A TV Show Themed Slot Featuring Wilds and Free Spins
Empire is a TV show based around the music industry in New York. The show centres on a fictional hip hop and entertainment company, named Empire Entertainment. The drama in the series comes from the central family who are fighting to gain control of the company – the mogul who runs the company must choose a successor from between his three sons, while his ex-wife is looking to claim what’s hers. The Empire tv show hit screens in January 2015 with the fifth season premiering in late 2018.
Such has been the success of the show, that WMS have now produced a slot around the franchise, featuring many of the leading characters.
Empire is an entertaining, slick looking slot. You’ll be enjoying music while you engage with several bonus features.
Here are the highlights:
- A 5×4 reel configuration offering a total of 40 win-lines.
- Stacked Lucious and Cookie symbols, ensuring multiple win chances with the two leading symbols.
- Lucious and Cookie also act as both the wilds and the feature symbols – there is no doubt which two characters lead the way in this Empire.
- Land a combination of the two leading symbols and you’ll enjoy the free spins bonus feature.
Richer Reels in the Empire Free Spins Bonus Feature
To activate the free spins bonus feature you’ll need to land a combination of both the stacked Lucious and Cookie symbols. This makes for an unusual game, as both of these symbols also act as the wilds. Essentially this makes for a high variance slot, as activating the feature will usually come with a large ‘wild’ win too – the best of both worlds. During the free spins feature, the reels are set up to be more rewarding, so expect some of your biggest wins during this round.
The Character-Filled Base Game
The ‘Empire Entertainment’ company is a big deal, so you’ll need oversize reels to reflect that. This WMS slot delivers with a 5×4 reel set up, allowing for a set total of 40 win-lines. Wins are paid from left to right when you line up three matching symbols or more in a row.
The game features the following leading characters:
Lucious Lyon – Lucious is the CEO of Empire Entertainment, who is diagnosed with ALS in season one. Lucious aims therefore to find a successor.
Loretha ‘Cookie’ Lyon – Lucious’ ex-wife who financed the early career of the CEO via her drug dealing exploits. This landed her in prison for 17 years, and now she’s back to claim her share.
Andre Lyon – The eldest son of the Lyon family, he is power hungry and plans to run Empire. He suffers from bi-polar disorder.
Jamal Lyon – The middle son, who is estranged from his father. A gay singer songwriter, Jamal hates the corporate music world.
Hakeem Lyon – The youngest son is a rising hip hop star, who is hungry for fame.
The stacked Lucious and Cookie symbols are both wild and will therefore substitute for any other symbol in the game. Being the wilds, lining up those stacks can pay fantastic dividends. You can also trigger the free spins bonus with these symbols.
Andre, Jamal and Hakeem appear in single symbols and are next on the pay table. The mid paying symbols include a private jet, and golden microphones and headphones – the Empire Entertainment business just shouts money. The low end of the pay table features the playing card suits hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades.
Gold Discs – Empire Slots Design
If you had to describe the design of this WMS produced slot, you’d say ‘cash’. The outline of the reels is of a solid gold, while you’ll find diamonds in the four corners too – this is as bling as you can get. The dark colour scheme gives the game an appealing ‘attitude’ and a slickness. There is little doubt that the Lucious and Cookie symbols are the standouts, both stacked and playing their mighty important roles in the game.
Will You Build a Bankroll Empire or Go Bust?
Empire is an entertaining slot that will certainly appeal to fans of the TV show. The game is a high variance one. While you might have slightly longer between the smaller wins, having the same symbols as both the wilds and the bonus symbols makes for some incredible all-action spins. With wilds filling the reels anyway, you’ll usually land a nice pay out in activating the feature. And during the free spins, there’s every chance you’ll win big! This slot shouts money and there’s every chance it will deliver some too.