Badge Blitz

Badge Blitz Review

Wild West, an extremely exploited theme by all the gaming studios, comes back in front of our screens generously sponsored by Pragmatic Play. Badge Blitz is not exactly the most original slot game out there, but neither were the American bandits in the 1800s, and yet legends are alive for many of them today.

So, if you're ready to strap on the rifle and get on the saddle, Pragmatic Play can provide you with some pretty decent fun. Now, let's see what is on the surface! A Western-themed slot with nice artwork, animations, and sound effects, set in an HTML5-optimized pack, compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows devices.

Well, Pragmatic Play's slot catalog is littered with similar titles, and if you can't think of any, how about Cowboy Coins or Wild West Gold? Indeed, Badge Blitz comes with refined graphics, a slightly better RTP, but higher volatility, in my opinion, too. Five fixed jackpots are displayed on top of the reels, and all can be claimed.

Before going to the bonus features, let's explore the tools added by the Tech department. You can use Autoplay, Quickspin, Turbo Spin, Bonus Buy, and several other secondaries to facilitate your play. The Badge Blitz mechanics are rather standard, with RNGs verified by independent auditors.

The playing grid is nailed to several wooden beams and provides 5 reels and 10 paylines. It is 3 symbol positions high, and winning combinations stretch from the leftmost reel to the right on adjacent positions. The setting is a classic Wild West town where only the fast survive, so let's not stay in one place for too long!

Badge Blitz Slot - Reels Screen

Wild Horses substitute for all symbols except scatters and can land on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5. They do not bring cash, and that is a first! Second, the payout symbols are not particularly lucrative, with the highest-paying Sheriff bringing only up to 8x the wager for 5 of a kind. It also pays for 2 matches, but 0.08x.

Cash Bag, Carriage, Six-pack in Holster, and Cowboy Hat are the other "High Pays," awarding up to 6x and 4x the stake. The lower-valued symbols are A, K, Q, and J, paying from 0.20x to 3x for 3 to 5 of a kind. Scatter symbols land in the form of Sheriff Badges on all reels and Wanted Poster on reels 2, 3, and 4.

Strategy experts and seasoned players will be delighted by the wide betting range, although that is rather expected from the provider. However, this feature is configurable, so watch out for some sneaky casino operators out there! If not manipulated, the range stretches from €0.25 up to €250 per spin.

The Badge Blitz RTP rate is adjustable, but on most gambling platforms should be available the highest-paying version. The rate there is 96.50%, while the alternatives are 95.48% and 94.49%. This is a high volatility slot with a Hit Frequency of 23.31% (1 in 4.29 spins on avg).

You can expect the Free Spins bonus on every 169.56 spins, while the Money Respin minigame is more frequent, at least in theory. The max payout is capped at 3,000x the bet, and the chance of hitting it is slightly more than 1 in 4 million spins on average.

Badge Blitz Features

Unlike other upcoming Pragmatic Play slots, Badge Blitz is packed with not 1 but 2 bonus minigames. I'm more than tired of playing free spins and hold'n'win features, but the truth is that they sell unless you are presenting a fruity spinning machine. In the following paragraphs, you will find out more!

Money Respin Feature

Sheriff Badges activate Money Respin, which is a classic 5x3 Hold & Win minigame with a little twist. You will need at least 6 of these symbols to trigger the bonus, and each of them will transform into a Coin symbol. Coins can have a cash value or can carry one of the jackpot prizes - Mini, Minor, Major, or Mega.

In case you have a Mega Jackpot in view, it pays only once and transforms into a different Coin with a random value. Players get 3 respins to generate more Coins, and each successful landing resets the counter. Sheriff Badge plays a Collect role during this bonus minigame.

Every time such lands on a respin, it collects and pays all the Coin values in view. After that, it transforms into a Coin with a random value. If you run out of respins or complete the entire grid, the bonus is over. Players who end with 15 Coins in view will win the Grand Jackpot on top of the current payout.

• Grand Jackpot - 1,000x the bet
• Mega Jackpot - 250x the bet
• Major Jackpot - 100x the bet
• Minor Jackpot - 50x the bet
• Mini Jackpot - 10x the bet
• Cash Prizes - from 0.80x to 16x the bet

Free Spins Bonus

This bonus starts with 3 or 4 scatters in view at the same time, and you will receive 5 or 8 free spins, respectively. The Wanted Poster scatters land in single forms on reels 2 and 3 and as singles or doubles on reel 4. Retriggers are not possible, but a special set of reels is in play, and Money Respin can be activated.

Moreover, during the Free Spins bonus, every round will be enhanced with 2 or more fully expanded wilds. Remember that they can land on any of the reels, but the first one. Thus, the potential of each spin is massive and could lead to the max payout cap!

Badge Blitz Slot - Free Spins Win Screen

Buy Respins

Badge Blitz is packed with Bonus Buy, but only one of the features can be purchased. If you agree to pay a price of 100x the wager, you'll get 6 or more Sheriff Badge scatters on the next spin. The RTP rate slightly increases up to 96.52%, but keep in mind that the feature is subject to license and casino restrictions, so it might not be available in all markets!

Pros And Cons Of Badge Blitz Slot

Our Verdict

All in all, Badge Blitz game is exactly what I was expecting it to be, with no surprises and no new features on the board. Players familiar with Pragmatic Play will find plenty of similar slots in its catalog, and if I have to be more specific, Wild West Duels is a much better Western spinner.

On the other hand, diversity is what makes the iGaming field so attractive. Players often need to change the game, but without changing the game, if you know what I mean. So, from that point of view, Badge Blitz will do the job. Free Spins with expanded wilds and guaranteed ones, bring them on!

Moreover, not all providers include Collector symbols to their Hold & Win minigames, so here is an advantage. Unfortunately, that's about all I can applaud for the slot! The low symbol values and lack of base game modifiers rank the title poorly and leave it way behind competitors.

To close the subject, I would like to recommend a couple of feature-packed Westerns. El Paso Gunfight comes from the factories of Nolimit City and impresses with a configurable grid, a bag full of brilliant features, and a max win of 44,440x the bet. Another top choice would be Sticky Bandits 3 Most Wanted.

This Quickspin release is not as good as the El Paso Gunfight, but offers a higher win cap, sticky wilds, multipliers, and more. So, in conclusion, Badge Blitz is a mediocre job done by a provider; we all know what it's capable of! But, if you are looking for a new field to explore, it will deliver top features and decent dynamics!