Sumo Sumo

Introducing Sumo Sumo, an innovative and unique online slot that is inspired by Japanese warriors. This title is set in a dreary back alley, with graffiti and a bag of rubbish on either side of the board. As the name implies, this game focuses on two different Sumo wrestlers, both of which play a big part in both the base game and bonus modes. A total of 5 reels can be found in Sumo Sumo, alongside 259 paylines that can be covered with a minimum stake of 0.20 per spin.

This slot was created by Elk Studios, a company that stands out from the crowd due to their highly detailed graphics. Their releases also tend to have a diverse range of bonus features, with Sumo Sumo being no exception. Some titles in their portfolio include Taco Brothers Derailed, Mystic Orbs, and Book of Toro.

The least desirable symbols in Sumo Sumo are different types of fruit, with cherries, grapes, a lemon, and a watermelon all making an appearance. These can award players with 0.5x, 1x, 1.5x, or 2x their stake size, should five form a matching combination. As for premium symbols, there are only two, shown as a blue and red sumo wrestler that can award up to 5x or 10x the bet, respectively. 

Next are the special symbols, one of which is a wild. These are shown simply as the letter W and have the ability to replace any standard or premium symbol along a payline. Finally, there are two different scatter icons. The first is a hazard sign with a boat in the background, while the other is shown as a neon sign reading 'free spins'. Both scatter symbols are linked to their own separate bonus modes, which are covered below!

Sumo Sumo is loaded with different bonus modes and features, the first of which is known as 'Wild Sumo Stacks'. Should a matching combination form, adjacent blue and red Sumos of the same type can jump on top of the other, in order to create a 1x1 wild symbol. These appear as stacks, with an associated win multiplier that is equal to the number of Sumos in the tower. 

If a combination is formed using the wild, the multiplier will be applied to any potential winnings.

In addition to this, one respin will be awarded to players, which will continue as long as a new combination is formed. Additional sumo symbols can add to the stack, thus increasing the win multiplier. Each wild sumo stack will move one position to the right after each spin, then to the left once it's reached reel 5. If the symbol makes it all the way to reel 1, it will disappear from play on the following spin. This feature will end if no more stacks remain, or a spin without a matching combination occurs.

The next feature is closely linked to the previous one and can activate if the two different sumo stacks appear on the same row. Should this happen, they will brawl, and the tallest stack will be named the victor. All of the Sumos on the losing stack will be added to the other, creating one wild with a larger win multiplier. After the brawl is finalized, the victorious stack may move in a different direction, too.

Landing three or more bonus symbols simultaneously will trigger the speedboat mode, which makes use of the popular respin mechanic found in many popular slots. Players will be taken to a different 5x5 board in this bonus, before being awarded a total of three spins. The main point of interest is the speedboat, which can collect symbols either vertically or horizontally. Should new symbols land, they will become sticky until they are collected by the speedboat.

Now, if a symbol is picked up by the speedboat, it can either add the corresponding amount or offer a modifier. Collecting a symbol will also reset the number of spins to three, which is shown to the left of the board, in the form of three gas canisters. 

There are a variety of symbols that can appear during this round, with the first being a fixed value sumo in a life ring. Next up is a wakeboarding sumo, which has a fixed value but will also become attached to the back of the boat. The value associated with the wakeboarder will increase as it passes through different positions. Only one of these symbols can be attached to the boat during the round, and should this icon be collected again, the multiplier on the existing wakeboard will increase.

A ramp can also appear during the respin mode, which will multiply the current boat and wakeboard value by the number shown. Last but not least is a sumo wielding a harpoon that will increase the value of all other Sumos by the value they're holding until the speedboat collects them. There is also a turbo version, which will increase the value of other Sumos whenever a symbol is collected. 

Finally, Sumo Sumo has a free spins mode. This can be triggered if two scatter symbols appear simultaneously, with players receiving a total of 6 spins. During this round, wild Sumo stacks will not leave the board. The brawl mechanic also remains in place, while everything else is identical to the base game. Landing two more scatter symbols in this mode will award players with six additional spins.

As this review has shown, Sumo Sumo is a slot loaded with features. There are various modifiers that can trigger randomly during any spin, alongside two bonus modes that are based on proven mechanics. The symbols in this title are also rather unique, with the regular 10, J, Q, K, and A symbols being removed entirely!