Jack Hammer vs. Evil Dr. Wüten was released by NetEnt way back in 2010. Two years later, the slot provider released Jack Hammer 2: Fishy Business. This second slot in the series was not all that different from the first, retaining the same reel configuration, art style, and bonus features. It really did feel like it was just another issue of the Jack Hammer comic. After 2012, Jack Hammer went into witness protection for a long hiatus.

It’s now 2024, and NetEnt has gone to their archives, releasing Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot. With his return after a 12-year retirement, it was interesting to see how the franchise has been updated for this decade.

Do you enjoy a good mystery?

Unlike the first two installments in the series. Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot is based on scatter pays. This is a unique win mechanic. Scatter pays create winning combinations whenever eight or more of the same symbol appear anywhere on the reels. These symbols don’t have to be touching or follow a payline. If eight or more instances of the same symbol appear anywhere on the reels, you get paid.

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Although the base mechanics of Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot are very different from those of its predecessors, its headline bonus feature remains consistent. This bonus feature is, of course, the sticky wins feature. When a winning combination is hit, all symbols involved in that winning combination become sticky. The rest of the reels are then respun with a chance that additional symbols will be added to the winning combination. If new symbols are added, the reels will be respun again. This will continue to happen until no new symbols are added.

Jack Hammer himself may appear on the reels from time to time. When he does, he will transform the symbols of any winning combination currently on the reels to a higher-paying symbol. If the winning combination already features high-paying symbols, a set value will be added to the multiplier meter. The more instances of a single high-paying symbol that are featured on the reels when a Jack Hammer symbol appears, the higher the multiplier value will become. The multiplier will be added to the spin’s final win amount.

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The slot also has a free spins feature that is triggered with five or more Free Spins symbols. Five of the symbols will trigger a round of 10 free spins. Every additional Free Spins symbol used to unlock the feature will add an additional two free spins up to a maximum of 20 free spins. The Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot’s free spins feature is retriggerable.

If you’re not keen on waiting around in the rain to trigger a round of free spins the old-fashioned way, you can select to purchase a round.

Is Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot worth a night in lockup?

Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot gives you a chance to win up to $266,400. However, thanks to a fairly low 1,332x max multiplier, you’ll need to be betting at $200 a spin to be able to compete for those big wins. Betting on the slot starts from $0.20. The slot features medium volatility and an RTP of 96.08%.

Slot sequels aren’t generally known to be something that players will seek out. There are, of course, exceptions, but the industry generally uses sequels to release light reskins during dry months. Jack Hammer 3: Diamond Affair slot is not a light reskin. It’s a really beautiful homage to this decade-old series of slots with some really great bonus features. It’s not perfect, though. I really wish that they had really swung for the fences. While the graphics are great, I wish they’d gone in the same kind of direction as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and really leaned into the comic book theme. I think there is a missed opportunity here. That being said, I really do like this slot. I love that they brought Jack Hammer back, and I appreciate that they spent the time making sure his return was a good one.

If you’re looking for a few other NetEnt slots that I’d recommend, try out Taco Fury XXXtreme and Knight Rider.