Attack on Retro Slot: Overview

Microgaming partners Triple Edge Studios have gone full cyberpunk with their latest release, Attack on Retro. It’s difficult to mention this indie studio without the Playboy tie-ins coming to mind—whether that’s a positive or a negative is very much a matter of taste. Their later titles haven’t generated quite the same excitement as the bunny-era games. Can Attack on Retro change that? If there were awards for eye-searing colour, it would be a strong contender. Triple Edge Studios also brings back Microgaming’s Hyperspins feature, a familiar hallmark from a number of their earlier slots. So, with vivid visuals and sci-fi energy assured, how does everything else come together?

Attack on Retro takes place in the future, but it’s the kind of future that looks like 2015 in Back to the Future II. In other words, it blends high-tech ideas with lo-fi 80s-style hardware—drenched in blazing pinks and purples. The story is set in the year 2187, where two heroes, Billy and Jesse, defend Retro City from invading aliens. It’s goofy, but it adds a light, fun flavour. And it’s either inspired or horrifying that neon is still the height of fashion in that era. On the reels, after experimenting with an unusual setup in African Quest, Triple Edge Studios return to their standard 5 reel, 3 row, 10 payline format. The game plays with high volatility, alongside a 29.19% hit rate and 95.58% RTP—solid enough figures.

Your mission to protect Retro City begins by choosing a stake from 10 p/c up to $/€20 per spin. Hit spin and the neon chaos starts rolling—nightmare or dream, depending on your taste. In the base game, the goal is to land three or more glowing symbols across a payline to collect a win. The paytable mixes low and high values, starting with J-A royals presented in a genuinely distinctive typeface. Slight tangent, but those royals evoke the Carolco Pictures logo and the wave of classic 80s and 90s action movies they put out. Nostalgia is clearly part of the aim here, and at least with the royals, Triple Edge Studios nail it.

The top-paying icons include a Nintendo Power Glove-style symbol, a boombox, a keytar, and a hover board. Standard premium fare, with the hover board leading at 20 times the stake for five on a line. Multiple wilds appear in different sizes and designs throughout the game. One features the hero Billy, the other Jesse, and both can land in 1×1, 1×2, or 1×3 forms. Wilds substitute for all pay symbols, and landing 5 of a single character pays 100 times the stake. You can also combine Billy and Jesse in the same win, though in that case the payout is reduced to 50x.

Attack on Retro Slot: Features

Because Hyperspins is included, the RTP can shift. If you don’t use it, the expected return is 95.58%; when you play with Hyperspins enabled, it increases to 96.08%. Results can vary quite a bit, so it’s worth trying it out to understand how it influences your play. Hyperspins work like respins that can be used on any base game spin. Rather than re-spinning every reel, you can choose to spin a single reel. For example, if you’ve landed 4 premium symbols on a payline but the middle reel is missing, you can Hyperspin that reel to try to complete 5 of a kind. Naturally, there’s a cost, and the amount depends on how valuable the possible winning combinations are. Only one reel can be spun at a time, and there’s no cap on how often you can activate the feature.

The next mechanic is called Random Wilds. It can trigger unexpectedly on any spin, and when it does, robot symbols overlay the reels. Lasers then fire at random robots, and any robot that gets hit transforms into a wild. In the base game, up to 15 wilds can be uncovered, or up to 3 wilds during a respin. In the free spins feature, up to 9 wilds can be revealed on reels 2, 3, and 4.

Last up is the Free Spins feature, triggered by landing 3 scatter symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4. Once activated, you choose from three modes, each tied to a different volatility level: 10 spins with a x1 multiplier, 5 spins with a x2 multiplier, or, for players chasing bigger swings, 2 spins with a x5 multiplier.

While free spins are running, you get 2 sticky stacked wilds on reels 1 and 5, which randomly switch between the 1×3 Billy and Jesse. Scatters remain in play, and landing 2 or 3 of them awards 5 or 10 additional free spins. The multiplier stays fixed for the entire feature, even when scatters retrigger more spins.

Attack on Retro Slot: Verdict

Attack on Retro has plenty going for it. Extra effort on a backstory is always welcome, and the setting has a noticeable dose of character and charm. Billy and Jesse—very 80s names, by the way—come across as the kind of cyberpunks you’d happily tag along with in the 22nd century. Mechanically, it holds up too: with high volatility and a respectable RTP, it can deliver some satisfying sessions. It also offers potential returns of up to 5,000 times the stake, so there’s little to complain about on that front.

It’s not exactly essential viewing, and after the African Quest detour, Triple Edge are clearly back in their comfort zone. Even so, if you like futuristic slots—or you’re especially keen on what Hyperspins brings to the table—Attack on Retro should be an enjoyable ride.