It’s time to go Japanese and enjoy everything related to its fun and exciting culture in the Toshi Video Club slot by Hacksaw Gaming. Well, that’s how I envisioned this slot game after I read its game title. But when I load this game and start playing Toshi Video Club, the intent of the game designers becomes clear. What this game is trying to show is the start of video gaming in Japan. But instead of a flashy and colorful homage, this game uses a minimalist scheme in black and white. For a dash of color, the paying symbols use a background in orange.
This is not precisely the most colorful slot that I have reviewed in recent times. But with its Cascading Wins, Mystery Multipliers, and Free Spins, this game is definitely worth a second look. And with its high variance and a top payout of up to 10,000x your bet, Toshi Video Club will deliver an exciting way to win with a hint of nostalgia.
In all slot reviews that I cover, I always find something new and entertaining that makes each game unique. As part of my review, I will also subject this game to the same process with the following results:
PROS
CONS
This is not the first time that the game designer has tapped into simple and minimalistic designs. Hacksaw Gaming once again succeeds in Toshi Video Club and what we have here is an odd and intriguing playing screen with a hint of Japanese elements. When you open this game, you are presented with a 5×5 grid with the game’s title at the top and written in typical Japanese style. You will also find grayish backgrounds, and even the choice of colors for the paying symbols are a bit bland for my taste. As I randomly spin the reels, I noticed that the high-paying symbols boast a touch of orange, which is the only sign of color and excitement in this game, and I’m okay with it.
For the game’s paying symbols, some selections can complete the Japanese experience. Some of the low pays here are People, Cats, Noodle Bowls, Whales, and Bears. As I mentioned, the best-paying ones boast a dash of the orange color for a style like Sushi, Frogs, Old Joysticks. TVs and Videotapes. Landing a five-of-a-kind will pay you 10x up to 20x your wager.
Toshi Video Club is part of the Pocketz Series of Hacksaw Gaming. Still, this is playable across iOS, Windows, and Android devices starting at 0.20 per spin up to a maximum of 100.00 credits per spin. The game’s minimalist looks extend to its gameplay which different types of players will love. No, the game does not rely on the standard Cluster Pays typical in many Hacksaw games. Instead, it comes with 15 paylines, and you can pick up a winning combo by landing at least three matching symbols starting from the left.
What makes the gameplay enjoyable is its use of Cascading Wins. This means that when you get a winning combination, a cascade of symbols happens on the screen. It’s the only time that you can have fun watching the interplay of symbols on the screen as they appear and cascade out of view when collecting wins.
Before I talk about the Free Spins, let me first cover the intriguing Multipliers courtesy of the Daruma symbols. In this game, four types reveal a Multiplier value. This value is then added or multiplied with the current Multiplier that is displayed above the reels. The Small Daruma can increase the Multiplier by up to +5, the Medium up to +20, the Big Daruma up to +100, and the Green Daruma that can multiply the current total by up to x5.
Now, we move to the Free Spins bonus of Toshi Video Club. Like most slots, you need at least three Scatters to trigger the bonus and get 10 Free Spins. Here, the Win MUltiplier does not reset compared to the base game. In some territories, a Buy Feature is available. If you want to enter the bonus immediately, you need to pay 120x your bet.
This slot game succeeds in its efforts to be different. From its choice of theme and the paying symbols, Toshi Video Club creates something original that it can offer to slot players. Compared to other games that simply recreate what has been done or became successful, Hacksaw is bold in its efforts to design this Japanese and minimalist slot production compared to other games that merely recreate what has been done or become successful. Some players may take some time to get used to its design, but for me, it serves its purposes.
My only concern in this game is the quality of bonuses, particularly its Free Spins. A batch of 10 spins with no chance to re-trigger is sad, and it’s disappointing knowing that the game has great potential. I think its saving grace is its jackpot of up to 10,000x your bet, which can be exciting to catch in this high volatility slot!
