Fun on the Seafront Slot Machine
What fun there is to be had at the beach – the fresh air, that distinct smell of ice cream, sun cream, and sugared ring donuts. Oh, and best not forget all the coin machines.
Fun On The Seafront doesn’t really take much lead from those old 2p machines that used to prove so frustrating on your average British pier. Instead, it’s a slick, beautifully designed click ‘n’ spin trip to the forefront of modern slot machine design, all wrapped up in a wonderfully kitsch, 1920s kind of look. From the moment the page opens you definitely want to play.
Simplicity in the Sand
With brightly coloured, high res icons pulling your eyes to towards the reels themselves, which stand in front of a view out to a beautiful cartoon bay, it doesn’t take long to notice there are some key elements from other games missing here. Whilst it’s still possible to adjust the size of your bets, and therefore how much each spin costs the kitty, you are automatically set to bet on all the paylines at once.
In effect then, players are told to go big or pack the towel and picnic basket, get back in the car and go home. There are a whopping 25 paylines in total you’re in the running for too, which adds to the feeling of a busy game with high stakes- with these kind of odds, chances are you’re going to be matching symbols pretty often once you start spinning, accumulating cash you obviously want to keep.
Fun On The Seafront doesn’t come with any bonus modes or sideshows, either, which some might expect given just how modern this looks. You’re just playing the reels and aiming for as many matches as possible, with the only additional area to keep an eye on the multiplier thermometer on the right hand side, which reduces with each spin but builds as points are accumulated, in turn helping you get more points the higher it stands. There’s barely even any animation, although when you match the number of points drifts out towards players, which looks pretty slick.
Beach Bods
It’s impossible not to love the way Fun On The Seafront looks. Or at least that’s the case if you’ve ever been to Blackpool, Skegness, Bournemouth... The characters and picture symbols range from a ‘dad’ of sorts, complete with tea-towel for sunhat and beer in hand; a stunning blonde bombshell donning a vintage bathing suit; a deck chair and parasol; and bucket and spade. All of them look like something Raymond Briggs might draw.
Aside from those you have 10, J, Q, K and A- the lowest value matches available (30-50 maximum points each). As for the characters, the ‘dad’ hits top spot with a maximum of 500 for a row of five, running down to the humble bucket and spade which offers 100 for the same achievement.
Wild symbols are useful as ever- the ice cream and cone can be used to substitute anything, and when you consider just how many lines you’re playing with at any one time you realise just how many ice cream related wins you’re likely to have.
Fish and Chips also make an appearance, which is a nice touch although potentially underused. Get five of these Scatter icons anywhere on the reels and you’ll get 25 x your total coins, 10x for a row of four, and double for three; but this could have been used for more, perhaps somehow activating free spins or a bonus round. Then again, that might have ruined it completely.
We Do like to Be on the Seafront
The problem with Fun On The Seafront is that it raises expectations from the moment you set foot on the sand. By far one of the prettiest games out there at the moment, it gives the impression that it would have all sorts of bells and whistles. Nothing could be further from the truth, but you quickly realise this is definitely a plus point.
There are so many slot machines that take time to fully learn in terms of bonus this and secret that – one look at their rules is enough to show they can be quite complex.
Here, though, all that is stripped away, meaning all you’re really getting is a good honest stab at matching up pictures, rather than trying to chase down specific prized icons that seem to prove increasingly elusive the more you play.
Add to that just how smooth the experience is, and inviting, and this is a bit like reviving a classic video game with exactly the same features and gameplay, just with better graphics. In short, you won’t want to go home.
