The Color of Money

Released in 1986, The Color of Money is a sports drama directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay by Richard Price, adapted from the 1984 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. It is, in fact, a belated sequel to The Hustler, which was released in 1961, with Paul Newman reprising his role as pool hustler ‘Fast’ Eddie Felson.

Now retired from competition, Felson (Newman) makes a living from selling liquor and by acting as a financial backer, or stakehorse, for other nine-ball pool players. Those players include Julian (John Turturro), who is put firmly in his place by the young, talented and charismatic Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise). Recognising the hustling potential of the new kid on the block, Felson invites Lauria and his girlfriend, Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), on a six-week road trip, culminating in a tournament.

Offering a valuable ‘Balabushka’ pool cue as an incentive, Felson attempts to teach Lauria the tricks of the trade, but is repeatedly frustrated by his unwillingness to play anything other than his best game. Finally, at a pool hall run by an old friend, Orvis (Bill Cobbs), Felson despairs and leaves. On his return, he finds Lauria showboating against the best player in typical fashion, leading to a frank discussion between the pair about what the future holds.

Lauria subsequently manages to lose, but only just, against the celebrated Grady Seasons, as instructed by Felson. At that point, Felson starts playing pool again but, humiliated by a young hustler called Amos (Forest Whitaker), he leaves his travelling companions and takes the Balabushka with him. Felson prepares for the Atlantic City tournament by practising, swimming to improve his fitness and acquiring a pair of corrective spectacles.

In the tournament itself, Felson plays and beats Lauria, only to discover that Lauria deliberately lost, or ‘dumped’, the match. Lauria pays him his ‘cut’ of $8,000 but, unhappy, Felson forfeits his next match and returns the money. With newfound confidence, Felson faces Lauria in a private match for the contents of the envelope and asked why he is sure that he will win, sooner or later, he declares, ‘I’m back!’ as he strikes his break-off shot.

Fruit Salad Slots

Introduction

Microgaming’s newest release slot game called Fruit Salad made its debut on April 3, 2023. This game offers a nostalgic feeling for those who love classic slot machines.

Although Games Global typically focuses on releasing games from other studios, they have made an exception for Fruit Salad, which offers straightforward gameplay with a 5×3 layout and nine pay lines. The game has an RTP of 96.9% and offers a low volatility game.

Gameplay

Fruit Salad is a slot game, available to play at  https://www.australianonlinecasino.io/ and other top tier slots sites, with a 5-reel, 3-row layout and nine pay lines, allowing players to bet between $0.18 and $450 per spin. It features classic and simple gameplay without any special features or bonus rounds.

The payout table is traditional, offering payouts ranging from 0.55x to 555.5x the bet, with high-paying symbols like the golden bell and sevens. Despite its lack of unique features, the game remains appealing to players who prefer straightforward gameplay with potentially high payouts.

Bonus Features

The game does not have any bonus features or free spins. But it does feature an exciting Diamond Scatter symbol, that pays between 2x and 50x your total bet. The game also features a yellow Star Wild symbol that substitutes for all paying symbols and can appear on any of the 5 reels, improving your chances of winning.

Conclusion

Fruit Salad is a bright traditional slot machine game, with vibrant colours and a fruity theme. The game is fully compatible with mobile devices, so players can try their luck at winning some fruity rewards on the go without compromising on the quality of the features.

This slot has a low volatility rate, making it perfect for those who prefer frequent, smaller wins. The lack of bonus features may disappoint some players, but this classic game still offers straightforward gameplay with the possibility of big wins. The Fruit Salad is a good option for those who enjoy classic fruit-themed slots.

Pimped Slot by Play’n Go

Introduction

There is a funky hip-hop soundtrack and a dazzling bling theme in this immersive Pimped Slot from Play n Go. The game also has symbols to suit, such as pimps, sexy women, knuckledusters, rolls of cash and jewellery symbols surrounding a pimp who closely resembles Snoop Dogg. Players are also guaranteed a win on every spin when they play the Win and Spins feature, which is playable from 0.10 to 100.00.00 per spin. There is a potential max win of 10000x your stake included, as well as an above-average RTP of 96.52%.

Pimped Bonus Features

One of the game’s main symbols is the Wild Knuckleduster which pays 1000x your stake when five appear on a pay line. This symbol acts as the game’s stacked wild as well as helping to form winning combinations. Upon landing three or more Golden Dollar symbols anywhere on Pimped’s reels, a Win Spin feature will activate.

Each time you land two scatter symbols on the reels, you’ll be awarded between 5 free spins to 20 free spins. You’ll receive a winning combination for every free spin during Win and Spins. There are hustlers and blinged-out gangsters throughout this slot game and players can multiply their winnings by guessing the right combination of cards to reel in some extra cash.

Final Thoughts

Play’n Go do not skimp when it comes to this slot, offering exhilarating free spins with guaranteed wins as well as some brass knuckles that can bring some serious clout into the game. With Pimped, players can transport The Hood to Beverley Hills in a matter of seconds, so you can get there in no time. You can play this high variance slot on any desktop or mobile device to ignite your fantasy of becoming a gangster on any device.

The Cincinnati Kid

Set during the Great Depression, The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 drama directed by Norman Jewison and starring Steve McQueen – who was, in fact, 35 years old at the time of release – in the title role. In the Thirties, Eric Stoner (McQueen), a.k.a. ‘The Cincinnati Kid’, is a promising young poker player in New Orleans. His quest to garner a reputation as the best player around leads him to challenge the ruthless Lancey ‘The Man’ Howard (Edward G. Robinson) and, ultimately, a climactic showdown with his nemesis.

Stoner is aided and abetted by his friend Shooter (Karl Malden), who thought he was the best five-card stud player in the world before his own encounter with Howard. Indeed, at the home of William Slade (Rip Torn) – a wealthy, corrupt and arrogant businessman, who has already lost heavily to Howard – the host blackmails Shooter to cheat in favour of Stoner by way of revenge.

Six players start the final game, but over a matter of hours, the field is whittled down to just Howard and Stoner. Heads-up, Shooter does, in fact, cheat in favour of Stoner but, after a series of unlikely winning hands, Stoner calls him out and refuses to continue, despite threats from Slade and his menacing associate. Lady Fingers (Joan Blondell) takes over the dealing, on the pretence that Shooter is ill, but Stoner continues to prosper.

However, in a far-fetched final hand, Stoner turns up a full house, aces full of tens, only to be denied by Howard, who turns up a queen-high straight flush; to put matters in perspective, the odds against both those hands occurring in heads-up play are 332,000,000,000/1. Nevertheless, the fanciful outcome costs Stoner all his money, plus an additional $5,000 raise, and he is ridiculed by Howard and Slade as he leaves the table. Outside, he loses a game of pitch and toss to the same show shine boy that he beat at the same game at the start of the film.