ABOUT THIS SLOT
Black Diamond is a standard slot in terms of appearance and playability. You’ll find 5 reels with 3 rows of symbols. The snowy mountain peaks in the background and twinkling sound effects add a feeling of adventure and mystery. The reels are outlined in metal, while symbols are luxurious, including precious jewels, gold bars and platinum rings.
You can select your bet per line and your coin size using the controls to the right. There is also an auto-play feature and easy betting options for players who are keen to speed up the proceedings. Gameplay is smooth but the standard appearance and unoriginal gemstone symbols make it all feel a bit uninspiring.
RTP, VARIANCE AND PAYOUTS
The RTP is 95.85%, which is a touch under average, although the minimum bet of 1c for players selecting minimum coins size and paylines means it’s ideal for lower rollers. The low to medium volatility rating also gives plenty of regular small payouts throughout the gaming session.
There’s a top award of 6000 coins, which is yours if you hit the yellow diamond. If you’re after these bigger rewards, you need to be playing at higher betting levels and using all 25 paylines. You can also enjoy more action and rewards from the Free Spins round, Bonus Game and Wild symbols.
SYMBOLS AND PAYTABLE
Black Diamond is filled with glittering precious stones, platinum rings and gold bars with no high card symbols in sight. The lowest paying symbol is the platinum ring, which pays 80 coins for 5 matches. The highest paying regular symbol is the yellow diamond, which awards the jackpot of 6,000 coins for 5 matches.
Second on the paytable is the ruby, which awards 1000 coins for 5 of a kind, while the emerald and amethyst are next, awarding up to 500 and 300 coins respectively. The eponymous black diamond is the Wild, which substitutes for the other symbols, so hitting 5 of these also triggers the jackpot of 6,000 coins.
You’ll also find a few special features, including the Bonus Game, which is triggered by the gold bars and Free Spins, activated by the shiny ruby apple symbol.
GAMEPLAY AND FEATURES
Black Diamond Wild
The black diamond is the Wild, which can appear on all the reels and substitute for all the other symbols, except the ruby apple Scatter and gold bar Bonus symbols. The Wild creates more potential wins with up to 6,000 coins available for landing 5 of a kind.
Free Spins
If you hit 2 of the ruby apple Scatters, which appear on reels 1 and 5, you’ll activate the Free Spins round. This awards 10 Free Spins initially with the ability to re-trigger another 10, giving a max of 20 Free Spins in total.
Bonus Game
The Bonus Game is triggered by landing gold bars on reels 2, 3 and 4. When this happens, you’ll get to choose a gem from the ‘Pick Me’ bonus screen, which can reward you with a bonus payment of 40x up to 200x your triggering bet.
OUR VERDICT
Black Diamond isn’t the most exciting slot to play, as the precious gem theme is getting a bit tired and there are no bonus features that break the mould here. Starburst tops most lists for glittering gem slots and Black Diamond has a slower gameplay with a lower RTP. However, this Pragmatic Play title does have its own attractions. The Free Spins round for one. This is activated by the most interesting symbol on the game, the ruby apple. Free Spins trigger regularly with re-triggers available, while you can also activate the ‘Pick Me’ Bonus from within the round. It’s possible to rack up some decent wins if you play at the higher betting levels and the black diamonds, yellow diamonds and other sparkling protagonists do look rather luscious on the reels. This is a good choice if you love your jewels and want to play a lesser-known slot. Otherwise, there are options out there with more oomph and higher jackpot potential.