We think Sumo Slots is what you get when you take a low budget game and give it low budget art, then try to make up for it with some pretty hefty jackpots that can rival a sumo wrestler himself. This is an odd trade off that many people will be happy to make, and makes for an uneven but at times addicting and rewarding experience despite the many things standing in the way of making this game truly great. If you are more interested in winning than playing a well made game, and think that the graphics are so bad they almost become good, Sumo Slots is a game wrestling for your time and attention that you should likely give in to. We recommend giving it a try and seeing of the jackpots are enough to keep you going. They were for us, and we became addicted enough to it all in our review period.
Premise
Overall, the premise of Sumo Slots is pretty straightforward. Sumo wrestlers are certainly a part of it, but so is everything associated with Japanese culture that surrounds it. This makes for a game that is not entirely as limited as it might first appear. That does not take into account the odd choice of still having suits of playing cards to match, but it is not just about big fat men wearing large diapers pounding each other there. There is an unexpected amount of variety here that in part may be from the mismatch that has with your expectations going in.
Presentation
The graphics in Sumo Slots are largely an afterthought. They are not bad, but they are pretty close. The UI is certainly forgotten and slapped on, and it all looks like a reskin of another game. That said, there are still some authentically interesting things to match given the source material, and the game wastes no time in getting you up to speed on what things to look out for as you play. The color palette is decidedly not very Japanese, but it still holds its own as well.
Mechanics
Unfortunately, gameplay in Sumo Slots is about as standard as it comes. With 5 reels and 25 pay lines, it is about what you would expect on that front. You match fat Japanese guys with geishas and referees, along with the suits of playing cards that you would expect once you see the first one of them flip by. Why they did not use Kanji we will never know, but at least it keeps things accessible and neat.
The only saving grace here are the rather large jackpots, which go a long way to keep things interesting. Bets range from a penny to $5, which also keeps things accessible to old and new comers alike.
Likes
+ Theme is okay
+ More diverse than you would think
+ Big jackpots
+ Fat guys in tight undies are cute
Dislikes
- Art style is bad
- UI is an afterthought
Who is this Game For?
This game is suitable for players of all types. In particular, it should appeal to:
* Players new to digital slots and looking for something relatively accessible
* Moderate intensity players that have gotten their feet plenty wet in the online slots world and are looking for something a little more involved
* Jaded slot vets
* People that mostly want to win a bunch of money playing digital slot games
* Players looking for slot nostalgia for the similarities and differences this slot has to other games
* People more used to normal video games that are looking to get their feet wet in the world of online slots
Who is the Game NOT For?
Although we enjoy this slot, it is not for everybody. In particular, it may not be your cup of tea if this describes you in any fashion:
* Averse to winning money online
* Looking for something truly innovative in the genre
* You find the theme in any way offputting
Is it Buggy?
In the time we spent playing this game, we did not encounter any bugs, problems, or errors. The same cannot be said for all slots of this genre, so we commend the developers for a job well done on that. We also encountered no issues in processing winnings or payments, and everything ran very smooth just like you would expect across many varied devices in a variety of ecosystems and operating systems.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that Sumo Slots is not a bad game, but does walk that fine line. Jackpots are the saving grace and heavy hitter here, keeping things fun and addictive in hopes of getting a good pay out. You will not remember this game for blowing you away, but given the high payouts, you may still walk away from it fat and happy. Give Sumo Slots a try, and let us know how it goes! We had an okay time but we’re also pretty easy to please at this point in our lives because of all the slot winnings under our increasingly larger belt. Maybe we should sumo?
