Ever since humans mastered the art of horse riding the animal has been used in competition. The battle between two riders to see who has the fastest horse has become a tale that is almost as old as time itself. From that the sport of horse riding was born and it has subsequently been able to find an audience of millions around the world. Taking from the popularity of the “Sport of Kings”, NetEnt has decided to create its own horse racing inspired slots game. Champion of the Track is its name and it promises deliver all the passion of a day at the ponies, but is this game a stud or dud?
Design
If you log on to Champion of the Track expecting to find the developers traditional realism and shine based presentation you may be left feeling disappointed. This is because in many ways Champion of the Track is a throw back to the days of slots games past, as it proves to be a masterclass in “classic” slot game design. Featuring 5-reels and 30-paylines, Champion of the Track has an old-school appearance. The game looks cartoony as it features a stylised backdrop that resembles the old racing comic strips you would see in the newspapers. The game reels themselves feature various cartoony looking pictures including four different jockeys, a stopwatch, two horseshoes, a winner’s rosette, and a pair of binoculars. There are also two special symbols in the form of the jockey’s head in a wreath wild symbol, horses head scatter symbol, along with a specialist bonus round trophy.
Bonuses
When it comes to bonuses, Champion of the Track delivers in true NetEnt style. The main game features a racing track around the reels. When in the free spins round you can move around this track, with certain track checkpoints rewarding you with additional in game bonuses such as the “Gold Cup Mystery Win”. As you can gather the free spins bonus round makes up a key element within the game. What makes Champion of the Track so immersive is that the free spins round is actually fairly lengthy. It is triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols, which will see you rewarded with a 2x multiplier initially, with the chance to earn increased amount depending on how well you progress through the round. The final bonus feature is the ‘A Day at the Races Game’; land three of more trophy symbols and the race really begins. Pick one of the four jockeys and should it win you’ll get a 5x multiplier.
Final Thoughts
While a lot of games opt for the serious route during development these days, Champion of the Track has done the opposite. What the cartoony graphics and multiple bonus games showcase is the fact that this game is simply fun in its purest form. There is no false pretense with Champion of the Track, as what you see is what you get, and what you get in this case is a highly enjoyable slots experience.