Red Hot BBQ Review
When you spot a chili pepper sweating, there’s a chance your taste buds might be in for a fiery ride. But, if that pepper happens to sport eyes and a toothy grin, you’re likely in for a different kind of experience. Such is the introduction to Red Hot BBQ, an online slot from software provider Red Tiger. Adding extra spice to this tongue-tingling concoction are a Mystery Sauce feature, free spins with symbol upgrades, and a bonus buy option.
Forget about bowls; Red Hot BBQ takes place on a barbecue grill, viewed from a top-down perspective. No kitchens were harmed in the making of this game (we hope), as the action unfolds outdoors on a cobblestone patio surrounded by lush grass, leaves, and a bag of charcoal. Everything on the screen is attractively illustrated, making Red Hot BBQ perfect for envisioning a summer backyard barbecue with friends.
Red Tiger has ensured that Red Hot BBQ runs smoothly on any device, accepting bets from 10 p/c to $/€80 per spin. Alternatively, players can dive straight into the main features by purchasing either of the two bonuses. In the default mode, the game boasts a theoretical return to player (RTP) of 95.66%, which increases to 96.75% with the Feature Buy. The game grid consists of 5 reels, each holding 3 symbols, with 20 paylines crisscrossing the reels.
Wins occur when at least 3 matching symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right. As expected, the paytable is filled with food items, with six barbecue symbols serving as the high-paying symbols. These symbols range from Garlic to Ghost Pepper, each increasing in aggression as their value rises. Low-paying symbols consist of flame-coated J-A card rank symbols. Payouts for a 5-of-a-kind winning line vary from 1 to 3 times the bet for low-paying symbols and 4 to 15 times the bet for high-paying symbols.
Red Hot BBQ lacks a wild symbol, leaving only Mystery Sauce scatters and Free Spins symbols to complete the lineup.
Mystery Sauce symbols act as scatters, landing in any position on the reels. When they appear, they reveal the same regular pay symbol, limited to barbecue symbols and excluding low-paying royals.
Triggering the bonus game requires landing 3, 4, or 5 Free Spins scatters anywhere on the grid, awarding 9, 12, or 15 free spins, respectively. During free spins, Mystery Sauce scatters may land with a pepper marker, collected by the Hot Bar, which operates exclusively during free spins.
The Hot Bar consists of 5 stages, each requiring 3 steps to fill. Each stage corresponds to one of the barbecue symbols, which upgrades with each step filled. When all stages are filled, only the top-value Ghost Pepper appears on the reels. Additionally, filling certain stages awards extra free spins.
The bonus buy feature offers two options: purchasing a spin with at least 3 Mystery Sauce scatters or buying the free spins feature outright.
Chili peppers seem to be a recurring theme in online slots, perhaps stemming from the fiery motifs common in classic slots. Red Tiger, with titles like Wild Hot Chilli Reels and Hot Hot Chilli Pot, appears to have embraced this spicy trend.
Despite the abundance of chili-themed slots, few stand out as memorable. After reviewing Red Hot BBQ, it seems unlikely to set the iGaming world ablaze. While handsomely presented with enjoyable features, including the Mystery Sauce and Hot Bar, the game lacks the uniqueness to truly stand out. With a maximum win of 1,110x the bet, it’s safe to say this game won’t leave players feeling scorched.
Not every player seeks the hottest pepper in the slot world. For those preferring a milder experience, Red Hot BBQ and its playful cast of barbecue symbols may hit the spot.
Red Hot BBQ Slot Information
Title: Red Hot BBQ
Developer: Red Tiger
Reels: 5
Rows: 3
Paylines: 20
RTP: 95.66%
Max Win: 1,110x
Volatility: Medium
Min/Max Bet: 0.10/80
Release Date: April 25, 2023