Double Diamond Slot Machine

This slot review introduces you to a game that is so basic that you will feel like you are back in time when slots were in their infancy.

What makes Double Diamond unique among games of its genre is that the Double Diamond is not only the game’s highest paying symbol; it’s also a wild symbol.

So, what could otherwise be a boring and repetitive game becomes an entertaining trip down memory lane.

Double Diamond takes you back to basics

One of the fantastic features of modern slot technology is that online slot games today can be as simple or as complicated as the player wants. However, the emphasis nowadays is clearly on games of an intricate nature, with manufacturers going all out to make customers say, “Wow, this game is completely different from anything I have ever played before.”

The majority of the hundreds of online slot varieties available have five reels, many paylines and multiple special bonus features. But what if you have a hankering for a simple three-reel machine like your grandma might have played? Or maybe one like you played at the penny arcades back in the day?

This IGT-created slot Double Diamond fits the description.

Double Diamond basics

This is online slot play at its purest. Double Diamond consists of three reels and one payline.

IGT originally developed the Double Diamond slot game in 2005 for use in Vegas land-based casinos. The game was subsequently adapted for online and mobile use.

Depending on where you play the game, the minimum and maximum bets vary. However, the bet range is wide enough to accommodate most player’s preferences.

RTP and volatility

The manufacturer lists the return to player (RTP) of this game as 94.44%. Compared with other online slots, this rate of return is about average. Many online slots offer a higher RTP.

The RTP is a measure of the type of results you can expect in the long run rather than in any given playing session. So, for those playing with limited bankrolls, choosing games with a higher-than-average RTP is highly recommended.

Double Diamond has medium volatility. It offers enough variance to keep the game interesting, but not so much that a bad run is likely to deplete your entire bankroll quickly.

No bonus features or progressive jackpot

Double Diamond is a no-frills game; what you see is what you get. If you’re hoping for a mega-sized payday, don’t waste your time.

Likewise, if your favorite slot games are filled with suspense and the potential for action and excitement on every spin, Double Diamond comes up short.

There are only a handful of symbols and not very imaginative ones: cherries, bars, sevens and, of course, the Double Diamond symbol. Slots don’t get any more old school than this.

27 ways to win

You have seen and perhaps played slots with 243 ways to win and even 1,024 ways to win. Double Diamond only has 27 ways to win.

According to the manufacturer, the maximum payout possible is 1,000x your bet. But for that to happen, the Double Diamond symbol has to land in triplicate across the reels exactly on the designated center payline. Though it is highly unlikely.

Double Diamond is the type of game to play if you have a little extra time on your hands, and you would like to have some fun while experiencing a taste of nostalgia. I don’t recommend this slot for prolonged or frequent play.

Double Diamond paytable

Keep in mind that Double Diamond has three reels rather five, which is more common. While, in most instances, you need three symbols of a kind to line up across the reels, in this game, having four- or five-of-a-kind land is impossible.

Furthermore, the game only has one payline. If the matching symbols land outside the payline, as they often will, the spin is a loser.

Here are all of the possible regular symbol payouts, from highest to lowest:

• Three Double Diamonds: 1,000x your bet
• 777: 80x your bet
• Three triple bars: 40x your bet
• Three double bars: 25x your bet
• Three single bars: 10x your bet
• Three cherries: 10x your bet
• Three nonmatching bars (e.g., two double bars and one single bar): 5x your bet
• Two cherries: 5x your bet
• One cherry: 2x your bet

Note that the bar symbols don’t necessarily have to match to produce a payout. As long as three bars of any type line up on the payline, it is a winning combination.

In addition, the lowest paying symbol, the cherry, is a winner even if just one of them appears on a payline.

Double Diamond wild symbol

Double Diamond does include one special feature that distinguishes it in a big way from other slots with three reels. That is the inclusion of a wild symbol with a multiplier.

In addition to being the highest-paying regular symbol when three of them land on the payline, one or two Double Diamonds on a payline has the potential to substitute for any other symbol to complete a winning combination.

A winning combination completed with the help of a single Double Diamond symbol will multiply the regular winning payout by two.

Furthermore, a winning combo completed with the help of two Double Diamond symbols will multiply the regular winning payout by four.

Thus, for example, a single seven symbol on the payline would be worthless. But if it lands together with two Double Diamonds, you would receive a whopping 320x your bet size.

The bottom line: A summary of Double Diamond pros and cons

Even when the RTP is less than my minimum requirement for recommending for real-money play, whenever possible, I will still play it in demo mode as part of my overall evaluation. However, in this case, I wasn’t able to perform my customary three sessions in demo mode since the default setting does not provide a sufficient bankroll for the minimum bet.

Although the bankroll is preset at only $1,000, the smallest demo mode bet possible is $100. Having just 10 units to work with is woefully inadequate for this game and would result in a very high probability of tapping out.

The main advantage of playing a game like Double Diamond is its simplicity. You are not overwhelmed by choices like you are in many other slot games.

You have only two decisions to make during the entire game: The first is your bet size and the second is when you will stop playing, although that could be decided for you if you are not sufficiently capitalized to withstand a long sequence of non-winning spins.

Personally, I find being restricted to just a single payline too confining. It is frustrating to keep having the symbols land either just above or just below where they need to land. I also prefer games with a lot more action and adventure or at least a theme that means something to me.

The graphics and soundtrack for this game are pleasant enough to engage my attention momentarily. But cherries, bars and sevens don’t excite me sufficiently for long-term play.

I suspect most of today’s slot players agree and prefer slots that deliver more bang for their buck. Double Diamond is fine if you feel like taking a brief trip down memory lane, but as one of your favorite go-to slots, you can do so much better.