Price Is Right Pokie Review

 

The Price Is Right is a popular American game show that’s been around since 1972. With over 9,000 episodes in the can, it should come as no surprise that it’s been licensed and turned into an online pokie by IGT.

This adaptation draws heavily from the TV show. You might not see Bob Barker or current host Drew Carey, but you’ll definitely hear “Come on down,” the catchphrase originally made popular by announcer Johnny Olson.

Not Like Other Games

Most pokies include a number of paylines. In order to get a payout, you’ll need to get matching symbols on one or more of these lines. However, the Price Is Right poker machine doesn’t work like that.

Instead, each game consists of a series of five spins. Your initial stake will cost anywhere from $0.10 to $1.40.

The objective is to get three matching bonus symbols during a single spin or five of any symbol across all spins. When either of these occurs, one of the bonus games will trigger.

Once your five spins are complete, you have two options. You can choose to start over, at which point all your progress will be lost. Or, you can continue your game by purchasing extra spins (at an elevated cost). In the latter case, all collected symbols carry over.

I applaud the designers for trying something different. Sure, it takes a little getting used to, but it’s a welcome change from the usual monotony of most games.

Return to Player

Also referred to as “RTP,” the return-to-player percentage indicates the average long-term payout of a particular poker machine. If, for example, a game has an RTP of 94%, then it pays back an average of $94 for every $100 wagered.

You must, however, keep short-term variance in mind, as your luck can fluctuate greatly during a handful of spins. In order to achieve the RTP’s average, you’ll need to play hundreds or even thousands of spins.

The Price Is Right pokie has a theoretical RTP of 95.51%. That’s a bit lower than the standard online slot, but it’s still within an acceptable range.

Cliff Hangers bonus from the Price Is Right pokie.

Bonus Rounds

The Price Is Right online pokie offers five bonuses, and each of these is taken straight from the television game show. My top option is Cliff Hangers, as I always loved watching the mountain climber as a child. However, I encourage you to explore all the bonus options and find your own favourite.

Cliff Hangers

The objective of this game is to get the climber as high on the mountain as possible without falling off. You’ll get to spin a reel up to three times, and the resulting numbers determine how many spaces the climber will move.

As you trek up the mountain, the multiplier increases. You can stop at any time by selecting “Collect,” or you can continue to push your luck. Of course, falling off the mountain results in a loss.

Master Key

The bonus starts with 20 face-down cards. When you click on a card, it flips over to reveal either an “X” or a key. Once you uncover the first key, a master key is added to the mix. You’ll continue picking as long as you continue to uncover keys.

Next, all your keys are tried in a series of locks. If you manage to open the lock, you’ll win the prize inside. The master key, of course, is the best, as it opens all locks.

Plinko

First off, you’ll be presented with four face-down cards. You must select one card by clicking on it. This will happen three times, and here’s a breakdown:

  • First Turn – Three chips and one “X” symbol
  • Second Turn – Two chips and two “X” symbols
  • Third Turn – One chip and three “X” symbols.

After three picks, you’ll move to the Plinko round if you’ve managed to collect at least one chip. Next, you’ll choose where to drop each chip.

At the bottom of the board is a series of multipliers, and these range from x0 to x100. You’ll receive multipliers based on where your chips land.

Half Off

This game has three rounds. Each round, you’ll choose one face-down card.

Meanwhile, you’ll also see a small stage that contains 32 boxes. Most of these boxes have nothing in them, and these are the ones you’ll want to eliminate.

To get rid of boxes, you’ll want to uncover the card with a Half-Off logo. Each time you do this, half of the losing boxes on the stage will randomly disappear.

Once you’ve eliminated as many options as possible, you’ll be asked to select one of the remaining boxes. This will be your prize.

Any Numbers

This game board contains three options, which include the following:

  • Gold – Three-digit number
  • Silver – Two-digit number
  • Bronze – Single-digit number

The numbers for each option are assigned before play begins, and you can see them on the board. At the bottom of the board are nine face-down cards with numbers ranging from one to nine.

You get to draw four cards. Each time the number on a card matches one of the numbers from the gold, silver or bronze option, that particular number becomes active. If you manage to activate all the numbers of a particular option, then you’ll win that amount of money.

Final Thoughts

The Price Is Right online pokie should enjoy a great deal of success, as its TV counterpart has been on the air for decades. I especially enjoy the unique design, as it allows the gamer to immediately stand out from the competition. Factor in five bonus rounds, and you’ve got a poker machine that should continue to endure for another 50 years.