NetEnt is one of the most established slot developers in the market today, and it has been at the top for many years. Over that time, the Swedish studio has released plenty of classics, including Reel Rush. It is a nostalgic slot from July 2013, which received a technological makeover and was rebuilt in HTML5 in 2018 to support mobile play.
The visual style is a retro candy-and-fruit-machine theme. Gamers see colourful sweets, glossy fruit, and a Super Mario-style backdrop with late-80s, early-90s video game charm, paired with an upbeat arcade soundtrack. The Reel Rush slot runs on a variable grid that always has 5 reels, but maintains a flexible 1-3-5-3-1 row layout in the shape of a diamond. If you want to game responsibly, it might be beneficial to learn about this medium volatility slot’s Features and mechanics before spending real money. You can play Reel Rush for real money at 7bet, but before you do, read our in-depth review!
Reel Rush Slot: Key Facts
| Game Provider | NetEnt |
| Release Date | 24 July 2013 (upgrade in 2018) |
| Theme | Retro candy / Fruit machine |
| Maximum Win | 962x |
| RTP | 92.05% |
| Min Bet | £0.50 |
| Max Bet | £5 |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Paylines | 45 base game, expanding up to 3,125 in Free Spins |
| Features | Expanding Grid, Re-Spins on every win, WILD substitution, Free Spins |
| Reels | 5 (expanding grid) |
| Rows | Variable (1-3-5-3-1), expands up to 5-5-5-5-5 during Free Spins |
Reel Rush: Features
The core innovation of Reel Rush is the chain-based Re-Spin system, which progressively expands the grid. All Features are built around this system, and feed into a systematic loop. There are no SCATTERS or BONUS symbols and no special trigger icons in the conventional sense.
This part of the review will break down all the core Features, with separate sections dedicated to each. This information should help you manage expectations and have a more controlled and entertaining session.
Expanding Grid
Reel Rush starts each base spin with a compact 1-3-5-3-1 diamond layout across the five reels from left to right. It’s a unique slot game in that regard, as only a handful of them execute a variable, nonetheless diamond grid formation, as well as this 2013 release from NetEnt.
The base game starts with 13 active positions and 45 ways to win. Each time you win, a Re-Spin is triggered, unlocking additional reel positions for the next spin. The expansion happens in a fixed sequence: 45 → 75 → 245 → 405 → 1,125 → 3,125. Thus, to fully expand the grid, a player needs to win on 5 consecutive spins.
Any spin in the Re-Spin chain that fails to produce a win resets the chain back to the starting 1-3-5-3-1 layout, so building a long enough chain to reach Free Spins is the slot’s primary challenge.
Re-Spins on Every Win
Every win in the base game triggers an automatic Re-Spin with an expanded grid. The expanded grid provides many more opportunities for a winning combination to form.
The Re-Spin chain continues until either:
- A Re-Spin concludes without producing a new winning combo
- 5 consecutive Re-Spin wins are achieved, triggering the Free Spins Bonus as a result
Re-Spins don’t cost anything beyond the initial spin’s bet, so that a strong chain can deliver heavily concentrated value.
WILD Substitution
The WILD symbol (Golden Star) appears exclusively on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5. WILDS substitute for all regular paying symbols and help complete regular winning combinations.
When a WILD contributes to a winning combination, it displays an animated burst of golden rays to help the player immediately notice the delivery.
Free Spins
The Free Spins round is triggered by completing 5 consecutive Re-Spin wins that fully expand the grid into the 5×5 maximum layout. Once triggered, the Reel Rush slot will award you 8 Free Spins, with 3,125 ways to win for the entire round.
Every spin runs on the full grid, meaning a greatly uplifted win potential from the 45 ways in the base game, with the WILD substitution still active. Retriggers aren’t possible, so 8 spins in sequence is the maximum.
Because it’s the only Bonus Feature in this 2013 NetEnt slot, this is typically where the majority of your session value will sit. Individual spins during the bonus can deliver multi-symbol wins across many ways simultaneously.
How the Reel Rush Slot Works?
If you decide to play Reel Rush, you must be aware of the core gameplay mechanics, Feature interactions and general flow to genuinely enjoy the entertainment value. Let’s look at how this slot behaves during regular sessions.
