Firelight takes players on a red-hot adventure to the heart of an ancient Aztec civilisation where riches are rife and excitement abounds. The pokie from Aristocrat has 5 reels and there are 243 ways to win – so it's pretty safe to say that there are more winning combinations than you could shake a big stick at.
The game can be found at many land-based casinos, but it is just as fun to play online and on mobile devices, either for real stakes or just for fun. And this game is actually quite good fun, simply because the gameplay is so effortlessly straightforward. You don't have to really worry about any specific paylines as such and it won't take you too many spins before you get the hang of the action.
This online pokie plays it safe of the theme front, banking on the tried and tested historical theme of the Aztec Empire. As such, players will discover all sorts of artefacts and trinkets associated with the ancient American world, from precious jewellery to a sacred statue of a monkey. Having said that, the monkey is wearing a rather silly hat so it's dubious as to how sacred this symbol actually is.
There is no doubt whatsoever about the symbolic power of the mighty phoenix, however. Apparently, this fiery bird was symbolic of the sun, blessings and happiness in the Mesoamerican world. To you pokie players, it represents big bucks. That is because it is the highest valued symbol in the game, not to mention the fact that it might bless you with some free spins.
Get your bird watching binoculars out and get ready for some fiery freebies! Whenever a player is graced by the presence of 3 or more scattering phoenix symbols, they will be rewarded with a sizzling round of free spins. How many the player receives depends on how many phoenixes they see, like this:
Sounds good doesn't it? Well it gets better. That is because reels 1 and 2 fuse together to become twin reels during all free spin games – the same goes for reels 4 and 5. These two sets of twin reels will show the same symbols, hence significantly upping your chances of a landing a big 5-fer. That, ladies and gents, means big money.
The wild card on this pokie is a bubbling volcano, and it could potentially erupt to give you a scorching hot pay out. It only appears on the 3rd reel but it will substitute for all symbols, bar the scattering phoenix. What's even better is the fact the wild volcano has the power to blast your winnings into the sky by multiplying them 2x, 3x or 5x.
Players of this pokie also have a chance to double or quadruple their winnings with the gamble card bonus feature. If you want to double your money, then you simply have to guess the correct card colour. Alternatively, you can multiply the amount by four by guessing the correct card suit. If you guess right then you will have the option to go again for up to five turns. It's a risky gamble, but it could see your playing funds rise from the ashes to glorious heights.
The graphics are quite tepid in comparison with some of the other pokies that are available on the market. But nonetheless, the aspect is colourful enough to keep all eyes on the prize and the mystical undertones will appeal to those players who like something a bit supernatural.
It has to be said that the sound effects are pretty bog-standard. There is a lot of scope to immerse the player in the Aztec world, perhaps with the ominous beating of a drum or the sound of the jungle in all of its vibrant glory. Instead, all that can be heard is the sound of a casino parlour on loop – and this does get a little bit boring if you are in for a long stint at the Firelight online pokie.
Despite all of the fiery promise, this online pokie is not going to totally blow your socks off. Nonetheless, it might just get your blood simmering with its frequent bonus features and mid to high volatility.
It's safe to say that this pokie is a little bit dated – both visually and sonically – but this doesn't mean that it isn't worth playing. The fact of the matter is that the game is just so simple to play and you can't help but enjoy the action as it spins seamlessly before your eyes.