Abra-Kebab-Ra Pokie Machine
Designed to look like a pub pokie, Abra-Kebab-Ra is a 3-reel, single payline game with Nudge and Hold features that means a certain element of skill is added to the mix.
It's got a Middle-Eastern theme and images of the kebabs that often follow a night in the pub, all presented in a bright and friendly cartoon style. This popular Poker machine is part of the massive Microgaming range, and like everything else they produce it can be played with no download needed.
Taking a Bite from Abra-Kebab-Ra
A bet range that goes from a pretty small 0.10 to a still not very big 10.00 per spin makes me think that this game is aimed more at the casual player rather than high rollers but it should suit 99% of us.
Like many 3-reelers, the action in Abra-Kebab-Ra takes place in just a small portion of the screen with the reels surrounded by pictures, logos, payout information and some guidance on how to play the bonus rounds.
Starting off with the payouts, this game features the usual fruit symbols which award multiples of the coin amount wagered. Most of the symbols will be familiar to anyone, with cherries, lemons, oranges, plums and watermelons making up the lower-paying icons that bring in rewards of 1x to 10x when identical ones line up across the middle of the reels.
Then the more theme specific images start to appear, with chillies being worth 25x, there's a 50x reward for the 777 symbol, a tasty 200x for the kebabs themselves, while our friendly cook equals the jackpot prize of 1000x.
Abra-Kebab-Ra!
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Bonus Bites
With the 'Kebab' bit covered, what about the 'Abra'? Here's where the magic begins, with little genie lanterns attached to selected symbols triggering the bonuses each time three land anywhere on the visible part of the reels.
The main bonus feature is essentially a Hi/Lo type of game where a fourth reels will appear, displaying 3 numbers at any one time. Each of these numbers is linked to a reel, and the object is to work your way up a series of bonus ladders, earning multiplier prizes, features and nudges. Three correct guesses leads to a bonus that lets players carry on in the round for bigger rewards, while getting it wrong at any stage ends the round.
By clicking 'Collect' at any point, players are able to pick up whatever they have won so far without having to carry on risking the chance of a wrong guess and although this can be really tricky when you are on a roll, it's a good idea to quit while ahead in this part of the game.
There's some extra goodies in store as well, such as the Nudges, where individual reels can be moved up or down to help make up winning combinations, while a couple of features appear at random for guaranteed prizes.
Shifta appearing in big letters above the reels earns players a single spin, but it's going to be a winner, the only question being whether it's a low paying fruit or high paying kebab related symbol. Also displaying above the reels is the Let 'em Spin sign which gives players the option to Hold any reel and spin the others, or just spin the lot for another sure winning combination.
Is This Game Abra-Ke-Fabulous or Not?
3-reel pokies can often be totally devoid of bonus features, so it's nice to see one where there's loads of extras to enjoy. The bonuses turn up fairly frequently as well, so it's not a case of spin after spin after spin before something appears to break up the run of play.
Of course many people enjoy games where there are no bonus rounds, so they may wish to look elsewhere, but for most of us, getting the extras is a main part of the appeal.
The theme of magic lanterns and fast food may be a bit contrived, and I suspect someone at Microgaming thought of a good name and design the pokie around it, but it looks good so who's complaining?