Hearts & Crowns

Visuals & Audio: How Does the Royal Theme Stand Out?

The aesthetic is undeniably “Royal Lounge.” The background is a quilted burgundy velvet, reminiscent of a VIP room in a high-end casino, distinct from the neon glare of Vegas slots like Money Coming. The symbols are rendered with a gloss finish—water droplets on the lemons and plums suggest freshness, while the gold bells and crowns have a heavy, metallic sheen.

It’s crisp, but is it revolutionary? No. However, the clarity is intentional. In a sector where fruit slots often suffer from pixelated or lazy design, Reevo ensures that every symbol pops against the dark reels. The audio matches this straightforward approach: mechanical clicks for stops and a rising orchestral fanfare when the Expanding Wild triggers, signaling potential big wins before the coins even start counting.

Core Mechanics: How Do Expanding Wilds Drive Wins?

The base game relies heavily on a single, potent feature: the Expanding Wild. Represented by the ornate Crown, this symbol appears strictly on reels 2, 3, and 4. When it lands and forms part of a winning combination, it doesn't just sit there—it expands to cover the entire reel. This mechanic is similar to the one found in Shining Crown Buy Bonus, but with a sharper graphical execution.

This is where the game shows its teeth. If you land Crowns on reels 2, 3, and 4 simultaneously, you essentially turn the middle of the board wild. Combined with the high-paying “7” symbol, this mechanism is mathematically more significant than even the jackpots. It’s a similar adrenaline rush to the expanding stars in Starlight Princess, but applied to a traditional grid.

Paylines and Payouts: Quality Over Quantity?

The game operates on a 5×3 grid with 10 fixed paylines. While this sounds low compared to the thousands of ways in Legacy of Kong Maxways, the individual symbol values are massive.

• Sevens: 5 on a payline pays 500x your stake.
• Bells: 5 on a payline pays 50x your stake.
• Cherries: Even the lowest symbol pays 50x for 5 of a kind.

This creates a “feast or famine” dynamic. You aren't getting constant trickle wins; you are hunting for 5-of-a-kind line hits, much like in the high-variance Crown Bonanza.

The Bonus Ecosystem: Can You Unlock the Grand Jackpot?

The Heart symbol acts as the Scatter. Landing 3 or more triggers the Free Spins feature, which is where the game changes its ruleset entirely.

• 3 Scatters: 8 Free Spins
• 4 Scatters: 12 Free Spins
• 5 Scatters: 16 Free Spins

For those impatient to see the feature, the Buy Bonus option allows you to purchase entry, a feature popular in modern titles like Sweet Bonanza 1000. You can buy a random number of spins (8-12) for a set price, or guarantee 16 spins. Interestingly, the RTP is higher when buying 16 spins (95.95%) compared to the random option (95.76%).

The Collection Ladder

Inside the bonus round, a new mechanic activates. You aren't just spinning for lines anymore; you are collecting red “Collect” hearts. These symbols land only during Free Spins and accumulate in a meter on the left side of the screen.

Symbols Collected	Reward
10 Symbols	Minor Jackpot (20x) + 4 Extra Spins
20 Symbols	Major Jackpot (50x) + 4 Extra Spins
30 Symbols	Grand Jackpot (100x) + 4 Extra Spins

This creates a “game within a game.” You are rooting for line hits with the Expanding Wilds (which are still active!) while simultaneously watching the heart counter. This progressive collection style is reminiscent of Big Bass Amazon Xtreme, where collecting symbols upgrades your potential.

Symbol Legend: “Behind the Royal Insignia”

To understand the weight of the symbols, we need to look at their cultural shorthand.

Symbol	Cultural/Mythological Context
The Crown	Historically represents sovereignty and the divine right to rule. In slots, it's the ultimate “Wild” card, superseding all others.
The Red Seven	The “Lucky 7” likely originates from Bible references or the summation of opposing dice sides (which equal 7). In gambling, it is the standard for “Jackpot” value.
The Heart	In cartomancy (card reading), Hearts represent emotion and the “Holy Grail.” Here, it literally holds the “lifeblood” of the bonus game.

