Aristocrat adds another high-profile brand with this game, based on the 1978 blockbuster Superman The Movie starring Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman. The game is presented in a modified version of the Viridian Hybrid cabinet, a reel-spinning format with a unique dual overlay on the reels that “shutters” from one to all five reels, permitting anything from stacked wild symbols to a combination of mechanical reel-spinning and video animation, all the way to a full video bonus event. (Aristocrat calls it “Active Reel Technology.”) Bonus animation is aided by a 31.5-inch portrait-style LCD in the top box.
The modification to the cabinet is the display surrounding the top monitor, a sculptured replication of Superman’s Arctic “Fortress of Solitude” from the film, with the familiar “S” logo at the top. It’s an attention-grabber.
The base game is a 25-line slot available in penny, 2-cent and nickel denominations. There is a minimum bet of 50 credits, covering the paylines and adding a 25-credit ante. There are five bonus events, all based on the 1978 film:
In the “Super Strength Rockslide Feature,” the reels tumble until there is a winning combination, with a multiplier increasing on each tumble, up to a maximum of five.
On the “Superman Remix Feature,” the overlay activates to add video to the reels. Three symbols are changed to wild symbols, and the symbols on the reels are rearranged and re-evaluated three times.
There is a picking bonus called “Lex Luthor Lair,” in which the player picks up to five screens of objects until revealing Lex Luthor (a multiplier is awarded on the fifth round). There is a free-game feature called “Save Lois Lane” in which more spins are added and bonus reels appear when the Superman symbol lands.
Finally, there is a three-level progressive jackpot won through a feature called “Fortress of Solitude.” During 10 free games, certain symbols rack up points, and the point totals can trigger one of three stand-alone progressive jackpots—a “Minor” resetting at $50; a “Major” resetting at $500; and the “Grand,” starting at $4,000.
Manufacturer: Aristocrat Technologies
Platform: Viridian Hybrid
Format: Five-reel, 25-line stepper slot
Denomination: .01, .02, .05
Max Bet: 250
Top Award: Progressive; Resets $4,000, $8,000, $20,000
Hit Frequency: Approximately 50%
Theoretical Hold: 8.03%—12.62%
