Introduction to Backstreet Spells
Backstreet Spells is a casino slot from Big Daddy Gaming, where powerful magic is not woven by mysterious wizards residing in majestic towers, but rather results from the struggles of an eccentric mage living in the city's back alley. Accompanied by rats roaming through piles of garbage, he tries to make the most out of the bad situation by brewing strange potions that can supposedly bring some good fortune to those brave enough to take a sip. This quirky, unusual setting, wrapped in cartoony graphics and a jovial atmosphere, features straightforward gameplay, where Free Spins with various upgrades form the core attraction. Depending on the caps you collect from the potion bottles, you'll be able to benefit from symbol transformations, wild reels, multipliers, and extra spins to help you reach the max win of 5,000x the bet.
Mixing magic potions is definitely an activity for the spell-savvy, so if you think you need a bit of practice before trying it for real, try the risk-free demo mode available at the top of the page.
Theme, Gameplay & Payouts
Backstreet Spells is a video slot from Big Daddy Gaming with 5 reels, 3 rows, and 15 paylines. In the bet selection panel, you can choose your active stake from multiple options, starting from a Min.bet of 0.1 up to a Max.bet of 200, which can grow to 300 with the use of the Ante Bet function. With the game's default RTP of 96.00%, you can expect steady long-term returns, although two alternative variants of 94.00% and 92.00% are also released, so keep an eye on the version you're playing. The balance between the size and frequency of wins should appear relatively even on average due to medium volatility, while the top prize from a single spin may reach 5,000x the bet. The bonus game triggers at a rate of 1 in 139 spins, with an average win of 57x the bet. The base hit frequency is 29%.
Backstreet Spells features a cartoony, lighthearted scene set between two buildings of a modern-day city, where a slightly unhinged wizard decided to set up his dwelling. The everyday bustle of a busy metropolis can be heard in the game's soundtrack, intertwined with soft, whimsical music. A shaggy tent made of patched, stained material has been raised in a narrow back alley, flanked by two brick walls belonging to the nearby blocks, and you're about to find out what goes on behind those makeshift scraps of fabric. If you're ready for some mystical alchemy with a touch of craziness, Backstreet Spells can be played on all modern devices thanks to its responsive design, from desktops to smartphones and tablets.
In the paytable, two distinct sets of symbols form the payout hierarchy. To score a win, you need to match at least 3 on any of the active paylines while using neighbouring reels, starting from the left. Among the low-paying icons, you'll recognise bottles filled with colourful liquids, awarding from 3x to 10x the bet for a combination of 5 on a payline. A makeshift magic wand, a cracked crystal ball, a magic tome, a wizard's hat, and a trash can represent the high-paying symbols, delivering payouts of between 12x and 80x the bet for a complete payline running through all 5 reels. Alongside regular icons, there are also Wilds represented by the quirky wizard, and Bonus symbols in the form of a shopping cart filled with colourful bottle caps.
Special Features & Slot Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot Backstreet Spells?
You can win up to 5,000x the bet.
What features are available in the slot Backstreet Spells?
The features are Free Spins, Blast, and Feature Buy.
Free Spins
Landing 3, 4, or 5 Bonus symbols anywhere on the grid within the same spin awards 7 Free Spins and 3, 4, or 5 feature picks during the Back-Alley Bonus. It's a mini-game preceding the Free Spins, where you select bottle caps to reveal upgrades that will be present throughout the bonus game. During Free Spins, Bonus symbols may land on reels 1 and 5, and trigger additional feature picks.
Wild Reels = converts reel 2, 3, or 4 into a Wild.
Low To High = one of the low-paying symbols transforms into a high-paying symbol.
High To Wild = one of the high-paying symbols acts as a Wild.
Extra Pick = awards 2 additional picks.
Extra Spins = awards 2, 3, 4, or 5 additional Free Spins.
Multiplier = increases the win multiplier by +1, +2, or +3.
Before the Free Spins start, you can also gamble your current bonus for an opportunity to gain more feature picks (up to a maximum of 10), but at a risk of losing the round altogether.
Blast
The Blast feature allows you to play out hundreds of spins instantly without having to watch every round on the screen. You can choose between 10 and 1,000 spins, and the sequence will go through them quickly, highlighting any wins that occur.
Feature Buy
The game offers several Feature Buy options that enhance base game spins and allow for the instant triggering of Free Spins.
1.5x = Bonus Boost, increasing the chance of triggering Free Spins.
Final Thoughts on Backstreet Spells
With the release of Backstreet Spells, we're starting to notice a bit of an upward trajectory in the content quality from Big Daddy Gaming. Each following slot brings a little more detail and slightly bolder ideas, which is great to see. Starting from such plain and generic games like BonBon Boom! And Legacy of Desperados, the studio now dives into more unique and engaging narratives. A tale of a wizard struggling in the modern world, trying to make a living from brewing and selling potions, is quite an original idea. The execution is also much smoother and eye-pleasing than in the previous creations, with plenty of detail covering the symbols and a rich, yet somewhat dishevelled urban environment acting as the background. And even though the entire design doesn't break any barriers of creativity, it's consistent throughout, making the game look and feel like a proper modern release.
From the technical standpoint, the studio continues to replicate the time-tested game models, this time diving into the upgrade-packed Free Spins round that made Secrets of the Stones by NetEnt a hit. The premise is quite straightforward and may appeal to players who appreciate simplicity with a touch of mystery before the bonus round begins. Once it's triggered, you'll land in a simple pick mini-game, where enhancements like win multipliers, wild reels, and converting low symbols into high and high into Wilds can be activated. Those work well with a relatively strong paytable, making you rely on lots of substitutions during Free Spins to form payline wins. With the gamble feature allowing for activating up to 10 picks, you can end up with a powerhouse of a round with tens of spins, each one filled to the brim with Wilds.
Despite the slightly more creative theme than previous games in the portfolio, Backstreet Spells continues to fortify the studio's approach of mirroring successful game models from established providers.