Core Mechanics & Win Formation
Reel Rush is a 5-reel slot that’s built on a ways-to-win system, instead of regular paylines. The grid is a variable one. Each spin starts out with a diamond-shaped grid at a 1-3-5-3-1 layout, with the rest of the positions locked. It can be expanded with the help of two core mechanics – an Expanding Grid and the Re-Spins system.
The active ways-to-win count increases with every consecutive win throughout the base game: 45 ways at base, expanding through 75, 245, 405, 1,125 and 3,125 ways as positions unlock. There is no cluster requirement, as there is a regular left-to-right system that rewards for matching symbols across consecutive reels.
Win value depends on the symbol count. Three matching symbols on reels 1, 2 and 3 produce the smallest win; four on reels 1–4 produce a larger one, and five across all reels produce the maximum payout for that symbol. For example, landing 3 Strawberries would reward around 0.2x of the bet, while 5 Strawberries could return 20x.
Feature Triggers
Since there are no SCATTER symbols, every in-game Feature is triggered or impacted by a lucky base game spin. They’re driven by win chaining:
- WILDS substitute for all regular paying icons whenever you play Reel Rush online. They land exclusively on reels 2-5.
- A Re-Spin is triggered automatically whenever a winning combination settles on the grid.
- Once 5 Re-Spins are successful in succession, the player receives 8 Free Spins with the fully expanded grid.
Feature Interaction & Progression
Reel Rush is unique in the sense that Feature interaction is more linear, without any two mechanics running in parallel. A win in the base game triggers a Re-Spin, which can produce new wins and unlock additional grid positions. If the chain is long enough, this will lead to Free Spins on a fully unlocked grid.
The WILD substitution is active throughout all rounds, helping with win formation and keeping the chain alive whenever it lands in the right spot. There are no multipliers or collections to worry about, so the session dynamics tend to be straightforward.
Once the sequence of wins ends, the grid resets back to the original diamond layout of 1-3-5-3-1.
There is just a single progression system in this Fruit-themed slot, called the Expanding Grid. Re-Spins unlock new positions in a fixed sequence, without any levels or additional modifiers.
Gameplay Flow Summary
Every session when you play Reel Rush is more likely to feel medium-paced and very chain-driven rather than fast or dynamic. It’s one of the more classic slots at 7bet casino that doesn’t have the layered Multi-Feature setups found in more modern releases.
The base game can feel slow between Re-Spin chains, since failing to win on the compact starting layout means a return to the base state without any session progress. Once a Re-Spin chain is triggered, however, the slot can accelerate noticeably, with expansion on every Re-Spin. The momentum builds until everything culminates in a Free Spins Round.
This is what gives Reel Rush its distinctive rhythm. Expect long stretches of low-key play interspersed with bursts of compounded action.
Is it Worth Playing Reel Rush?
While it has been well over a decade since its initial release, the Reel Rush slot remains one of NetEnt’s most accessible and easy-to-follow Fruit-themed titles to date. The strengths of this title sit in its straightforward gameplay and medium volatility, which means the flow of play could feel more “friendly” to both new players and more seasoned veterans alike.
Medium volatility delivers a steadier session profile than you might expect from high-variance entries that dominate the current market. Each win builds momentum, so the slot isn’t slow by any means; it just takes a few lucky chains to really feel the dynamic ramping up.
The trade-offs are equally clear. The 962x Reel Rush max win feels very modest compared to most modern high-volatility slots. Plus, the minimum stake is £0.50, meaning you have to have a decent bankroll to start playing (titles that allow spins from £0.10 or £0.20 remain much more accessible).
In short, Reel Rush suits medium-volatility fans who can afford at least £0.50 per spin. Fans of cascading or expanding mechanics will definitely appreciate the feel of the slot, while even new players can feel at ease because of how simplified every mechanic is. So, if anyone wants a time-tested classic that’s a calmer alternative to extreme variance designs, Reel Rush is definitely worth checking out!
Winning Symbols in Reel Rush
One of the main pillars of responsible gaming is paytable awareness and knowing which combinations pay out more and which pay out less. Knowing this, our experts will lay out the most important information about the symbols and the payouts in the Reel Rush slot.
