Nolimit City

Introducing Nolimit City

If there's one name that's known in the online slots industry, it's Nolimit City.

As their title suggests, this studio set out to raise the limits of what's possible in this niche – often attempting to remove them altogether.

Founded in 2013 when a group of industry veterans came together with the goal of creating something different from the norm, Nolimit City have risen through the ranks in recent years.

Bold themes, exciting mechanics and brave characters all unite into the Nolimit package – bold, impressive, and often controversial.

Perhaps most famous for their maths models that are both extremely volatile and at times highly lucrative, the team behind these releases never pass up an opportunity to show their personality and induce shock and awe.

They may have started from humble beginnings, but Nolimit City now find themselves front and centre at the majority of slot sites.

2021: A Breakout Year

In this industry, it’s rare that any studio consistently hits the mark for a prolonged period of time.

However, for Nolimit City, 2021 brought a year of success – marked by hit after hit after hit, many of which are still their most played games to date.

Starting the year off strong with San Quentin – a release that attracted attention both due to its distinctive theme, incredible maximum win and controversial ‘soap’ jokes, this studio quickly went full steam ahead into a variety of unique and exciting releases.

With household names like Das xBoot and Bushido xWays, and titles that went on produce sequels like xWays Hoarder and Mental, the team were riding on a high for the majority of 2021 – and when you look at the lineup, it’s easy to see why.

Controversial Themes Behind the Reels

Nolimit City have never been shy about pushing boundaries – in maths, marketing, but most of all in the themes they choose to explore.

While many studios choose to visit Egypt, Ireland or appealing fantasy lands, Nolimit City have carved a niche out of discomfort – tapping into subject matters that few others would touch.

This ranges from choosing an all-out controversial theme – like the asylum of Mental, the BDSM dungeon belonging to Kenneth of Kenneth Must Die or the, well, Gulag of Remember Gulag – to adding touches of controversy, like the inclusion of the Titan Submersible in Land of the Free, peppering (if you’ll excuse the pun) some cannibalism into Karen Maneater, or the aforementioned soap jokes of San Quentin.

Their unapologetic approach has earned them a reputation as a studio that is divisive, daring, but undeniably original.

For many players, these themes cross an invisible line of taste, but for others, they can’t get enough – which is probably the reason this studio continues to push the boundaries more each year.

One thing is for sure, whether you’re disturbed or delighted, Nolimit City force you to feel something – and this makes them stand out.

Let’s take a look at some of our favourite titles that reflect this controversy below.

Sound On: Nolimit City's Greatest Strength

There’s one element that quietly (or not so quietly) sets Nolimit City apart, it’s their sound design.

While many studios treat audio as an afterthought – a few generic jingles and looping background noise, Nolimit City treat their sound like a headline feature.

There are some obvious examples that stand out for us in the atmosphere their sounds create:

• xWays Hoarder
• The Rave
• Serial
• Das xBoot
• True Kult
• The Crypt

In each of these releases, Nolimit City have crafted the sounds as part of the cinematic experience. Every trigger, nudge and win paves the way for another audio experience – which explains why they have thousands of listeners each month on Spotify and Apple Music.

This team understands that immersion isn’t just what you see, it’s what you hear, and very few studios are doing it quite like them.

Familiar Faces and Lookalikes in Nolimit City Slots

Nolimit City have a knack for designing characters that look just familiar enough to raise eyebrows, but not so much that they find themselves in hot water.

Across their catalogue, players will find a variety of characters – whether through satire, tribute or trolling – that give nods to those we recognise from real life.

Here are some of our favourite lookalikes, or outright clones:

• Greta Thunberg in True Grit Redemption
• Stephen Hawking in Punk Toilet
• Donald Trump in Home of the Brave
• Tony Sirico in Whacked!
• Barbie in Kenneth Must Die
• Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Lemmy Kilmister and Elvis in The Crypt

Alongside this, Walk of Shame was also a well-talked about release from this team, featuring a variety of industry veteran lookalikes that had players across the globe asking questions.

Whether these references are intentional is up for debate, but given how Nolimit City like to stir conversation, we think they might be. We’re sure we’ll see some more lookalikes in future releases, but this is already a pretty extensive list from the catalogue so far.

Breaking Down Nolimit City's Signature Mechanics

On your journey exploring the Nolimit City slot catalogue, you’ll come across a variety of signature mechanics that help this studio to stand out from the crowd.

Each of these in-house mechanics make appearances across a number of releases (some more than others), becoming integral to the gameplay and helping players to become immersed.

Mechanics like xRIP, xHole, and xZone are more infrequently used, but there are a few key options that you’ll see repeatedly.

Let’s break down how these central x-mechanics act.

High Risk, High Reward: Bonus Buys and xGod

If Nolimit City’s base games can feel like a slow burn, their bonus buys are the flamethrower.

Known for their staggering volatility, these options allow players to skip the waiting and dive straight into the action.

However, they come at a price – and that price can far outweigh anything you’ll see elsewhere in this industry.

Bonus buys in Nolimit City releases can range from as low as 50x bet to over 5,000x bet, with incredible rewards on offer when the right combinations occur.

