Reel Rush XXXtreme

Reel Rush XXXtreme is NetEnt's high-octane rework of its classic Reel Rush series, taking the original 2013 release and cranking up the volatility for players who want more punch behind the familiar candy-coloured reels. The blocky, rounded symbol art and diamond-shaped play area are straight out of the original game's playbook, giving it an instantly recognisable, slightly retro feel that should land well with anyone who remembers the earlier entries, while still standing on its own for players coming to the format fresh.

The five-reel grid starts each base game spin with symbols locked into a 1-3-5-3-1 diamond pattern. Landing wins gradually unlocks the covered positions until the full 5x5 grid opens up, taking the number of ways to win from 45 all the way up to 3,125 as the reels fill out. It's a satisfying bit of progression to watch unfold, and it gives the game a real sense of building momentum within a single spin.

The symbol set keeps things simple and sweet — six oval candies sit at the low end of the pay table, with plum, grape, watermelon, lemon, pineapple and strawberry versions forming the higher-value tier. Wilds can appear on any reel except the leftmost one during all phases of play, and substitute for anything bar the game's mystery-feature symbols.

As the "XXXtreme" name suggests, this is the most volatile Reel Rush yet, rated high, with an RTP that tops out at 96.06% — a solid, above-average figure for the genre. The max win sits at 8,130x the stake in the base structure, with three separate Elevate Feature buy options available for players who want to push their stake significantly further for a shot at bigger action straight away.

Betting runs from 30p/c up to $/€60 per spin, and the game plays comfortably across desktop, tablet and mobile. Respins and expanding reels form the core of the base game feature set, working alongside a handful of mystery feature symbols that can transform into paying icons, plus a dedicated free spins round for players who trigger it naturally rather than through the Elevate buy options.

Between the expanding grid, the respin and mystery-feature mechanics, and a genuinely strong RTP, Reel Rush XXXtreme is a confident, higher-stakes evolution of a series that's been a fan favourite for over a decade. Give the free demo a spin at Johnessyslots to watch the diamond grid expand before deciding whether to take the extreme version for real money.