- The paytable groups symbols into two clear tiers – high-paying and low-paying (also, a WILD). There are low-paying sweets and higher-tier fruit symbols, all in a classic cartoon style of the Super Mario era. The slot uses a ways-to-win system, meaning matching symbols need to land on consecutive reels starting from reel 1 to form a win. No fixed paylines here.
- With 5 low-paying sweets, 6 high-value fruits and a special WILD, expect a total of 12 unique in-game symbols when spinning the grid on Reel Rush.
- The Ways-to-Win engine requires at least 3 matching symbols to land on reels 1, 2 and 3 to start a win chain. WILDS help with that by substituting for every other icon on the regular paytable.
- The most valuable icon on the paytable is the Strawberry, which awards a 20x prize for 5 hits.
- This 2013 slot doesn’t have a SCATTER or BONUS symbol, as Free Spins are triggered by a chain of 5 consecutive base game wins.
High-Paying Symbols
As mentioned above, Reel Rush has six high-value fruit/berry icons that deliver the following payouts:
- Strawberry: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 5x, 5 = 20x
- Pineapple: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 3x, 5 = 10x
- Lemon: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 2x, 5 = 5x
- Watermelon: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 1.5x, 5 = 4x
- Grapes: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 1.2x, 5 = 3x
- Plum: 3 = 0.2x, 4 = 1x, 5 = 2x
Low-Paying Symbols
Besides the more valuable fruit & berries, gamers will encounter 5 low-value candies that also contribute towards win chaining. Here is a list of their payouts:
- Red candy: 3 = 0.1x, 4 = 0.3x, 5 = 1x
- Orange candy: 3 = 0.1x, 4 = 0.3x, 5 = 1x
- Yellow candy: 3 = 0.1x, 4 = 0.3x, 5 = 1x
- Green candy: 3 = 0.1x, 4 = 0.3x, 5 = 1x
- Purple candy: 3 = 0.1x, 4 = 0.3x, 5 = 1x
Reel Rush vs Other Reel Rush Series Slots
What started in 2013 with the launch of this particular Reel Rush in the UK has now expanded to three titles. By many definitions, the original 2013 Reel Rush remains the most distinctive entry of the three. The mechanical simplicity and the first iteration of the Re-Spin chains and WILD implementation are the basis on which the sequels are built.
Reel Rush 2 was released in 2019. It uses the same 1-3-5-3-1 starting grid and the same Ways-to-Win system, so in that regard, the second instalment feels identical. However, NetEnt added 8 random booster Features that can fire during the base game. Each one provides a unique effect to the play. The volatility receives a bump up, and so does the max win potential.
Reel Rush XXXtreme followed on 12 June 2025 as the highest-variance entry in the franchise. While retaining the trademark Re-Spin chain mechanic, it layers in Golden Mystery Features modifiers along with graphical improvements. You can try Reel Rush XXXtreme at 7bet casino.
To sum up, the original slot is best for players who prefer steady action with medium volatility. It’s the calmest version of the series, while the other two instalments deliver higher top-end potential.
RTP, Max Win and Volatility of Reel Rush
The Reel Rush slot’s RTP is 92.05%. It’s a medium volatility slot, meaning that wins tend to come at intervals and vary between smaller, more frequent, and larger, but less common payouts. Max win is capped at 962x of the bet.
FAQ
Can I Play Reel Rush for Real Money in the UK?
Yes, Reel Rush is available in the UK for real money play. To start wagering, sign up for an account at 7bet and complete the standard verification check. Then, make a deposit using a UK-supported payment method, and launch the slot. Set your bet and start the action. Don’t forget about Responsible Gaming limits, which are available in your profile at all times. They can help form healthier habits.
Can I Play Reel Rush Online on Mobile?
Yes, as we mentioned in this Reel Rush review, NetEnt rebuilt the slot in HTML in 2018, making it fully compatible and better optimised for in-browser play on mobile. No separate app downloads are required, and you can switch between portrait and landscape orientations at your discretion.
Are There Similar Slots to Reel Rush in Your Casino?
Several NetEnt and third-party titles use comparable expanding-grid or chain-based Re-Spin mechanics. Fruit Shop and Starburst, as the most obvious internal comparison points from NetEnt, come to mind first. Furthermore, Reel Rush 2 (2019) and Reel Rush XXXtreme (2025) serve as direct sequels within the franchise itself.
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