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Is it too clichéd to make the obvious connection regarding Motorhead and casinos? Well, we will let it pass by and not mention the song title that is in all our heads right now. Suffice to say, that the lyrics “win some, lose some” are very apt when it comes to discussing their official online slot machine game.

The Motorhead Video Slot was produced in 2016 by NetEnt, a Swedish gaming manufacturer that had already produced games for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Guns N’ Roses, and more recently with Ozzy Osbourne. So, how and why Motorhead? Well, the task of answering this comes to light in this article.

Let’s Rock!

Motorhead Makes for the Perfect Madness

Let’s first take a look at the band Motorhead. Iconic is possibly be the first word you think of, or legendary. When it comes to the genre of rock music, Motorhead were certainly one of the first on the scene that helped it to become commercially viable. Motorhead music in this case is rightly lauded as seminal and this is highlighted by their induction into the Music Hall of Fame in 2020.

Motorhead had been on the scene for 40 years, their discography includes 22 studio albums, they released 13 live albums, along with 14 compilations. Not a bad run!

From a business perspective, to the outsider, Motorhead are the ideal product. The band has the fan base which have accumulated over many decades. They come with a recognisable frontman in Lemmy Kilmister, and they have produced anthemic songs, none more obviously so, than the name of track of which we shall not speak.

For a gaming company working on slot machines, the lightbulb suddenly begins to start flashing. In 2016, NetEnt took the reins and added Motorhead to an already existing series of NetEnt Rocks Tour slots.

The Production of Music Combining with Casino

The Chief Product Officer at NetEnt, a Mr Simon Hammon said this of the deal back in 2016: “Our NetEnt Rocks tour has once again rewritten the rules when it comes to branded games. Joining our Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix slots both of which exploding onto centre stage upon their release. Now, our NetEnt customers can really crank the volume up once more following the launch of our excellent new slot which is based on Motorhead and their iconic gaming song Ace of Spades.

Now, NetEnt are the largest software company in the world when it comes to gaming development for online casinos. They dominate the European markets and out in Canada. Upon release it was the Canadian audience that was able to first sample the game before it was released in Europe.

Perhaps a not so diplomatic message to the authorities in Canada that arrested Lemmy for drug possession that led to his dismissal from the band Hawkwind in 1975. The success of the slot in Canada ranked it as one of the highest played real money slots in 2016. Its release in Europe a few months later led it to be nominated for Game of the Year in the EGR 2017 Awards.

Features of the Online Slot

Let us not take a look at the game itself and discuss the technical and in-game features that merited this a Game of the Year Nomination.

First, the RTP or Return to Player score, indicates what percentage of money in total gets paid back out in winnings and the score is 96.98% which puts the Motorhead online slot machine into the high average bracket. The performance of the game is known as the volatility when being classified. There are three levels of volatility: low, medium, and high. The slot performed as low volatility. What this means is that players will experience more frequent wins and payouts but not necessarily at a margin when profit is made, unless they are lucky enough to land bigger wins.

The features within the gameplay start with the inclusion of a 76 payline gaming grid. What this essentially supports is the chance of winning more possible combinations across the slots 5-reel grid.

The bonus in-play features include Mystery Reels, the Bomber Feature, Free Spins that can reward up to 10 free games, and the game’s jackpot is a potential prize of $30,000.

Now, it wouldn’t be a rock game unless the right sound accompanies the visual action. What NetEnt have created is a gaming jukebox that plays a number of Motorhead hits, Overkill, Killed by Death, Iron Fist, and that song we refuse to mention.

Other Triumphant Music Slots

NetEnt have produced the most exciting gaming series with their Rocks Tour. Other main headliners include Guns N’ Roses, Jimi Hendrix, and the newly released Ozzy Osbourne. But it isn’t just NetEnt that are bringing headliners to the stage of online casinos. Elvis, Dolly Parton, Kiss, and Michael Jackson have all had their official slots produced, giving music fans a front row experience that can be enjoyed right in the palm of their hands.