Spark Of Genius

Spark Of Genius is Play’n Go’s attempt to tell the story of the war of the currents, the battle to win the rights to power America’s electrical supply. The characters are given alternative names (Maynard Woodrow and Tess Jacova), the game is set in Paris and there is no direct mention of AC/DC however it is clear the story they are referencing.

The opening monologue (something Play’n Go often do well, and it’s surprising other providers haven’t attempted) sets the scene for anyone not familiar with the story; essentially two competing parties arguing over the best method to deliver electricity across the USA. The game plays out on a unique grid which appears as a circuit, with no specific symbols but parts of the circuit dropping in. It certainly couldn’t be accused of plagiarism!

The game has an electrifying max win of 10,000x and a range of RTPs from 84.3% up to 96.3%.

Spark Of Genius base play

Base Features

The game plays similar to some of Play’n Go’s other titles such as Wild Frames and Reactoonz, in that wins charge up meters to provide features with one mega feature at the end.

Each of the two characters have their own features should you get wins with their specific energy.

Make connections and build up the meter to unlock multiple in-game features

Manifest Energy

Manifest Energy is on the left side of the Energy Charger with Maynard Woodrow and has 3 charge levels, storing up to 35 charges. 

• Relay – 15 winning circuits trigger this, randomly removing 7 to 11 circuit symbols.
• Overload – 25 winning circuits trigger this, adding 2 to 6 “destroy” symbols that remove random adjacent circuit symbols on the grid.
• Empire Energy Spin – 35 winning circuits trigger this free spin. For it, a 2×2 inactivated Transformer symbol with a x3 multiplier is placed in the centre of the grid, acting as 4 connecting circuit symbols. It activates when a closed circuit is connected to it. When activating, its multiplier increases by 1, up to x20. The multiplier applies to all wins during the feature. On non-winning cascades, Relay and Overload apply sequentially.  

Spark Of Genius contains two main characters, each with different features to offer

Resonant Energy

Resonant Energy is on the right side of the Energy Charger with Tess Jacova and has 3 charge levels, storing up to 35 charges. 

• Gyrota – 15 winning circuits trigger this, randomly rotating 3 to 7 circuit symbols.
• Dynamo – 25 winning circuits trigger this, adding 2 to 6 special circuit symbols on the grid. Special circuit symbols have 4 connection points.
• Free Energy Spin – 35 winning circuits trigger this, awarding 1 free spin. With each win in the spin, the multiplier increases through x1, x4, x8, x12, x16, and x20. The multiplier applies to all wins. On non-winning cascades, Gyrota and Dynamo features apply sequentially.
  As is standard with Play’n’Go slots there are no buy options available.

Completely fill the meter to achieve HIGH VOLATILE “Empire Energy Spins” or “Free Energy Spin”, character depending

Pros and Cons of Spark Of Genius

Pros  

• Well known story to base the game on and for you to invest in 
• Theatrical monologue and visuals 
• Large range of bet sizes 
• Large max win

Cons  

• No ‘main’ bonus 
• No buy options 
• High volatility, particularly in comparison to other Play’n’Go slots

Empire Energy Spins and Free Energy Spin contains a progressive multiplier for bigger wins

Similar Slots to Spark Of Genius

• Reactoonz 
• Tesla’s incredible machine 
• Planet fortune 
• Cash of command 
• Honey Rush  

First Impression

Spark Of Genius’ detailed and immersive graphics immediately transport the player right into the heart of the current war.

The two sides each having individual features helps to involve the player; if you find that you prefer one side’s features, you will be rooting for them to land wins.

For all the positives it has, particularly with its visuals, it does have some negatives. The unique grid style is certainly different, however it does at times feel like you need an engineering degree to completely understand what to look out for.

Respect to Play’n Go for stepping out and trying something different, we would all still be playing Rainbow Riches if nobody did, however on this occasion and despite the intriguing story and in depth artwork, it feels like a miss.

*The screenshots taken of games reviewed on this site are taken from Demo Play, as reviews are often written before games are released for real play.