Taking things to a higher level, we have xGod – originally referred to as God Mode.

xGod allows players to spend a particularly high amount, and they get one spin in return – maximum win or nothing (or close to nothing).

Raising quite a bit of controversy when it was first added to a release, this option isn’t for the faint of heart, but the rewards are there – even if they’re quite rare.

Take a look at some of our favourite releases with xGod below.

Streaming Nolimit City

Few providers are able to generate the kind of drama Nolimit City excel at, which makes their games perfect for streaming.

The extremely volatile maths models, outrageous themes and high stakes bonus buys all combine to create moments that are both jaw dropping victories and crushing defeats.

No matter where the chips fall, it’s usually an unforgettable experience.

On the Hideous Slots YouTube channel, our streamers regularly play Nolimit City, giving us a unique insight into what it feels like to play these titles – especially since we review them too.

In addition to live streaming, we also record and upload Nolimit City content, including the video below, where we tried 10 Nolimit City bonus buys in search of a big win.

Two Sides of the Madness: Labs & Over the Limit

As if the extraordinary themes, character lookalikes and huge bonus buys didn’t set this studio apart enough, in 2024 they made the decision to categorise their releases.

These labels allow players to know in advance what to expect from the games on the roadmap, signalling what kind of chaos they’re about to unleash.

The two distinctive labels introduces are Labs and Over the Limit, each representing a different flavour of innovation.

• Labs: the experimental side of Nolimit City, showcasing the craziest ideas that bend and break traditional slot rules.
• Over the Limit: dark themes, risky spins and insane max wins, these are the titles that put Nolimit City on the map.

Both categories reflect the Nolimit City philosophy – never stay safe, and never stand still.

Sequels, Spin Offs and Successors

Part of growing as a studio in this industry is recognising not just what you want to do, but what players want you to do to.

This is just one reason that sequels are so popular across a variety of studios – and Nolimit City are no different.

Some of their most iconic games have spawned direct sequels, whilst others have evolved into loosely connected spin-offs that expand the universe without repeating the formula.

The result is that we have a growing web of titles connected by x-mechanics, themes and storylines.

First we have official sequels for titles including San Quentin, Mental, Fire in the Hole, Punk Rocker, xWays Hoarder, Blood & Shadow, Brute Force and Tanked.

Interestingly, we also have some unofficial sequels – or follow-ons, if you will – where players can clearly follow the evolution of the storyline, but there’s no shared branding or number on the end.

This includes releases like Dead, Dead and Deader being loosely connected to Deadwood, and Misery Mining leading straight into Dead Canary.

Finally, some games receive what is known as the RIP treatment – kind of like a reboot, but meaner. When a release, like Deadwood or Tombstone, is reimagined with a RIP label, players know their favourite release is being transformed into something more brutal, and potentially more rewarding.

Take a look at some of our favourite releases that fit into these categories below.

Distinctive by Design

While Nolimit City are best known for their signature mechanics like xWays and xNudge, some of their most memorable games introduce entirely new features.

These games have mechanics so specific that they only make sense within the world they’re built for.

Some are a little bit gimmicky, but some are so fun they might even work on a larger scale. Either way, each of them give the games they appear in a distinct identity.

Some examples of this are:

• Loner – introduced carnival style bonus rounds including Shoot Shoot Duck and Pin the Win, the latter of which is reminiscent of Pong.
• Munchies – offers Linked Wins instead of regular ways to win or win lines, and allowed players to choose a number of reels.
• Skate or Die – offers a crash style game alongside all regular features, allowing players to hold out for a chance of bigger wins.
• Outsourced: Payday – winning mechanic is a claw machine that picks up winning symbols with values attached.

Read our full reviews of these games below.

Familiar Framework, Unfamiliar Outcomes

While Nolimit City are best known for inventing their own mechanics and leaning heavily into their individuality, there have also been a few times where they’ve borrowed from already popular mechanics or features.

Their approach in these circumstances can vary – try to rewrite into their own version, or try to offer small complimentary tweaks. The one thing they won’t compromise on, as expected, is their unique theming.

Examples of times this studio have taken on established mechanics and made them Nolimit:

• Duck Hunters – scatter pays like Sugar Rush or Hot Potato, with an all-American upgrade.
• Tanked – borrowing the Pirots mechanic, but adding in warfare.
• The Border – a classic cluster pays game overloaded with x-mechanics.
• Ugliest Catch – a fishing game combined with dark and grotesque comedy.

It’s quite rare for this team to borrow so obviously from existing frameworks, but when they do – they’re sure to make it their own.

No Limits, No Apologies

Nolimit City aren’t for everyone, and as time goes on it looks like that’s the point.

Having built a brand pushing boundaries – in volatility, theme, mechanics and attitude – this team make every release unmistakably their own.

Releasing unique titles that bend the rules has helped this provider stand out in a crowded industry, and ensures they stay loved among their fans, who wait with bated breath on each new release.

They’re one of our favourite studios to review, and we wait along with everyone else to see where they go next.