Taco Brothers Slot Review
One of ELK Studios’ most enduringly popular slot games, Taco Brothers (released in September 2015) is strong on character and storyline, as well as fast-paced gaming action. Set in Mexico in 1881, the game stars three brothers named Paso, Pepe and Pico whose mission is to save their village (and its tacos!) from the evil Captain Díaz.
from the evil Captain Díaz. Featuring a re-spin feature and an exciting free spins bonus round, this 5 reel 243 ways-to-win game has twelve bet levels and a jackpot worth up to 150,000 coins.
If you enjoy slot games with original characters, a strong narrative and plenty of variety in the gameplay, then check out Taco Brothers for yourself at our recommended UK slots sites and see why this is considered to be one of ELK’s best slots.
How to play
Taco Brothers is a 5 reel, 3 row, 243 ways-to-win game where wins pay in any combination on adjacent reels left to right. 100 coins are in play on each spin, with bets ranging in size from £0.10 to £10. As is the case with all ELK Studios slots, there are four automatic betting strategies to choose from — Optimizer, Leveller, Booster or Jumper.
- Hitting 3x Safe symbols anywhere on the reels triggers the Wild Escape free spins bonus round
- The Taco Brothers Wild symbol substitutes for all other symbols except the Safe symbol
- Hitting 2x Taco Brothers Wild symbols activates the Re-spin feature, giving a second chance to hit 3x Safe symbols and trigger the free spins
- The Bell Wild symbol substitutes for all other symbols except the Safe symbol and Taco Brothers Wild symbol
- Hitting 5x Paso symbols (red) = 400 coins (up to £200)
- Hitting 5x Pepe symbols (blue) = 300 coins (up to £150)
- Hitting 5x Pico symbols (green) = 100 coins (up to £50)
- Hitting 5x guitar, cactus, tequila or mining lamp symbols = 80 coins (up to £40)
Jackpot
The maximum jackpot payout is 150,000 coins (£75,000 when betting the max), which can be won during the free spins bonus round.
Special features
Wild Escape Free Spins Bonus Round
The Wild Escape bonus round is triggered by hitting 3x Safe symbols anywhere on the reels and takes place on a separate set of reels located underground beneath a prison. The Exploded Safe symbol applies a 1x, 2x or 3x multiplier to all free spins bonus winnings.
The aim in the bonus round is for all three brothers to escape from jail, and continues either until all have managed to escape or have been caught and returned to prison, i.e., there is no set number of free spins awarded.
During the bonus round, brother symbols drop onto reel 5 one at a time (Pico first, followed by Pepe and then Paso), with each becoming a Running Wild. They move from right to left across the reels one spin at a time, substituting for all other symbols except Captain Díaz and Señorita symbols along the way, until they reach reel 1 and escape, or are captured and locked up.
Captain Díaz and Señorita symbols appear only during the bonus feature. If the Captain Díaz symbol appears, any Running Wild brother is caught and sent to prison, where they remain locked in position — if all three brothers get locked up, the bonus round ends.
The Señorita symbol can push back any brother to reel 5, effectively awarding additional free spins, or she can release any brother who is locked up in prison, and they can then continue to try and reach reel 1 and escape.
Graphics and Sounds
The visuals in Taco Brothers are excellent, with parallax reels, bright and bold symbols, and lively animations on winning spins, with the free spins bonus round being played on a separate set of reels set underneath the prison from which the brothers are trying to escape. Each of the brother symbols has its distinct personality and they spring to life as they try to escape jail during the Wild Escape bonus round. Aside from the brothers, Captain Díaz and the Señorita, the other symbols include a guitar, cactus, a bottle of tequila and a mining lamp.
The only area where the game perhaps does not live up to expectations is the soundtrack during base play, which is largely nondescript; however, it does come alive during the free spins with fast-paced Mexican fiesta music.
Conclusion
It’s easy to see why Taco Brothers helped to establish ELK Studios’ reputation as one of the most innovative game developers around. With high-quality visuals, lively characters and an enjoyable storyline, every aspect of the design is spot on.
The gameplay is always fast-paced, with the Wild Escape Free Spins Bonus Round being a highlight. Wins during this bonus feature can be multiplied by up to 3x and so this can produce some major wins, with the game featuring a jackpot worth up to 150,000 coins and a 96.3% RTP. Other special features during base play, such as the Wild symbols and re-spins feature mean there is always plenty of action on the reels.
We think this is one of the most enjoyable slots around, and so we recommend checking out Taco Brothers for yourself at one of our recommended UK slots sites.
Author And Managing Editor
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