Ultimate Fire Link Explosion: Slot Sequel Issues Abound

Given the success of Ultimate Fire Link, it was inevitable that sequels would come around. However, until recently only two sequels were out there, Ultra Hot Mega Link (which had its issues) and Ultimate Fire Link Power 4, a 4 board version with four of the original Ultimate Fire Link themes.

Now, two sequels have recently been making their way out. One is Ultimate Fire Link Explosion. There are a few changes to the basic format, which is on Light and Wonder’s ultra tall cabinet, the same that Ta-Da Panda features on.

The bet increments have increased 50 percent against the original game, from 50 credits to 75 credits, at penny denomination. That’s a pretty big jump, and the game features a few new features.

Explosion Progressive

One is the addition of the Explosion progressive, which is above the other four progressives. To qualify for this progressive, you need to be betting at least $3.75 a spin, similar to other games with a larger top progressive. At the casino I was at, that top progressive was only in the $30,000 range; videos I’ve seen of the game have shown much healthier progressives elsewhere.

The need to bet more to get access to this progressive further pushes the bet requirements up if you want to be eligible for everything the game offers.

Monkeys Throwing Fireballs

Ultimate Fire Link Explosion by Light and Wonder progressives and monkey with fireballs

One of the most common things that happens throughout the game is monkeys throw fireballs onto the reels. This is an active event that happens a lot, but most of the time it resolves to nothing, as you still need four fireballs to trigger the traditional Fire Link bonus.

During an extended session, I had the monkeys sometimes even throw three fireballs, but with the lack of a fourth one, there was nothing to enjoy from them. I honestly think this was added to give the game some measure of activity, because it seems harder than the original, and I don’t think the ball frequency is really increased all that much, if at all, over the original for that.

The balls themselves seem to have bigger numbers, but I would hope so given the increased pay. Since the number of lines has stayed the same, and the base game pays aren’t horribly different from the older games, it would seem more of that money is going to the various bonuses.

Wheel Feature

Speaking of which, instead of the bonus automatically being free games when you get the three bonus symbols on reels 2, 3 and 4, you now get a wheel. The wheel features a number of options:

The four progressives of Mini, Minor, Major and Mega
If you’re betting enough, the Explosion progressive is available too. This is the only place where this progressive can be awarded.
Fire Link Feature
Super Fire Link Feature, carried over from the Ultimate Fire Link Power 4 game

Super Fire Link adds four more rows to the reels, and also features an Unlock Row symbol during the Super Fire Link bonus. The Unlock Row feature is like landing four more fireballs for the count needed to unlock rows, so you can get to the taller rows, which feature better fire balls. It otherwise works like a standard Fire Link feature. If you got the enhanced Fire Link bonus on Ultimate Fire Link Power 4, it works identically.

Free Games

Speaking of which, the free games will look familiar to those who played original versions like By the Bay, as it borrows the free games bonus from that version. You get a double tall reel set for five free spins, and any fireballs that land are automatically awarded.

Fire Ball Values

The fire ball values do handle differently than on the original game. Here’s the distribution:

Base game spin: 1-100x your bet, Mini or Minor
Free games: 1-100x your bet
Fire Link feature:
- Rows 1-6: up to 100x your bet, Mini or Minor
- Row 7: 2-100x your bet, Mini or Minor
- Row 8: 5-100x your bet, Mini, Minor, Major or Mega
Super Fire Link feature:
- Rows 1-11: up to 100x your bet, Mini or Minor
- Row 12: up to 100x your bet, Mini, Minor, Major or Mega

So to get anything above a Minor, you need to reach the top row.

The monkeys will throw fireballs onto the reels to help things move along, but again I feel like this just is an alternative to a fireball landing in the space it was going to anyway.

It does feel like in the bonuses the frequency of getting a fireball is improved, helped by the extra 50 percent in wagers, so it’s probably like a more/better bonus wager in that aspect vs. the original.

Conclusion

This is a tougher game than the original, as have been the others. It feels more imbalanced than the original to me, a tougher game to get a better bonus, and I feel like this is an example where they may have gone too far that path.

I plan to try the other sequel, Golden Fire Link, which I hope may not have gone the same direction. Keep a look out here for a post about that game before too long.