Iron Bank 2 Slot Review
Relax Gaming and Casino Grounds combine their efforts for a fifth time in the highly anticipated release of Iron Bank 2, only this time, they didn’t just break into the bank – they blew it wide open!
The original Iron Bank started somewhat of a series. The idea of it bled into Beast Mode and Net Gains, two slots that were not directly related, but were obviously inspired by it. Now, we finally have a direct sequel and a fresh look at what should be a AAA game for Relax Gaming.
Iron Bank 2 seems to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor in many ways, including its 50,000x max win cap, but in what ways is it achievable? Iron Bank 2 seems to have more tricks than the original, as any decent sequel should, but how effective are they?
Iron Bank 2 seeks to prove its effectiveness, with not just a Super Free Spins mode, but an Ultra Mode, too. Buzzwords always go down well as a marketing strategy. Super? Yes please. ULTRA?! Hell yeah.
It’s new territory for fans of the original. A super version of the bonus rounds didn’t exist in the original Iron Bank, much less an ultra version.
Iron Bank 2 has a fixed RTP of 96.10% and a high (10/10) volatility score, and as mentioned, a mammoth max win of 50,000x, but what non-statistical goodies lie within?
Without further ado, let’s get ready to raid the giant-sized piggy bank in the much-awaited sequel to a pre-loved release, but will we be successful in our endeavour?
Base Game & Features
Iron Bank 2 is a highly volatile release from Relax Gaming, consisting of 6 reels, 4 rows, and 4,096 ways to win. Paytable symbols guarantee wins when 3-6 matching instances land on adjacent reels, starting from the first reel.
The highest-paying symbol is the Bull, followed by the Glass Pineapple, Whiskey, Banana Gun, Briefcase, and A, K, Q, J & 10 card ranks. Each time a winning combination is revealed on the reels, a fixed payout between 0.1x and 50x your bet is awarded.
Additionally, Wilds & Stacked Wilds appear on all reels throughout gameplay, substituting for all paytable symbols as part of a winning combination. Other symbols include Bonus Scatters, which are responsible for triggering Free Spins.
Dual Base Feature
Before you begin your session, you can choose your adventure via the Dual Base Feature, of which there are two options available:
- Random Mystery Game: Adds up to 13 hidden symbols to the reels, uncovering surprise win evaluations.
- Random Wilds Game: Adds up to 4 Multiplier Wilds to reels 2-5, which can supercharge your payouts with impressive values between x2 and x10. Each stacked Multiplier Wild will add its value together before being applied to winning combinations.
Iron Bank 2: Free Spins
The Free Spins mode is triggered when 3 or more Bonus Scatters appear anywhere in the base game, where players can choose between Mystery Reveal, Expanding Wilds, & Multiplier Collect modes.
Landing 3 Scatters awards the standard mode, while 4 & 5 Scatters trigger the Super & Ultra modes. Alternatively, having 6 Scatters awards the Ultra Free Spins mode, in addition to a whopping 2,000x payout. Furthermore, a special Bonus Boost Feature may add 1-3 Scatters before the reels stop spinning, increasing your chance of triggering the Free Spins mode.
At the start of any Free Spins mode, the Lucky Boost Feature may trigger, increasing your chance of achieving bigger payouts during your selected mode.
Multiplier Collect
Choosing the Multiplier Collect Feature awards 7 Free Spins. Depending on the number of triggering Bonus Scatters & the type of Free Spins variant awarded, the Multiplier Collect Mode awards the following outcomes:
- Standard: Revealing coconut crates on reels 2-5 advances the current Multiplier of each Stacked Wild on the reels they appear on.
- Super: Landing coconut crates on reels 2-5 increases the current Multiplier of each Stacked Wild in view, plus 1 Stacked Wild is guaranteed to land in the first spin.
- Ultra: Coconut crates that appear on reels 2-5 will increment the current Multiplier of all Stacked Wilds, plus 2 Stacked Wilds are added to the reels during the first spin.
When the coconut gun receives 3 Coconuts, an additional +1 Free Spin is awarded, and the Wild Multiplier for that specific reel increases by +x1.
Mystery Reveal
Upon entry into the Mystery Reveal Feature, 6 Free Spins are awarded. Again, depending on the number of triggering Bonus Scatters & the type of Free Spins variant awarded, the following Mystery Reveal outcomes occur:
- Standard: A high or low-paying symbol is randomly chosen as your Sticky Mystery symbol at the start of the mode.
- Super: Follows the same guidelines as the Standard Mode, only the main reel set is awarded 1 additional row.
- Ultra: Maintains the same functions as the Standard & Super Modes, only the main reel set receives an additional 2 rows.
Expanding Wilds
Choosing the Expanding Wilds Feature will award 6 Free Spins. Once active, the Standard, Super, & Ultra Modes award the following attributes during gameplay:
- Standard: When Wild symbols land on marked positions of reels 3 & 4, they will expand to fill the reel, awarding a Respin.
- Super: Follows the same guidelines as the Standard Mode, while Wilds from reels 2 & 5 are repositioned on reels 3 or 4.
- Ultra: Retains the same functions as the Standard & Super Modes, while all Wilds in view are dragged from their current position and added to reels 3 & 4.
Upgrade Spins & Bonus Buy
Players within eligible markets can purchase any of the following Upgrade Spins & Bonus Buy options:
- Bonus Reels: For an additional 10x your bet, each spin removes high & low-paying symbols from view, leaving only Bonus Scatters on the reels, with an increased chance of triggering Free Spins (96.10%)
- Enhanced Spins: Increases your chance of triggering a Free Spins mode for 1.5x your bet per spin (96.10%)
- Free Spins: Purchasing the Free Spins mode will cost 100, 300x, or 900x your bet for the Standard, Super, & Ultra variants, respectively (96.50%)
Our Honest Verdict
Iron Bank 2 is, in many ways, a reflection of where the industry was, and where it is now. Iron Bank had 3 different free spins modes and was considered somewhat of a marvel. Now, such a thing seemingly does not suffice for a hungry consumer base obsessed with ‘super’ and ‘ultra’ this and that.
Developers like Relax Gaming must evolve with the times or be left behind, and they’ve done a stunning job at updating the popular Iron Bank to possess the requisite set of skills to satiate players.
That said, we’re not too sure on the Base Game toggle between Wilds and Mystery symbols. The original could deliver both; we can only surmise that enhancing player choice was an important factor here, but we feel indifferent. We think the way it was before was fine.
Other things have changed, too, such as the inclusion of Relax Gaming’s Bonus Reels feature, which essentially strips it of its Base Game entirely for those interested only in its bonus rounds. If you fancy a higher chance but still desire some base game action, then choose the ante bet. This increases the chance but keeps the Base Game.
The Free Spins rounds are all very familiar; they’re the same three seen in the original. This time, there are upgraded versions, including that elusive yet alluring Ultra Mode. Each better version improves the bonus significantly, and the Ultra version also pays a 2,000x win if 6 scatter symbols land. The upgrades are significant, offering more reels, guaranteed wilds and so on.
Above all else, its main draw to many might just be that 50,000x max win. We’d love to see it, but we’re sceptical of some of the figures some providers give. It’s not like the Nolimit City max, where lots happen in the first day, but that theoretical value. Again, we hope it happens.
All in all, we think Iron Bank 2 is a stellar sequel. It doesn’t try and reinvent everything in the way that some do, which in many cases just ruins it. It’s so familiar, but juiced-up with much more than was available in the original game.
*The images found in this slot review are currently from Demo Play. On average, our reviews are written prior to the initial release date and before real play is available.
