Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair Slot

Has it really been 11 years since the release of Jack Hammer 2? Well, yes, yes, it has, and now, feeling a lot older, it begs the question – why did NetEnt decide to revive this classic? Well, the answer is simple because it is a classic, and waiting over a decade is perhaps the smartest move ever.

If you have not played the original Jack Hammer or its sequel, Jack Hammer 2, then fear not. This third installment doesn’t need you to know what came before; that was 10+ years ago. Right now, this slot is all that matters. 

In my review of Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair, I look at how the game has evolved; I discuss any changes in the software programming, the gaming features, and its overall performance. You can also experience the slot for free as Casinos.com presents the official demo. Something that can be played many times over on any Apple or Android device.

Jack Hammer is a crime-themed series, and to give this new game release its full title, it's Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair. The design around all Jack Hammer games is very much inspired by comic book art. 

Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair is set against a rainy city backdrop at night, with high-rise buildings and sweeping spotlights. You’ve got the sound of rain, dog barks, screams, and traffic to add to the ambiance. The gameplay is backed by moody jazz music that plays on every spin. 

The slot itself comes with a 7x5 layout, with the top row of symbols blanked out. This is a scatter-pays casino game, so there are no normal paylines and not the same as cluster-pays. To make wins, you need eight or more symbols scattered across adjacent reels. 

The symbols of this game feature the dark-haired dame, the singer, the crooks, the police dog, and the cop. These are the high-prized symbols. The low-prized ones are the diamonds, lipstick, the gun, the dog bowl, and the bank logo.

It may look complicated because of the size of the game, but rest assured, this is like every other slot in that it is 99% automated, and you only need to press the spin button. But before we dive right in, as with all casino games online, you need to make sure you are betting to amounts that you can afford. The game comes with a $2 default betting value. Now, you can change this by selecting the bet option. Bet values run from $0.20 to $200 per spin. 

When you have picked the amount you are most comfortable paying per play, then press the green spin button to start playing. 

When you play Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair, wins are only formed by landing eight or more of the same symbol across the five reels. The game freezes those symbols and produces a respin feature when you get such a match. This can then produce more of the same symbol and then retrigger another respin until there is no more land. This consecutive-win style of play is hugely beneficial to the player and just increases the chances, potential, and opportunity that come with the game. 

This is just the base game, remember? Let’s now look at how the special features add weight to the brilliance of play that this series is known for. 

• Jack Hammer feature: If you land a low-win combination and you have a Jack Hammer symbol on the reels as well, then all low wins are transformed into higher wins. Should the symbol appear alongside a high win, then the mystery row along the top of the slot comes into play. The symbol that forms the high win will also appear in the mystery row, which will also produce a multiplier. This multiplier value can go up to x5. 
• Free Spins:  If you land five or more of the Free Spin symbol (snake), you will trigger the game’s bonus round. Relative to the number of symbols landing on the slot, it will determine just how many spins are awarded. The most is 20 free spins if you land ten or more bonus symbols. During this round of play, more free spins can be won.
• Buy Feature: At a cost of 75 times the value of your bet per spin, you can activate the bonus buy slots feature and grab ten free spins. 

To be honest, it was a bit of a shock seeing this game come back around. The first game was okay, but very primitive now by modern standards. The second game was good and worth a play if you can find it. This third installment is brilliant. Knowing that Jack Hammer never really disappoints, I played this in real money mode inside my online casino. 

I bet at $2 per spin and played 50 free spins. Because of the brilliant Sticky Wins feature, the game went on for a while, and I did make some impressive wins. I failed to land any main feature or bonus round. By the end of my 50 spins, I was down on my gaming balance. Win some, lose some; I’m still going to play more of this at a later date.

The RTP of Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair comes in at 96.08%, which is the lowest of all the three games in the series. The max payout is 1,332 times your bet per spin. So, if you were to play at the max bet of $200, then you could win a jackpot of $266,400. This is actually very poor value for money, given that the max spend is far higher than most casino slots online, and the return for it is shockingly low when compared to other games. Of the series, this third installment carries the higher jackpot prize. The volatility is set to medium, but it might actually be medium/high volatility, judging by how it performs. 

As a game, Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair ticks many boxes. It’s a perfect game all across the board until you realize that the max payout is kind of rubbish, given you have to pay $200 a pop for the chance of landing it. 

If you find the time, I recommend you check out the original Jack Hammer slot and Jack Hammer 2. But if you want something that is better value for money, then check out these alternative crime-themed slots: More Unusual Suspects by Games Global, The Stash by Blueprint Gaming, and Return to Paris by Betsoft.

Play the demos free at Casinos.com and use the reviews here to help you find the best online casinos that offer these games and more as real money features.