Mathematics & Probability: What Do the Numbers Say?

The Math Paradox of Hearts & Crowns

Here is the fascinating part that most players miss. The game advertises four Jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand. The Grand Jackpot requires collecting 30 symbols and pays 100x the total bet.

However, look at the paytable again. A single line of “7” symbols pays 500x.

• The Paradox: The “Grand Jackpot” is actually a minor prize compared to the potential of the base game mechanics.
• What this means for you: Do not obsess over the collection meter. The real max win potential comes from lining up Expanding Wilds with Sevens. The Jackpots are just safety nets to keep your balance alive while you hunt for the line hits. This is the opposite of games like Jackpot Blaze, where the jackpot is the main event.

Volatility and RTP

The volatility is High. You will face periods of dead spins. The RTP ranges depending on your playstyle, peaking at 95.95% via the Buy Bonus. This is slightly below the industry “gold standard” of 96%, but acceptable for a high-variance machine.

Counter-Argument: Is 10 Lines Enough?

The Argument: “In an era of 117,649 ways to win, a 10-line slot is archaic and limits my winning chances.”

The Reality: While valid for players who enjoy constant visual stimulation, this argument fails mathematically in this specific context. More paylines usually mean lower symbol values (dilution of value). Because Hearts & Crowns restricts itself to 10 lines, it can afford to pay 500x for a single line of premiums. In a Megaways slot, a single line of top symbols often pays only 2x to 5x. If you prefer quality of wins over quantity of wins, 10 lines is actually superior.

Expert Tip: “I've noticed that the ‘Buy Bonus' for 16 spins offers the best theoretical return (95.95%). If your bankroll allows, and you are determined to play the bonus, the math suggests buying the max spins is statistically better than gambling on the ‘Random' option, where you might get stuck with only 8 spins and a lower RTP.”

Expert Simulation: The 500-Spin Test

I ran a simulated session of 500 spins at a €2.00 bet to test the “rhythm” of the game.

• Spins 1-100: The base game was brutal. I had a run of 15 dead spins. Then, boom—a Crown on reel 3 expanded, connecting cherries and plums for a €30 win (15x). Balance: -€40.
• Spins 101-250: Triggered the bonus naturally at spin 212. I landed 3 Hearts. Started with 8 spins. I collected 12 hearts total, unlocking the Minor Jackpot (€40) and getting +4 spins. The total bonus pay was €92 (46x). Balance is recovering.
• Spins 251-400: Decided to buy the “Random” bonus twice. First buy gave 8 spins, result was poor (12x bet). Second buy gave 12 spins, and here the magic happened. I hit TWO Expanding Wilds on reels 2 and 3, with Bells on reel 1. That single spin paid 150x, a feeling similar to hitting a wild line in Wild Fruits 27.
• Conclusion: The balance swung wildly. I ended the session up by 15%, but only thanks to that one massive line hit. The Jackpots felt like “cashback” rather than life-changing wins.

Conclusion & Verdict

Hearts & Crowns is a deceptive slot. It wears the costume of a friendly classic slot but fights with the aggression of a high-volatility beast. It fits perfectly into Reevo’s portfolio of straightforward, mechanically solid games.

I recommend this game to players who understand that the “Grand Jackpot” is a distraction and that the real money lies in the Expanding Wilds. If you are looking for complex narratives or thousands of paylines, look elsewhere. But if you want the raw thrill of a 500x line hit, give the demo a spin.

Special Features Breakdown

Feature Name	Description	Trigger / How it Works
Expanding Wilds	Crown symbols that stretch to cover the full reel.	Lands on reels 2, 3, and 4. Expands only if it forms part of a win.
Free Spins	The main bonus round with a collection mechanic.	Triggered by 3, 4, or 5 Heart Scatters. Awards 8, 12, or 16 spins respectively.
Collect Feature	A progressive collection system active during Free Spins.	Collect Heart symbols to unlock Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand Jackpots and win +4 extra spins at each tier.
Buy Bonus	Instant access to the Free Spins round.	Pay roughly 72x-75x bet. Options: Random spins (95.76% RTP) or 16 Spins (95.95% RTP).

FAQ