Nightmaker is a dark Gothic horror online slot from ELK Studios where you can win up to 50,000x the bet. It’s a 5-reel, 5-row game where the nightmarish symbols lead to a great range of features such as cascades, big symbols, and several levels of free games with extra winning ways.
While the 94.0% return to players is slightly low for a medium to high volatility game such as this, it remains a fan favourite with players who enjoy the topic and want to play games packed with exciting bonuses on any spin.
Let’s see if we can make a night of it with an in depth BTCGOSU game review.
Game mechanics & overview
A dark underworld that would fit into an Alien movie provides the creepy setting for the Nightmaker slot reels. Symbols include 4 runes in muted colours, green and purple crystals, and the Beast, a skull-like demon with sharp teeth and dead eyes. ELK Studios have a backstory about a chained beast immersed in a power-diminishing gas which adds depth to the game. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but fans of horror-themed slots will love the style, menacing soundtrack, and fiery animations.
There are no fixed paylines here, and you win as symbols match from left to right across the 5 reels arranged in a 3-5-5-5-3 pattern to give an initial 1,125 ways to win. The thrilling features include cascades which can run and run, dropping special symbols down onto the grid from a feature reel above. Stacked wilds, split symbols, and multipliers are among the feature reel modifiers that can extend your run of wins.
Giant symbols make it easier to grab prizes and can remain active throughout free spins, which play out on the full 5-5-5-5-5 grid. It’s here that wins can hit a massive 50,000x the bet, all of which combine to make the Nightmaker slot a hugely popular entry in the ELK Studios range.
Where can I play Nightmaker slot machines for real money?
You’ll find this game at some of the top-rated online casinos including Roobet, where it joins over 7,000 slots and table games. Read our Roobet online casino review here to see why it’s such a popular site.
Of course, all our BTCGOSU reviewed and approved casinos are worth a closer look and many have the Nightmaker slot in their extensive ranges. Don’t forget to claim their welcome bonuses, free spins, and other treats when you join.
Where can I get free spins playing a demo game with no deposit?
If you want to test the game without any risk or commitment, head over to the ELK Studios Nightmaker page. You can see how everything works, get a feel for the volatility and returns, then spin the reels for cash prizes at one of our approved online casinos.
What’s the RTP payout percentage, volatility, and variance of Nightmaker?: Are there good winning chances and a high, player-friendly hit frequency?
This is a medium to high volatility game rated at 7/10 by ELK Studios, with a hit rate over the long term of 24.9%. Over time, around 1 spin in 4 will be a winner. The return to players, also calculated over a huge number of spins, is 94.0%. That’s low, and unfortunately a common level with slots from this developer.
However, over the course of a session on the game it’s unlikely to make much difference, and you can still claim big wins on any spin.
It’s a stylish, enjoyable game with lots of features, so focus on the fun and perhaps you will get lucky and collect jackpots as you take on the Beast.
What bonus features do you get on Nightmaker?
The innovative features are a highlight of the game and can trigger at any time. They include a wild symbol that can act as others, and an avalanche mechanism which removes symbols in a win, allowing those above to drop down as new ones appear from the top. Avalanches repeat for as long as they lead to new wins, and any wilds remain active until they reach the bottom.
A Rattle feature fills reels 2, 3, and / or 4 with a randomly chosen giant symbol for 3 consecutive spins. Match it on reel 1, or land the wild, and you’ll always win.
A feature row at the top can drop these modifier symbols on the grid on an avalanche:
- Wild Spirit – Adds up to 6 wild symbols to random spots.
- Wildfire – Fills the whole reel with wilds.
- Symbol Multiplier – The Beast holds a multiplier value that applies to all symbols in the affected reel.
- Split Symbols – All symbols on the reel split, to give up to 10 rows. It can give you 25,000 ways to win if all reels have this feature at once.
- There are 3 levels of free spins. If 3 masked Beast bonus symbols land in any places you get 8 free spins where a random symbol will have a multiplier throughout, and all 4 corner positions unlock. Land a bonus symbol in a corner spot and it becomes a blocker, then adds 2 extra spins.
- If a glowing Super bonus symbol is part of the triggering mix, you get 8 free games with a jumping wild symbol that moves to a new position on each spin.
