First impressions of Joker Strike
At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking this is just another pokie, especially as it is essentially a sequel to Quickspin’s well-known and loved Second Strike game.
Joker Strike is very similar to its predecessor; however, this is no bad thing, as Second Strike is an awesome game.
On closer inspection, it soon becomes clear that Joker Strike is in a league of its own. This is a pretty crowded marketplace, but the guys at Sweden-based Quickspin have worked hard to bring players a game that improves on Second Strike and offers a genuinely exciting new dimension to traditional pokies.
Joker Strike graphics
This game has a lovely design, merging classic images with the very best in video. The colours are razor sharp and the layout smooth and inviting. The soundtrack is pretty cool too; in fact, the sounds and the flashing lights really add to the overall fast pace and excitement of the game.
When it comes to the symbols, they are all pretty familiar, with playing cards, a gold star, silver bell and red lucky seven. Then, of course, there is Mr Wild - the super-smiling Joker himself. These classic symbols are on the three main rows, which are surrounded by an extra reel of lights. This is where the bonus features for the game come into play and adds a fresh look to an otherwise pretty traditional layout.
About Joker Strike
With bets starting at just $0.10 and going up to a hefty $100, there is something for every budget and appetite here. Those looking for big wins will not be disappointed either, as the maximum payout is an enormous 2,000 times your original bet.
The beauty of this game is that even if you don’t manage to win big, there are so many chances to win that every play is exciting. While Joker Strike does not offer free spins or scatters, there are still plenty of surprises in the game to keep it interesting. As
Quickspin pokies go, this is one of the more innovative games. The two main special features are the Joker Strike, which kicks in every time a player secures a winning combination, and the special High Roller feature, which offers three levels of bonuses for a fixed cost.
The laughing joker himself is the wild to look out for here, with other high-value symbols including a lucky red seven, a golden star and a silver bell. There is also a range of playing card symbols in different colours, although these have lower values.
How to play Joker Strike
This is a pretty intuitive game and everything is laid out clearly in a panel explaining your bet, winnings and the bonus features at the bottom of the screen. In the base game, the premise is fairly simple - just match any three symbols and you will win. Of course, the amount depends on which symbols you match; for example, three green clubs earn you less than three jokers. While bets are fixed at 10 coins a spin, you can choose how much the coins are worth. The maximum is $100 per spin.
No matter which symbols you match, they all trigger the Joker Strike feature, which is where the outside reel comes into play. After you have matched three symbols, the outer reel lights up and a light marker zooms around the outside. If it lands on one of the symbols you have just matched, you will have more of these added to the main reels; otherwise, it is back to the main game.
For those who want a bit more thrill, there is also a high roller feature. Click on the high roller symbol and unlock extra features for a fixed fee. This is appealing to those who are keen to maximise their chances of winning big, as the options all come with guaranteed wilds.
There are also autospin and quickspin options available, where the reel will spin up to 1,000 times on its own. This can save time, but fear not - there are settings that can be activated to ensure the spinning stops when particular wins or losses are hit.
What is the RTP of Joker Strike?
This is an interesting one. While the RTP in the base game is 96.46 per cent, this goes up to 98.11 per cent if you choose any of the high roller options. It is clear to see why those who want to bet and win big will choose to take advantage of the high roller bonus feature, even if there is an extra cost attached.
For those of you not in the know, or new to pokies, RTP basically means the amount of money that is paid out for every $100 you bet. That doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to win, as it is a theoretical number, but it does give you a good idea of your likely chances.
It is also worth noting that this is a medium to high volatility game, which in a nutshell means that you can win a lot but can also lose a lot. Be sure to play for free first and when you do play for real, make sure it is in line with your budget.
How to win at Joker Strike
This is not a very complex game with lots of rules to learn or follow. One of the best things about it is that it gives lots of different ways and chances to win. You only need to match three symbols on a spin to win and to activate the Joker Strike; however, if you want to win big, it is worth looking into the high roller features. These incur an additional cost but up your chances of winning more, so it is up to you to balance the cost against the likely reward.
Having said that, this is a very generous game, even when compared with pokies such as Rainbow Riches. What also makes it appealing is that you do not have to bet big or use the high roller function to win. The high roller will make it more likely; however, with up to 10 extra symbols up for grabs through the Joker Strike feature, it is possible to win a lot without paying extra for the high roller.
Joker Strike bonus features
This game has some cracking bonus features, as mentioned above. These are what really lift it out of the realms of just another fruit machine-inspired pokie to something a bit special that will have you coming back time and again.
First, there are the wilds. In this case, the wild is the Joker symbol, complete with his slightly crazy laugh. You will be having the last laugh if you match five of him!
Next up is the Joker Strike feature, which the game is named after. Any time you win - and you only need to match any three symbols to do this - the additional reel that snakes around the main reel will light up. A brightly-lit and noisy marker will then spin around the outer reel and randomly stop on a symbol. It is worth pointing out here that all symbols on this outer reel mirror the ones in the base game. If the marker stops on one of the symbols that is lit up, you will get some bonus extra symbols on the main reel.
How many extra symbols you gain depends on the number of symbols you matched in the first place. If you originally matched three, you will enjoy six extra symbols; if it was four in the first place, you will gain eight extra symbols. If you were lucky enough to match five in the original spin, you will get a whopping 10 extra.
This, of course, means that when you return to the base game, your chances of matching symbols have just risen dramatically.
The other bonus feature is the high roller. This one is brand new to this game and Quickspin is rightly pleased with itself for developing this offering. If you are gaming on a mobile, this feature is shown as a small crown to click on; if you are playing on a PC, it is on the main panel at the bottom of the reel.
Once you select it, you will be offered three options, each valid for five spins. Pay $20 and you are guaranteed to have a wild symbol appear each spin for five spins. Go up to $30 and you will have extra wild symbols on the outside reel in addition to the wild symbol for every spin. For the top $50 payment, you get the wild symbols in the main game and the outer reel and also have a second mark to light up on the outer reel.
Taking all this into account, it is not hard to see why it is an appealing concept.
Joker Strike top wins
There are two types of payout in this game, which depend on whether you are playing the base game or have opted for one of the high roller options. In high roller modes, the values of the symbols double, so the joker can award you 200 times your bet for lining up five of the same symbol. The base game is also pretty generous in all honesty. Again, the joker is the most valuable symbol and will pay out 100 times your original bet.
Free spins on Joker Strike
This game does not have any free spins; however, it is still packed full of fun and inventive bonus features - so much so that it is hard to see that players will miss a free spins element.
No deposit and free gameplay for Joker Strike
As this is a high stakes game where there is the opportunity to win big, it is definitely a good idea to take advantage of sites that offer
demo pokies where you can play for free with no deposit. While this is not a game that needs a complicated playing strategy, it would be advantageous to get used to it before betting any real cash so that you can get an idea for how much you are happy to stake.
Joker Strike on mobile and tablet
As with a lot of Quickspin games, this has been optimised to play on mobiles, tablets and desktops. The innovative design, fun graphics and jazzy soundtrack lend themselves well to every option, so you definitely won’t lose out on the experience however you chose to play.
Other games you’ll love if you love Joker Strike
If you love this game, you should definitely check out the original on which it is based - Second Strike. If you are generally a fan of high roller games, pokies such as The Legend of Big Foot and Ooh Aaah Dracula might also be worth a look. Just be careful not to be sucked into betting too big!
All in all, this is a really clever take on a traditional game that could have you smiling as widely as the joker himself. Don't be fooled into to thinking it is just a simple old-style pokie, as this game really does have a lot to offer big and small better alike.
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About the Author
George Anderson
Author
George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.