Cowboys & Aliens Slot Review

There’s always a question of which is better, pirates or ninjas, but very rarely do we get asked about which is better, cowboys or aliens; that was until the film release that saw Daniel Craig at the centre of some weird sci-fi action. Although the film flopped quite hard, this slot machine is here to show you that a phoenix can raise out of the ashes of failure. Cowboys & Aliens comes in small with only 9 paylines, but inside its 5 reels it delivers a couple of features.

Taking all this into account, the biggest question we’re now asking is whether this real cash slot can make up for the dismal displays we had to endure back in 2011. We’re hoping we get something refreshing, but we won’t know until we jump onto our horses and ride into the feuding town of Cowboys & Aliens.

Comic Relief

In truth, there’s nothing comical about the aesthetics of this slot machine, but what there is is a comic book style that is wholly unique to this game. Even actual comic superhero games created by Playtech don’t have such a beautifully detailed interface like this slot has; it’s moody, gritty, and has the qualities of manga. Bringing that altogether, you have a game that’s hard to beat on a purely visual level, not to mention you’ll become immersed in a living picture book.

To continue that design across the entire board, the control panel has been integrated into the design. Playtech try and do this with all their games, but it’s no lie that they sometimes manage that better than others, with Cowboys & Aliens being the best example of when they get it right. Such a seamless design creates a world in which you escape, not just a game that you play then put down.

Gimme Your Coin

Assuming you’re playing for real, you’ll need to put down an initial stake, which luckily will only cost you 0.09 credits – that’s one of the brand’s cheapest slot machines. However, for saying it starts off so low, it still reaches the heights of 900, which is going to be way too expensive for a lot of players. High rollers will be fine with the expense, but not all of us fall into that category.

In-keeping with the betting is the niggling annoyance that there’s no Max Bet button for us to take advantage of. When the top amount isn’t too high, a couple of clicks here and there isn’t that tedious, but when you’re clicking to get up to the 900 credits point, it soon becomes infuriating.

When Aliens Attack

The main bonus of the slot is the Alien Attack Bonus, and as you’ve probably guessed from the name, it’s all about aliens coming to take over the world; your job’s to stop them. Triggering the round requires just two bonus symbols, one on the first reel and another on the fifth, after which you’ll be asked to select your character. You can choose from the Indian Warrior, Verity, and Zeke.

Each of them has a different weapon to bring to this destructive party, and so your choice could really affect how well you take out the oncoming horde. As the paytable outlines, you’ll be attacked in waves, and your wins are money, multipliers and extra ammunition.

We love how hands on this round is, rather than merely selecting a tile and getting an instant win. Few games go for the more in-depth gameplay now, so we found Cowboys & Aliens totally exhilarating.

Safe… for Now

Ignore everything you’ve heard about the film, for this slot machine makes up for the rubbish you had to endure when you visited the cinema; Cowboys & Aliens is an epic slot machine. It delivers exceptional graphics and fluid gameplay, combined with a decent but low variance of special features. That formula could only be improved by upping the variety.