- Fill all 4 corner positions over either free spins round to unlock Beast spins, where giant symbols fill reels 2, 3, and 4 throughout.
What is the bonus feature trigger probability?
There’s no info from ELK Studios of feature trigger probability, but the medium to high volatility can mean a lower rate as an average over time. In-game features such as modifiers and giant symbols will tend to trigger quite often, while standalone extras such as free spins may not happen for a while.
How do you activate a free spins round?
Three bonus symbols trigger free spins, with a Super version unlocked if an enhanced bonus symbol appears. Filling corner positions in any free game feature leads to Beast spins with giant symbols on the 3 middle reels.
Are there Expanding Wilds on Nightmaker?
While they don’t actually expand, a Wildfire modifier can fill reels with stacked wilds.
Are there any Shifting Wilds?
Trigger the Super free spins and a wild symbol jumps around the reels for the duration.
Is there a Win Both Ways feature?
No. Winning combinations must start from the left side.
Are there Scatters on Nightmaker?
Yes, there are. Masked Beast bonus scatter symbols award features when seen in any places.
Does Nightmaker have cascading reels & the cluster pays mechanic?
A cascading reels, or ‘Avalanche’ system is active on any win, although Nightmaker doesn’t use the cluster pays mechanism.
How do you collect and trigger payout multipliers?
A feature reel at the top of the game can drop random multipliers onto reels below. If there’s a win, the multiplier applies, and it’s possible to have several in a win for their values to combine.
What’s the win potential?
The maximum win is huge, at 50,000x the stake.
How do you land a jackpot win?
You can potentially win the maximum prize over a long enough series of avalanches, but it’s more likely over the course of any free spins feature.
How much can you win as a maximum with a jackpot hit?
At the highest stake, the jackpot pays 5,000,000.00.
What’s the win frequency? Is there a varied mix of small, medium, and high payout wins?
A medium to high volatility will tend to pay a good mix of smaller, medium and higher prizes. The many bonus features can always lead to generous wins from any spin.
What’s the payout table?
Here’s the paytable for Nightwalker.
Interface layout and player usability
The user-friendly controls ensure that Nightmaker won’t give anyone a nightmare setting the game up. It uses the same set of well-proven controls seen across the ELK Studios range and comes with a generous spread of bet options to suit most budgets.
Several ‘X-iter’ bonus buy options increase the odds of feature triggers or skip the base games altogether to launch bonus rounds right away. Autoplay and Turbo options also give a level of customisation to the gameplay.
A medium to high volatility and average win rate of 24.9% can provide a good mix of small to large prizes, although as mentioned, the return to players is low, at 94.0%.
How to bet & play?
Getting started couldn’t be easier. Tap the little stack of coins button below the game to reveal 12 bet options with a range of 0.20 to 100.00. Select a level then it’s just a click on the circular arrow button to set the reels spinning.
The X-iter tab unlocks 5 different bonus buy options, with their features and upfront costs clearly marked.
What are the minimum and maximum coins for a bet?
You always play the Nightmaker slot with 100 coins.
How complex is the gameplay?
I found Nightmaker to be a moderately complicated game, but there’s nothing for anyone with even a little experience to fear. It’s just right for relatively new players as well as those who have played slots for years with a selection of modifiers on any base game spin and throughout the bonus rounds.
What’s the quality like on visual design, graphics, and animations?
This is a great-looking game for horror fans, with the animated Beast character roaring from the reels when part of a winning combination. Flames engulf the wild symbol, magical energy lights up the reels on each spin, and the creepy backdrop adds to the atmosphere.
What key symbols will you see on the reels?
The main symbols consist of 4 runes in muted colours, plus a mask, crystals, and the demonic face of the Beast. There are plenty of bonus symbols such as the fiery ‘W’ wild, masked Beast scatter symbol, and range of modifiers that can drop in from the top.
Is the sound design and audio quality good?
Crank the volume up and you can listen to a haunting soundtrack, the noise of symbol blocks as they drop into place, plus the menacing laughter and sinister voice of the Beast. It all adds to the theme of a nightmarish creature escaping from the depths.
Is Nightmaker safe to play?
