Introduction to Totally Headless
Totally Headless is a casino slot from Northern Lights Gaming that drops you into a fantasy world of ancient castles, knights, and kings. According to historians, the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 was one of the largest medieval battles in Europe, involving 60,000 soldiers in a clash between the Polish-Lithuanian alliance and the Teutonic Knights. In this game, the battle takes place just outside the castle walls, creating a captivating slot atmosphere that’s ideal if you like games like Power of Rome and Knights vs Barbarians. The game’s main selling point is the Bonus Game, which can be triggered at different levels. While testing the game, we wish the provider had adjusted the balance between the Base and Bonus game, boosting the win potential during the Base Game. However, the Bonus Game is packed with Special Symbols, including Jackpot, Upgrade, Coin, and Multiplier Symbols, placing this game in the slightly above-average category. If you want to know more about the different Bonus Game levels, let’s discover what the Totally Headless demo has to offer!
Theme, Gameplay, & Payouts
Totally Headless is a video slot by Northern Lights Gaming that features 5 reels, 3 rows, and 243 ways to win. You can select bet sizes ranging from 0.2 to 40, with a default RTP of 96.07%, which is considered around industry average. This game has high volatility and a hit frequency of 36.67%, offering potential wins of up to 5,679X your bet.
The game’s design is based on a medieval fantasy theme, featuring kings, princesses, and knights. The 5x3 game grid is in the middle of the screen, with the Bonus Game Levels from Bronze to Diamond above the reels. If you want to boost the gaming experience for a cost, activate the Feature Buy button on the screen’s left side. All other buttons, including the Spin and Bet Size can be found on the reels’ right side. You can play Totally Headless on all mobile devices, desktops, and notepads. You create a winning combination by landing 3 or more of the same symbol types on adjacent reels starting at the leftmost reel.
The lower-paying symbols are 10, J, Q, K, and A. Landing 5 of the same symbol type pays 0.5X. The higher-paying symbols are a joker, a knight, a princess, a queen, and a king. Landing 5 of the same symbol type pays between 1X and 5X.
The game’s Wild Symbol has the design of a golden dragon, and landing 3 will award a direct payout of 1X the bet. The Scatter Symbol is a shield, and whenever it lands in view, it offers a random chance of triggering the Bonus Game. The Bonus Game is packed with Special Symbols, which you describe in detail later in the review. Let’s find out what kind of features this game has to offer!
Special Features & Slot Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot of Totally Headless?
The max win is 5,679X the bet.
What features are available in the slot of Totally Headless?
The features of this slot game are Wild Symbol, Bonus Game Levels, Bonus Game, and Feature Buy.
Wild Symbol
The Wild Symbol substitutes all regular paying symbols and helps you create winning combinations. Creating a win with 3 Wild Symbol awards a direct payout of 1X the bet.
Bonus Game Levels
During the Base Game, whenever a Scatter Symbol lands in view, it transforms into a flaming orb with a chance of triggering one of the corresponding Bonus Game Levels above the reels. The Bonus Game Levels offer the following:
Bronze = Only Bronze Coins with a value up to 1X the bet can land during the Bonus Game.
Silver = Only Silver Coins with a value of 1X to 5X the bet can land during the Bonus Game. The Silver Jackpot is available.
Gold = Only Gold Coins with a value of 5X to 15X the bet can land during the Bonus Game. The Silver and Gold Jackpot is available.
Platinum = Only Platinum Coins with a value of 15X to 30X the bet can land during the Bonus Game. The Silver, Gold, and Platinum Jackpots are available.
Diamond = Only Diamond Coins with a value of 30X to 50X the bet can land during the Bonus Game. The Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Jackpot is available.
Bonus Game
This feature can be randomly triggered by landing a Scatter Symbol on the reels during the Base, activating one of the 5 Bonus Game Levels. The feature starts with 3 respins, and only blanks, Coins, and Special Symbols can land on the reels. Whenever a Coin or Special Symbol lands in view, the respins reset to 3 again.
During the feature, all Jackpot Gems are collected in the Jackpot Banner beside the reels. Landing a Jackpot Gem will fill the corresponding Jackpot Banner. Only one unlocked Jackpot can be awarded. The Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Jackpot awards 10X, 50X, 500X, and 5,000X the bet, respectively.
The following Special Symbols can land during the Bonus Game:
Coin Multiplier (Anvil) = Adds a Multiplier of 2X, 3X, 4X, or 5X to 1, 2, or 3 Coin Symbols. The multiplier can only be applied once to any coin. The Coin Multiplier is awarded at the end of the Bonus Game.
Level Upgrade (Sword) = If you collect 3 Level Upgrade Symbols, the Bonus Game upgrades to the next Level.
Extra Life (Flask) = Increases the maximum number of respins to 4 respins. The respins reset to 4 when the Extra Life is awarded.
Mystery Symbol (Shield) = Transforms into either a Coin with a random value, Extra Life, or Level Upgrade Symbols.
Jackpot Gems = The Blue, Green, and Red Gems add to the Silver, Gold, and Platinum Jackpot Banner. The Diamond Jackpot can be awarded by landing Diamond Coins.
Feature Buy
If you want to advance directly to the Bonus Game for a cost, use the Feature Buy options:
100X = Triggers the Bonus Game with a random level. Played with an RTP of 96.03%
200X = Triggers the Bonus Game with a random level but with more Upgrades, Jackpot Gems, Coins, etc. Played with an RTP of 96.03%
Final Thoughts on Totally Headless
Northern Lights Gaming continues its streak of releasing well-designed games with sharp visuals, reminding us of previous releases such as the Unusual Suspect series and Captain Winbreaker. Here, we get a familiar but polished medieval theme that should work if you like brave knights, kings, and a chaotic battlefield.
In terms of gameplay, we believe the balance is off, with all the action happening during the Bonus Game. So what about the Base Game? Here, a helpful Wild Symbol can guide you to small wins or create its own direct payout of modest 1X the bet. Whenever a Scatter Symbol lands in view, it gets transformed into an orb, with a chance of triggering one of the Bonus Game’s five levels. If a Bonus Game Level is triggered, the Guillotine falls down, which is a nice animation and a connection to the game’s title. Each level has its own Coin Symbol values and Jackpots, but the Special Symbols are the same. While testing the game, we appreciated the number of Special Symbols, such as the Multiplier Symbol with values up to 5X, which delivered some good wins. Totally Headless has a familiar Hold & Win structure, but with an unusual triggering mechanic and containing different Bonus Game levels. It balances a fine line between overly complicating a familiar feature and an innovative tweak.
In conclusion, we liked the visuals of this game, working nicely with the medieval fantasy theme. We would love to see a Cash Collect or perhaps Sticky Wilds during the Base Game, instead of making it a waiting room for the Bonus Game to trigger. During the Bonus Game, the action begins with plenty of Special Symbols and Jackpots, creating a good twist on a familiar Hold & Win feature. Lastly, it’s not original enough to reach a higher rating, but the gameplay offers good win potential during the Bonus Game, placing it in the slightly above-average category.
Totally Headless is a slot where knights and kings battle for the reign over impressive visuals and 5 different Bonus Game levels, creating a fun twist on a familiar feature.
