With Slingo Quest Amazon, we see a continuation of the storyline set up in Slingo Quest Egypt that now has us traversing the jungles and rivers of the Amazon Rainforest to save the Joker from the evil Devil. This is, of course, achieved by way of the level based slot-machine-meets-Bingo gameplay that Slingo is famous for, all in a complex package that’s perfect for those who enjoy game of chance.
With Slingo Quest Amazon, we see a continuation of the storyline set up in Slingo Quest Egypt that now has us traversing the jungles and rivers of the Amazon Rainforest to save the Joker from the evil Devil. This is, of course, achieved by way of the level based slot-machine-meets-Bingo gameplay that Slingo is famous for, all in a complex package that’s perfect for those who enjoy game of chance.
In this installment of the Slingo Quest series, you’re asked to make your way through ten different areas of the Amazon, meeting new friends (and enemies), and all the while gathering clues as to the Joker’s location. Each level you play sees power-ups and other challenges thrown your way, as you work through 20 spins to try and cover as much of your Bingo card as possible.
For Slingo novices, the basic gameplay is simple: each level has a board filled with random numbers across five columns. Each time you take a spin, five numbers or symbols appear slot machine style, and you can click on the numbers on your Bingo card if they match those that you’ve spun. Each “Bingo” – or Slingo – you create earns you points, and if you create special shapes, you’ll earn bonuses. Spinning any number of bonus items affects your gameplay as well, with coins giving you bonus points, Jokers (or Shamans, in this game) allowing you to mark off any number in the column or card, and the Devil triggering mini-games that either rely on skill or pure dumb luck.
In these Devil mini-games, you’re challenged to things like coin flips, the “shell game” (three cups, with one a Cherub, the other with Devils that move rapidly to test your observational skills), or to memorize a series of cards only to determine if the next card matches any that you’ve been shown. When added to the other random mini-games, you’re left with a selection of games (sometimes frustrating, when you have seemingly no control as to the outcome) that can either boost your score dramatically, or reduce it by just as much.
The game’s complexity is only increased by the wide variety of power-ups available. Most of these are added to the game at random, by clicking on the numbered square they were “hiding” under. You’ll earn score multipliers, bombs that instantly cover other numbers, or birds that highlight the squares you can click on so you’re not left searching the entire board.
In this is where a real issue comes to light with Slingo Quest Amazon. The graphics, while bright and colorful, almost take these adjectives too far. There is unfortunately no in-game option for a widescreen monitor, so the graphics are stretched when playing in full screen (that is, if you’re playing on most any monitor purchased within the last five years) and (when added to the incredibly bright colors) are very straining on the eyes. This issue is mostly eliminated when playing in a windowed mode, but that shouldn’t have to be the case.
Otherwise, the gameplay here is as you’d expect from previous Slingo Quest games. There are plenty of levels to complete, with ten different locations to travel to in all, some of which introduce new hexagonal or other oddly-shaped boards. Butterflies and frogs make a return from previous games, offering more bonus points, and there’s overall so much going on in the game that you’re unlikely to get bored anytime soon. Still, the gameplay is incredibly luck-based, no matter how much you try and outwit the Devil on those mini-games, which is unfortunate to say the least. As with other games in the franchise, your best bet here is to try the game before you buy to see if there’s enough new content to warrant a purchase… and another spin of the wheels.