Play at an online casino approved by the BTCGOSU team and you can relax in the knowledge that Nightmaker and all other games are completely safe, fair, and come from trusted developers. Naturally, our reviewed and recommended casino sites always protect your deposited funds and any personal details
How does Nightmaker perform on mobile?
The dark setting and muted colour palette can make it slightly harder to see all of the details on small mobile screens, although it gets a little easier in landscape mode. This aside, Nightmaker works faultlessly across Android, iOS, and Windows mobiles.
What are the best tips and strategies for playing Nightmaker?
As with any slot machine, random results mean that you can’t rely on betting systems to overturn the odds. Decide on a budget at the outset and then stick to it, quitting if you deplete your bankroll, but hopefully grabbing some big wins to put you ahead. Try out other casino game strategies for better options.
The medium to high level of variance matched to average returns of 94.0% can make it a little harder to be in positive territory, but not significantly so and shouldn’t make a noticeable difference as you play.
How do the bonus features on Nightmaker influence optimal betting strategies, risk assessment, and overall gameplay?
Lots of in-game features such as avalanches on every win and modifiers such as random wilds, multipliers, or split symbols from a feature reel can mean big wins at any point. So, you can stick to a consistent bet level without holding back waiting for any standalone bonus feature triggers.
Be sure to wager at a level where your overall bankroll can take a few hits in a row and don’t bet a large percentage of it all at once.
Are there any negative player comments about Nightmaker?
The only negative comment I could find is – ‘’This slot actually played well for me, not something I’d play again though.’’
How does Nightmaker compare to other ELK Studios slots?
Nightmaker has a lot in common with other ELK Studios games, such as the multiple features within the base spins, several levels of free games, and a huge win cap. The volatility is slightly lower than many others in the range, although the 94.0% RTP is consistent throughout.
What are the best alternative slots to Nightmaker with similar gameplay?
If you enjoy spooky games, be sure to try similar titles such as House of Doom 2: The Crypt, by Play’n GO, or Nolimit City’s’ Demon Heart: The Hunt. Each has a great horror theme and come with multiple bonus features. Equally, No Limit City’s Highway To Hell will appeal.
BTCGOSU Conclusion, Verdict, Highs & Lows: Should you try Nightmaker?
Lowish returns aside, Nightmaker is a fabulous game for those with a taste for the occult style, creepy monsters, and slots with numerous bonus features. With lots of chances to get a feature at any point, whether in the base games or free spins, it’s an action-packed game that has a big following at our favourite casinos.
Not everyone will like the topic, and our overall BTCGOSU rating of 7/10 reflects this.
Within the player communities, typical comments include:
- ‘’Put a fiver into it out of boredom, 10p bet was available and I hit a 1000x, jumped onto a different casino, did the same thing and got a 476x.’’
- ‘’Every time I’ve left the session, I’ve been up.’’
What I specifically like about playing Nightmaker
I certainly enjoy horror themed games and with its creepy main character, plus fantastic animations, it’s a slot I can play over and over. Lots of features ensure I never get bored, with plenty going on as symbols cascade, modifiers drop in, giant symbols appear, and free games trigger.
What did I dislike about the Nightmaker playing experience?
If I’m being picky, perhaps a few more demons here and there instead of crystals would improve the looks slightly, but it’s really not a big issue.
Additional player questions
While our thorough Nightmaker review covers most aspects, here are a few other questions to help complete the picture:
Does Nightmaker demonstrate fairness with random spin results?
Always. Random spin results are guaranteed, which is an essential part of any fair and trusted game. Regular audits by independent testing bodies ensure that all ELK Studios games use Random Number Generator software.
Is Nightmaker good for low-budget, casual players and low-stake bets?
Yes, it is. The 0.20 minimum stake should suit low-stakes players looking to casually spin the reels of a popular game for smaller rewards.
Is Nightmaker good for bonus seekers?
You will find bonuses for playing Nightmaker. Read our BTCGOSU guide to online casino bonuses for examples.
Is Nightmaker good for high rollers?
A 100.00 maximum bet should be enough for the majority of players seeking casino games allowing high stakes bets, while the X-iter bonus buy options can cost up to 500x more upfront.
Does Nightmaker have a progressive jackpot?
There’s no progressive jackpot feature in this game.
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