of white beaches, palm trees, and gentle rolling waves.

Online casino developers have obviously cottoned on to this passion for idyllic settings when it comes to designing new online slots. At the best online casinos on the web, you will find plenty of lush-looking games with beautiful bonus features to match.

SG Gaming are no strangers to a tasty gaming slot or two. Their latest addition to the tropical pile is Hula Nights, a 5-reel slot with good graphics, a decent range of betting, and some attractive bonuses. The game utilizes the Big Bet structure of some other SG Gaming slots, but how does this compare? Let's slip on the grass skirt and take a closer look.

Enjoy Big Bet Action When You Spin

SG Gaming (Scientific Games) have been busy over the past few years snapping up other developers. Williams Interactive (WMS) was one of the bigger purchases, but a British firm called Barcrest was also a recent acquisition.

Barcrest is a slot developer well-known in the UK for its fruit machines. However, the developer also has a solid online slot portfolio. Barcrest games are known for their simplicity, basic graphics, and wide range of coins.

But one of the best features of Barcrest's titles is the Big Bet function. For an extra wager per spin, the player can gain access to all sorts of added bonus fun. Added features can include more wilds, more scatters, or more stacked symbols on the reels. While the initial outlay is greater, so is the potential for winning more real cash.

The Hula Nights video slot uses some of the features found in games like Monopoly: Big Event. For an added wager, you will find double-height scatter symbols on the reels. Bet even more, and you will get access to extra wild symbols too.

Play on 10 or 20 Paylines for Real Cash

The number of win lines you can play on in Hula Nights depends on your initial stake. The regular game features 10 paylines across the five reels. Coins start at 0.01, but there is also a max bet of 500.00 available.

However, if you want to make things interesting, opt for one of three 'Big Bet' stakes. If you choose 20.00, you will earn five automatic Big Bet spins where 20 paylines come into play. You will also find double-height scatters appearing. If you opt for a 30.00 stake, you get the same 20 paylines and double-height scatters, plus a bonus mask wild that substitutes for the stacked scatters.

Finally, if you opt for the high limit 50.00 Big Bet, you will earn all the advantages of the lower two bet levels. Plus, the mask wild will substitute for any Collect symbol that appears during the free spins round.

The difference between standard and Big Bet payouts is significant. In the standard game, low payouts range from 0.5-5x your line bet for the royal symbols (10, J, Q, K, A) to 1-10x for the Hawaiian flowers. The hula girls pay the best: around 2-2.5x for three of a kind, up to 20-25x for five of a kind.

If you select the Big Bet, the payouts for all combinations double. So, at a line bet of 1.00, the hula girl pays a top prize of 50.00 for five of a kind. While that would suggest a fairly low-variance game overall, the Big Bet option does open up other bonus possibilities.  

Find Random Stacked Symbols and Earn Free Spins

You don't have to stake the Big Bet in order to enjoy bonuses in the free Hula Nights slot. A green reel may roll in at random after any spin, turning the whole reel into a stacked symbol. The symbol is chosen at random, but we found this turned out to be a low-limit symbol most of the time.

Three or more Hula Nights scatters anywhere will trigger a free spins bonus game. Three scatters will earn you 10 free spins, four scatters will get you 15 games, and five scatters will award 25 free games.

Green reels can also appear during the free spins bonus. You will accumulate real cash until the Collect symbol appears. Remember, though, that if you play the 50.00 Big Bet option, any mask wild will substitute the Collect symbol. This continues your cash spree a little longer. For regular stake players, three or more Collect symbols will retrigger 10, 15, or 25 spins.

Play Monopoly Big Event for Big Bet Action

If you like the Big Bet feature in this slot, make a beeline for other top Barcrest slots. Monopoly Big Event is based on the classic board game. By adding a Big Bet to your initial stake, the game promises to increase the RTP to 99%.

There are two settings in the slot. For the 20.00 game, a progressive win multiplier is applied to all wins during your spins. The more you win, the higher the multiplier goes. If you opt for the 30.00 Big Bet, you’ll be able to access a bonus wheel featuring a progressive win multiplier, 'epic' free spins with a 5x multiplier on each game, and a 'persisting wild big event' where special wild symbols lock in place for the duration of the free spins.

Barking Mad is another Barcrest/SG Gaming slot with a ton of bonus features. By playing the Big Bet, you can unlock the Showtime Bonus. Only available for Big Bet gamblers, this works like a prize wheel that awards a multiplier from 1x to 14x depending on where the needle stops. You can also gain entry to a lucrative free spins round.

Hit the Big Bet and Hula the Night Away

If you love big action, big free spins, or the gentle sound of a Hawaiian guitar (or all three), Hula Nights might be for you. It's not the greatest-looking slot in the world, but it's easy to play and works well on a range of devices.

The Big Bet feature is one of the best things about Barcrest's online slots, and Hula Nights puts it to great use. We found that picking the top Big Bet option was the best way to guarantee long-term profits. See if the game works out for you via the free Hula Nights slot option before risking your bankroll.