When Yggdrasil Gaming launched the soccer-themed Bicicleta on June 9, 2016, it promised its market target an unforgettable and sporty gaming experience. Inspired by the UEFA Champions League, Yggdrasil has since added suchlike online games to its listing; ranging from the extreme sports-inspired Nitro Circus (November 2018) to the combat sports-based Lucha Maniacs (April 2018), Champions of Rome (February 2019), and Hanzo’s Dojo (August 2018). Some of Bicicleta’s rival games are Football Star from Microgaming, Football Rules from Playtech, and World Soccer from SkillOnNet.

A Spanish word, the noun “bicicleta” is the equivalent of a “bicycle”. In the context of a soccer game, Bicicleta—it is shortened from the full Spanish name “patada de bicicleta”—means a bicycle kick, which refers to kicking a soccer ball acrobatically. Basically, the Bicicleta players match three, four, or five soccer players, or card suits.

Bicicleta Game Characteristics
Bicicleta has a volatility rating of 37; the game’s 25 fixed pay lines are contained in a 5X4 grid. There are eleven symbols: four high-paying, four low-paying, and three special ones. The high-paying symbols are: a soccer player in a red T-shirt; a soccer player with a Mohawk hairstyle; a dreadlocked soccer player of African origin; and a soccer player dressed in a white T-shirt.

Designed like the hexagonal faces of a ball, the low-paying symbols comprise of: a red hearts suit, a purple spades suit, a green clubs suit, and a blue diamonds suit. The special symbols are: a free spins-triggering white trophy; a black-and-white “FREE SPIN” soccer ball; and a white substituting “WILD”.

The starting page mentions a two-way method of activating the free spins (via the trophy and the “FREE SPIN” feature) and acknowledges the presence of both sticky wilds and wild reels when spinning freely.

The Bicicleta coin values are: $0.01, $0.02, $0.03, $0.04, $0.05, $0.07, $0.10, $0.16, $0.20, $0.30, $0.50, $0.70, $1.00, $2.00, $3.00, and $4.00. The Bicicleta cash bets are: $0.25 (minimum bet), $0.50, $0.75, $1.00, $1.25, $1.75, $2.50, $4.00, $5.00, $7.50, $12.50, $17.50, $25.00, $50.00, $75.00, and $100.00 (maximum bet).

Bicicleta pays generously for three, four, and five matching symbols, respectively. The red-shirted soccer player pays X30, X100, and X250. The soccer player with a Mohawk hairstyle offers X30, X100, and X225. The dreadlocked soccer player pays X25, X75, and X200. The white-shirted soccer player has X20, X75, and X175. The hearts suit pays X6, X30, and X80. The spades suit offers X6, X30, and X70. The clubs suit has X5, X25, and X60. The diamonds suit gives X5, X25, and X50.

The white trophy, which is associated with the fifth reel only and pays 1000 coins maximum, can show up: during the regular game to offer between eight to twelve free spins, or during the “free spin” play mode to offer between two and four free spins. Three, four, and five “FREE SPIN” soccer balls offer eight free spins, 16 free spins, and 24 free spins, respectively.

Bicicleta has a $190,000 non-progressive jackpot. Its software is exceptionally good. The ambience sounds aptly capture the on-field mood, especially the excited spectators in the background cheering on the players. The 3D graphics are realistic, particularly the players’ racial diversity, the blurred spectators in the stands and the green artificial turf.

Luck in Bicicleta
Bicicleta is a game of chance. It has a return to player rate of 96.3%, and its house edge is 3.7%.