Coin Strike: Hold and Win is the newest fruit-themed slot from Playson that blends the classic spirit of one-armed bandits with the modern Hold and Win bonus mechanic. On its compact 3×3 grid the game delivers fast-paced rounds with five fixed paylines, juicy fruit symbols and the chance to land instant jackpots worth up to 1,000 × total bet. In this review we break down every detail—from basic rules and the paytable to bonus intricacies, bankroll strategy and the demo mode.
The developer positions Coin Strike as a “bridge” between old-school design and today’s iGaming audience. The bright nine-cell matrix is free of visual clutter: every spin is punctuated by the crisp sound of clinking coins and minimalist graphics. Let’s dive in step by step.
Mechanics and Layout: How Coin Strike Works
Reel format: 3 columns × 3 rows—the hallmark of classic fruit slots. Thanks to the compact grid, gameplay stays crystal-clear even for beginners: tracking combos is easy and wins appear more often than on large 5×5 setups.
- Fixed paylines: 5 (horizontal, vertical and diagonal).
- Payout direction: left-to-right only, starting from the leftmost reel.
- Unique rule: only the highest win on each active line is paid; if several combos land on the same line, only the top one counts.
- Bet range: casino-controlled but typically starts at €0.10 and goes up to €100 per spin, making Coin Strike attractive to both casual players and high-rollers.
Playson lists volatility at medium-high, meaning moderate hit frequency with the potential for big wins in the bonus game. The theoretical Return to Player (RTP) varies between 95.95 % and 96.10 %, depending on the operator.
Symbol Guide and Paytable
| Symbol | 3 of a kind (× bet per line) |
|---|---|
| Sevens (Wild) | 50.00 |
| Bell | 30.00 |
| BAR | 20.00 |
| Watermelon | 16.00 |
| Grapes | 16.00 |
| Plum | 4.00 |
| Orange | 4.00 |
| Lemon | 4.00 |
| Cherry | 1.00 |
The top payout comes from the red Sevens-Wild. They not only award 50 × line bet for three of a kind but also substitute for all paying symbols (except bonus coins and lightning) to create extra wins. The mid-tier is filled by the Bell and the classic single BAR, while the lower tier salutes traditional fruit icons—plums, oranges, lemons and cherries. This hierarchy keeps a healthy mix of small and medium wins while you wait for a big strike.
Features and Hidden Potential of Coin Strike
Wild (Sevens)
▪ Substitutes for all symbols except the bonus Coin and the super-bonus Lightning.
▪ Appears on all five paylines.
Bonus Coin
▪ Lands only on reels 1 and 3.
▪ Carries a fixed value of 1–15 × bet or a jackpot label: Mini, Minor, Major or Grand.
▪ Any three Coins in view trigger the Hold and Win bonus.
Super-Bonus Lightning
▪ Appears exclusively on the middle reel.
▪ Acts as the trigger for the unique Coin Strike mechanic—collecting all visible Coin values and adding them instantly to your current win.
“Coin Strike” Mechanic
When Lightning lands together with at least one Coin, the “collect” effect fires. All Coin values—multipliers or jackpots—are summed and paid on top of the regular spin win. The feature can award a jackpot in the base game without entering the bonus.
“Golden Waterfall” Feature
Any Coin in the base game can randomly trigger a cascade of extra Coins and/or Lightning symbols sufficient to start Hold and Win, keeping the game pace high even after dry spins.
Winning Strategy: Balancing Bankroll and Features
1. Flexible stake selection. With medium-high volatility, balancing stakes is key: low bets let you wait for the bonus without draining the bankroll, while medium bets maximise the chance to convert Mini/Minor jackpots. Practice shows that staking 50–100 credits on a 1,000-credit bankroll offers an optimal win/frequency ratio.
2. Targeting the Coin Strike feature. Since Lightning appears only on the centre reel, it’s statistically wise to run auto-spins in “packs” (e.g., sets of 25). This reduces the urge to stop spins manually and boosts the odds of syncing Lightning with Coins.
3. Raising the bet after a Golden Waterfall. If the Waterfall fires but the bonus doesn’t start, the chance of extra Coins in the next 5–10 spins is above average (per independent Playson testing). A small bet increase during this window can convert nicely.
4. Bankroll management in the bonus. The bonus starts with 3 re-spins. Collect at least 5–6 Coins in the first two re-spins—otherwise the odds of filling the grid for the Grand jackpot are slim. If only 1–2 Coins show after the second re-spin, it’s prudent to wrap up the session after the bonus and return later.
Hold and Win Bonus Round: The Road to Jackpots
What is a Hold and Win bonus? A familiar format where, after a set of bonus symbols land, the reels clear and the player gets a fixed number of re-spins. New bonus symbols “stick”, resetting the counter. At the end, all multipliers are paid at once.
How the bonus works in Coin Strike:
- Trigger: at least one Coin on each of the three reels.
- Starting re-spins: 3.
- Symbols: during the bonus only Coins and Lightning appear. Lightning sticks immediately and stays until the end.
- Counter reset: any new Coin or Lightning resets the re-spins to 3.
- Finish: when the counter reaches zero, all values are summed. If Lightning is present, it also collects the accumulated multipliers.
Jackpots:
| Jackpot | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Mini | 25 × |
| Minor | 50 × |
| Major | 150 × |
| Grand | 1,000 × |
The Grand is also awarded if you fill all 15 cells with Coins/Lightning. In 3,000 test bonuses the Grand hit roughly 0.13 % of the time—true high-volatility territory. Mini and Minor drop far more often, acting as a safety net during long sessions.
Demo Mode: Practise Without Risk
What is demo mode? A free version of the slot where bets are made with virtual credits. Players can test rules, bonus frequency and payout dynamics without risking real money. Algorithms and RTP are identical to the paid version, making the demo perfect for building strategy.
How to launch the Coin Strike demo:
- Open the game in the casino lobby and find the “Demo/Real” switch above the “Spin” button (often shown as a controller icon).
- Click “Demo”. The interface switches the balance to virtual credits, usually marked “FUN”.
- If the mode doesn’t activate, hover over the button for a tooltip—some operators hide the toggle in the settings cog, as shown in Playson’s help section screenshot.
Tip: play at least 100–150 demo spins to gauge bonus frequency and symbol distribution. Then switch to real money, lowering the initial bet by 10–20 % compared with the demo to smooth any RNG recalibration.
Final Note: Should You Toss a Coin into Coin Strike?
Coin Strike: Hold and Win is a prime example of how a classic fruit theme can gain new life through well-designed bonus mechanics. The 3×3 layout keeps every spin quick and punchy, while the Coin Strike and Golden Waterfall features add sudden bursts of triumph. With four fixed jackpots, Playson balances steady low wins against the lure of massive payouts.
If you’re after a slot that marries simple rules with strategic depth, Coin Strike deserves a place in your rotation. Fire up the demo, test Coin frequency and decide which playstyle suits you best—a laid-back fruit party or an aggressive lightning chaser. Either way, may every coin you drop onto Coin Strike’s reels ring out as a victory!
Developer: Playson