The name Gem Crush sounds like something we’ve already played a million times before. But as the old Chinese proverb goes, never judge a casino game by its name. Released by Swedish gaming masters NetEnt, Gem Crush is just one of the many releases you get in a single year, so what makes this one so special?
I will be looking into the gaming design, performance, and opportunity. With this review, you can access the free official demo game to test the slot yourself, with no risk, registration, or download. You can play the game from your smartphone or tablet by joining the best casinos online that feature Gem Crush as a real money casino game.


When you load the game, you will be hit by the visual colossus. Gem Crush plays on a massive 6x8 slot grid and is developed to play as a cluster pays slot. This means there are no paylines. The design of the game sees the slot embedded in what looks like a man-made rock-formed sacred waterfall. It is all very zen-like and comes with all the characteristic design styles that are very common with NetEnt slots.
I am not a huge fan of cluster pay slot games, but I get the appeal because of the potential consecutive payouts that can form. Such games, for me, are a fourth-generation form of slot. It's not something I began playing on, but they have been around for quite some time now in the online domain.
As mentioned, Gem Crush is a cluster pays game. What is this, you ask? Wins are formed by having five or more of the same symbols clustered together. There is no definitive pattern the cluster must form, just as long as the symbols are adjacent to each other across the rows. It very much gives off that vibe of playing Tetris.
As a win is formed, you not only claim the payout, but the symbols vanish from the slot, to which the symbols above them fall into the vacant space, and new symbols drop into the game. This method of gameplay means that consecutive wins can be produced from just one ‘spin.’
Before you take on the task of playing, remember to adjust the default setting of the cost per spin. The prices for the demo and the real money game range from $0.10 to $100. Once set to your level, press the green spin button to begin play.
The gaming benefits can be found in the slot's numerous features and bonuses. The first of these are the multipliers that can boost payouts by either 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x the amount you win.
There is a symbol called the Rainbow Gem, and what this does is change and upgrade one type of symbol to a higher-paying one. This special symbol can also appear in the slot’s bonus free spins round.
To land the free spins bonus round, you need to land 3 Scatter symbols on the slot. This will instantly reward you with ten free bonus spins. During this special round of play, the slot introduced these modifiers: Increasing Multiplier, Colossal Wild, XStrike, and Rainbow Gems.
Now, Gem Crush does come with a Bonus Buy slots feature that allows you to bypass the base game and directly head into the bonus round. The cost of this increases relative to the amount you wish to pay per spin.
When it comes to playing NetEnt slots, there is always a preconceived notion that there will be something special with the game. NetEnt are masters in this field of entertainment. Their games are either great or game-changing. Gem Crush falls into the category of great.
With Gem Crush, what you see is what you get. When you load the game and that calming music begins, you know just how it’s going to flow. Nothing here is over the top. I played the slot with my spin cost set to $1, and admittedly, it took a few spins to have a positive balance.
I am not a huge fan of cluster pay slot games, but I get the appeal because of the potential consecutive payouts that can form. Such games, for me, are a fourth-generation form of slot. It's not something I began playing on, but they have been around for quite some time now in the online domain.
This slot's max win can payout is 4,361 times your wagering value per spin. Given that you can pay up to $100 per spin, there is the potential to win $431,100. This is an average for a NetEnt game, which is somewhat surprising.
The RTP score comes in at 96.13%, which is based on the cost of play and the longevity of gaming. This is a potential payback score and not a success rating. Gem Crush was also programmed with medium/high volatility settings. This can produce balanced gaming at times, but there could be periods where hits just do not land.
Whilst not to my taste, I can see that this is a great game. It’s big and booming with fantastic in-play features and bonus rounds. The Bonus Buy addition will be a welcome sight for the high-roller players out there. Give the game a try in its demo first before you join one of the top real money online casinos and play for real money.
Gem Crush is a new solo game that doesn’t yet have a sequel. You might be interested in many more gem-themed games that look and play like Gem Crush. Here are some of my top recommendations. Aloha! Cluster Pays by NetEnt. Jammin’ Jars by Push Gaming, or for something darker, try Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness by Play’n GO. These all come with the cluster style of play.


Karolis Matulis is a Senior Editor at Casinos.com with more than 6 years of experience in the online gambling industry. Karolis has written and edited dozens of slot and casino reviews and has played and tested thousands of online slot games. So if there's a new slot title coming out soon, you'd better know it – Karolis has already tried it.
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