It’s Time Slot (Relax Gaming): Overview

If Bruce Buffer doesn’t ring a bell, don’t worry – we were in the same boat before coming across Relax Gaming’s It’s Time. Released alongside Let’s Get Ready to Rumble, it marks the studio’s first go at building a branded slot and is themed around MMA octagon announcer Bruce Buffer who, as many would agree, is the lesser-known of the Buffer half-brothers. Raised apart, the brothers didn’t actually meet until 1989, when their father contacted Michael after spotting him on TV calling a title fight with his trademark line, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” In the mid-90s, Michael brought Bruce on as his manager, and that relationship later evolved into a business partnership as Bruce gained recognition as the UFC octagon announcer, eventually trademarking his own catchphrase – “It’s Time”.

Much like its sister title, It’s Time runs on a 6-reel, 4-row setup, though it provides far fewer win routes at 40 fixed paylines. The upside is a higher 96.74% RTP versus Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’s 96.14%, which may also suggest it’s a touch more volatile. Both games share a strong 90s arcade vibe and aim to keep things lively with punchy music, animated sequences, and a heavy feature load. With stakes from 0.10 to €/$100 per spin, you get a base game Hot Spot mechanic that can convert all premium symbols into wilds, plus a sticky re-spin feature that can deliver wins up to 500x your bet. The main event, though, is the Fighter Bonus, where Energy multiplier symbols can help you land up to 2,500 times your stake.

In terms of presentation, it leans into a SNES-era arcade look, which can come across as a bit dated and somewhat juvenile. The action takes place inside an MMA octagon, and the cartoon symbols include battered low-value 10 to A card ranks wrapped in bandages, alongside 4 fighters with their own quirks. First up is Billy “The Patriot” Ray Hogg, a gorilla-built Texan who’s also a vegan and a birdwatcher. Then there’s the Brit Tyrone “Mr Tea” Jones, who’s fixated on his tea habit. Next is Fernando “Handsome” Gonzalez from Mexico, who’s devoted his life to taking the belt. Finally, there’s Hugo “Viking” Slotsson, supposedly related to Viking leader Erik Röde, yet portrayed as a sickly underachiever with a “glass jaw”. The top-paying symbol is Bruce Buffer himself, awarding 12.50 times your stake for six of a kind.

It’s Time Slot (Relax Gaming): Features

For players who like lots of moving parts, It’s Time delivers plenty. The feature you’ll see most often is the Hot Spot, which can trigger on any base game spin and is indicated by an electric effect surrounding the central 2×2 area of the reels. If four matching fighters land in that zone, they lock in place, turn into wilds, and kick off a re-spin. During the re-spin, any high-paying character symbol that lands will also convert into wilds, followed by a payout.

After that comes the Buffer Bonus. This activates when a full stack of Bruce Buffer symbols lands on both the first and last reels. Once triggered, you receive 3 re-spins where only Bruce Buffer symbols will appear on the reels. Whenever a Bruce Buffer symbol lands, it becomes sticky, and the re-spin counter resets. There’s also a group of action symbols, which are:

• Energy Drink Upgrade – The multiplier increases by +1x.
• Slam Dunk Diagonal – Turns itself as well as all four diagonally placed positions around it into the relevant combatant.
• Left Hook – Turns itself as well as up to two symbols to the left into the relevant combatant.
• Right Hook – Turns itself as well as up to two symbols to the right into the relevant combatant.

The round finishes either when you hit a full screen of Bruce symbols (worth up to 2,500x if you reach the top multiplier of 5x), or when the re-spin counter expires.

Last up is the Fighter Bonus, triggered when two different fully stacked fighter symbols land on the first and last reels. You’re given 5 re-spins (which never reset), and only the two triggering fighter symbols can appear. Any fighter symbol that lands will stick and stay put until it’s either replaced by the opposing fighter (using the action symbols described above), or until all spins are used. The winner is whichever fighter controls the most reel positions at the end. Then, every losing symbol is converted into the winning symbol and paid out. A multiplier is also applied to your total win if it’s higher than 1x. For max potential, the top payout here is 2000x if Billy “The Patriot” Ray Hogg ends up taking the title.

It’s Time Slot (Relax Gaming): Verdict

After looking at both of Relax Gaming’s Buffer-branded releases, It’s Time clearly edges ahead. The margin isn’t huge, but what makes the difference for us is the inclusion of a more clearly defined bonus round, along with gameplay that feels snappier and more carefully put together. The fighters also come with stronger personality, which helps the game feel less cookie-cutter, and that extra attention does improve the overall experience.

That said, we’re not especially keen on big-name slots overloaded with mechanics that require two pages of reading just to follow the action. Casual players may be drawn in by all the add-ons, but more serious players often prefer a “less is more” approach and a more restrained feature set. Ultimately, it’s average at best; once the novelty of It’s Time fades, many players will likely snap out of it and move on – much like the Buffer brothers will when they spot the next opportunity to monetize.