NetEnt Prepares to Launch Space Wars 2 PowerPoints Slot

NetEnt has given some info on their upcoming and highly awaited sequel to their iconic slot which was announced earlier this year. Space Wars 2 will be introducing a new PowerPoints concept that's based on a cluster-pay format. Along with that, players are promised a rollercoaster of different features and multipliers. 1,000 or more Powerpoints™ in the main game activates Free Spins. This is where things really start to kick off and wins of up to 10,000x can be made in an intergalactic fashion. The game is set to launch sometime in June of this year. Here is what we know so far.

As the name implies, PowerPoints is what drives the new Space Wars slot. Each time you win by forming win clusters with 3 or more of the same symbols appearing on the reels consequently in a horizontal or vertical line, points will be gained and collected into a special meter. The high-paying symbol is a ruby-coloured crystal whereas medium-paying symbols are the Aliens themselves and the low-paying symbols are space rocks. When the meter gets filled, you’ll move up the levels and increase your win multiplier. And that is just the beginning because there are several features that they’ve thrown in which can also be combined in at least three different ways. Features in the game are as follows:

• Column/Row Blaster – Blast away all who stand in your way! A 4-symbol horizontal match (both in the main game and Free Spins) awards a Column Blaster or a Row Blaster symbol. This removes all symbols except for Wilds and feature symbols from the reel/row where the Column/Row Blaster symbol appears. You also get lots of Powerpoints added to the meter!
• Zapper – Now you see it, now you don’t. A 5-symbol or 6-symbol match in the main game awards a Zapper symbol. Zappers remove a number of symbol types from the reels in the following way: A 5-symbol match = 1 to 4 types of symbols are removed from the reels; A 6-symbol match = 3 to 4 types of symbols are removed from the reels; In Free Spins, a 5-symbol, 6-symbol, 7-symbol, or 8-symbol match awards a Zapper symbol, triggering the feature.
• Bomb – Ka-boom! A winning cluster consisting of vertical and horizontal matches (of the same symbol) awards a Bomb symbol (both in the main game and Free Spins). After the wins are evaluated and removed from the play area, a Bomb symbol appears and the feature is triggered. In the Bomb feature, all symbols (except for Wilds and feature symbols) that are around the Bomb symbol are removed from the reels along with the Bomb symbol itself, adding the corresponding number of Powerpoints™ to the collect meter. The number of removed symbols depends on the position of the Bomb symbol on the reels. If the Bomb feature affects a Multiplier Wild symbol, it multiplies the total amount of Powerpoints™ awarded.
• Wild + Multiplier Wild – A 3-symbol match awards a Wild symbol that appears in place of one of the removed symbols (both in the main game and Free Spins). In Free Spins, it is also possible to land Multiplier Wild symbols. These are assigned a random value of x2, x3, x4, x5, x10, or x25. If the Multiplier Wild symbol becomes part of a match, it multiplies the Powerpoints™ awarded for the match by its value.

Get ready for some combos, because if you land Column/Row Blaster, Zapper, or Bomb symbols adjacent to each other, they will combine into a more powerful feature:

• Combo 1: Column Row Blaster + Bomb – If you land both a Blaster symbol (column or row) and a Bomb symbol, either horizontally or vertically adjacent to each other, the Combo 1 feature is triggered! This feature removes all symbols except for Wilds and Feature Symbols from the reels that correspond to the Blaster Symbol – depending on whether it’s a Column Blaster or a Row Blaster. If the Column Blaster symbol has landed, symbols are removed from the symbol’s column as well as the two reels adjacent to it (right and left). If the Row Blaster symbol has landed, symbols are removed from the symbol’s row as well as the two rows adjacent to it (above and below).
• Combo 2: Zapper + Bomb – A Zapper symbol and a Bomb symbol appearing horizontally or vertically adjacent trigger the Combo 2 feature! In this feature, 1 to 3 types of symbols transform into Bomb symbols (along with the Zapper symbol). The Bomb symbols are then activated. Ka-Boom!
• Combo 3: Zapper + Column/Row Blaster – A combination of a Zapper symbol and a Blaster symbol (column or row) appearing horizontally or vertically adjacent to each other triggers Combo 3. In this feature, 1 to 3 types of symbols on the reels (along with the Zapper symbol) randomly transform into either Column or Row Blaster symbols.

As we mentioned above, the Free Spins bonus is where it all comes together for an interstellar ride. As soon as you collect 1,000 PowerPoints, you’ll activate Free Spins. The number of Free Spins you get depends on the number of points you are awarded in the main game. The number of rows in Free Spins expands to 8. You can also win additional Free Spins once you’re in the bonus rounds. Should you want, you’ll also have the opportunity to buy the free spins bonus using the integrated Buy Feature. For 8, 12, or 16 Free Spins you’ll have to pay 75, 140, or 250 times your bet. That also gives some aim as to what the average free spins win potential will be.

With that being said, NetEnt’s upcoming Space Wars 2 PowerPoints slot promises to be even more entertaining than their most recent Funk Master slot. Even though it greatly deviates from the original in the way it plays, fans will be pleased to see all the familiar characters that appeared back in the days when the studio was independent and at its creative peak. Will it spark good memories is to be seen very soon! Head over to our list of the best NetEnt casinos to pick your favourite in advance.