Forrest Gump Slots

Review of Forrest Gump Slots

Quick question: how would it ever be possible for anyone who has seen Forrest Gump to write an unbiased review of this game? It simply isn’t possible. The movie is just so amazing and you find yourself falling in love with all of the characters right from the very beginning. The entire story is just absolutely heartwarming and it truly is one of the best films of all time.

Does it sound like I might be a little biased? Yes it does, but rightfully so. Most of us would agree that this was Tom Hanks’ best movie, correct? At the very worst, it’s Top 3. So if this is one of the best ever actor’s best ever movies, obviously that’s going to stir some positive emotions. Just think how horrific it is that the producers originally wanted to give the role to John Travolta! Thank goodness, he passed on it! (This is 100% true – go look it up.)

All of that to say: this professional review of Forrest Gump Slots is being written by someone who both loves Tom Hanks and the film. If you don’t feel the same way, you might just want to stop reading this now and select a different review to enjoy. For the rest of us “Forrest Fanatics”, lets start our stroll down memory lane…

Screenshots

The screenshots below clearly illustrate how crazy the character interpretations are from a design standpoint – more on that in a minute. The imagery kind of looks like it was created around the same time that the movie came out in the 1990s but that’s obviously not the case.

Storyline

If you are reading this review and you haven’t seen the movie yet, please bookmark this page, turn off your computer, and go watch it with someone you love. Twice. It is a classic piece of American cinema that should be both enjoyed and studied for the rest of time.

To refresh those of you who haven’t seen the film in a while, this story follows Forrest from childhood to adulthood, chronicling all of the lives he touched along the way. Icons such as Elvis and Nixon were only two names on the long list of people who were influenced by Forrest during his journey through life. Our unlikely hero teaches viewers many lessons along the way, none of which is more important than, “Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.”

There is no firm storyline from the movie in Forrest Gump Slots, however, the imagery and bonus rounds are all taken directly from the film and everything comes together to bring back some fond memories. If you want to be picky, the lack of a storyline could definitely be considered as one of the game’s weaknesses.

Unique Symbols

So let’s go ahead and address the biggest issue in this release: the unique symbols. Sure all of our favorite characters are there but doesn’t there seem to be something a little different about them? We are of course referring to the fact that the characters don’t look anything like the actors who portrayed them and they’re almost comical renditions.

It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking that they actually look like the actors from the movie. However, maybe this was done on purpose? It wouldn’t be surprising if there was something in their contracts about “not being able to use their likenesses without permission”.

This is presumably the result of the software developers not wanting to pay to license the images of the actors, or perhaps they just didn’t want to be included. Either way, the symbols definitely take a little getting used to.

Lastly, let’s choose to ignore the glaring omission of a Mykelti Williamson because there’s no point in getting angry. Everyone will wholeheartedly agree that Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue should have definitely made it in. And that’s all I have to say about that.

• Bubba Gump Shrimp Hat
• Army Helmet
• Ping Pong Paddles
• Peace Symbol
• Lieutenant Dan Taylor
• Jenny Curran (As Flower Child)
• Forrest’s House
• Football (Bonus)
• Box of Chocolates (Scatter)
• Forrest on a Bench (Wild)

As one could have easily predicted, Forrest is worth the most and it gives you 5,000 coins for five of a kind. Next is the beautiful Jenny paying 500, and then a smiling Lieutenant Dan dishing out 200 coins for 5 in a row.

Jackpots

As is the case with most movie-themed slots created by NYX, there is a jackpot in Forrest Gump. This comes in the form of their “Hollywood Jackpot” that can go off at any time and without warning. If triggered, you will be taken to a Pick Em’ style area offering four different amounts and you’ll keep the prize that you reveal: all of the numbers will be based on your original wager size.

Bonus Rounds

Amazingly, the bonus round in Forrest Gump is called the “Run Forrest Run Feature” and is awarded when 3 or more Footballs hit the reels during one spin. Be warned that this one is a little tricky because it’s almost like a video game. You are required to use the arrow keys on your keyboard to direct Forrest on the football field as he avoids tackles from the opposing players so you have to move him left and right as he runs towards the end zone.

This will be fun for some but for others it might be difficult to take over the controls and use the keyboard. That said, if you’re someone who likes video games and being able to control the action, you will definitely enjoy the Run Forrest Run Feature. Some may not like the fact that it’s impossible to know if the outcome is predetermined or if you’re actually controlling your own financial fate. Regardless of whether or not you have skill you’ll still have fun with it, though.

In any event, for every 10 yards that you gain, the more loot you will receive. If you successfully lead Forrest all the way down the field to score you will win the Touchdown Bonus, which is usually slightly more than double the amount that you were awarded for your yards gained. (So it’s basically like a 2x multiplier on your extra cash.)

Free Spins

The Forrest Gump free spins mode is a little strange and it really isn’t like what you’re probably used to. Technically a bonus round, this is called the “Box of Chocolate Feature“, which is of course triggered by three or more Chocolate Box Scatters anywhere on the reels.

It’s basically a version of a Pick Em’ style area where you are first presented with a box of 9 chocolates that you select from that each reveal different amounts of spins. You will continue to pick to add to your total until you select the chocolate that hides the “Start” command.

Then a different box of chocolates becomes the playing area in the style of a “mini set of reels” and your freeroll starts with the various types of chocolates acting as unique symbols. There is a payout table on the left side of the screen that shows you your possible win amounts that are of course a multiple of the original wager you entered with.

Once your spins on the chocolate box reels have been completed you will cash out and all of the funds will be added to your balance.

Graphics

Let’s be honest, this machine isn’t going to win any awards for its graphics but that doesn’t mean that they’re bad. In fact, the dated images add to the overall charm of the game, and like the movie itself, they’re kind of like a time capsule. This is of course aided by the fact that the character symbols are cartoon versions of the actual actors.

In addition, this title deserves praise for having a very cool bonus round that you simply won’t see anywhere else. Even though many people will probably be clumsy when trying to control it, the Run Forrest Run Feature is going to appeal to most fans since it’s taken directly from one of the best scenes of the movie. If you’re someone who is able to move Forrest smoothly on the field, it’s going to be tons of fun to play.

Audio & Soundtrack

During the action you’ll hear classic quotes from the movie such as, “That’s all I have to say about that,” but unfortunately it wasn’t taken directly from the movie and it definitely wasn’t Tom Hanks’ voice. Same with, “My name’s Forrest Gump, people call me Forrest Gump,” and “Life is like a box of chocolates“. Hearing these quotes from anyone other than Hanks himself feels dirty and wrong. Whoever did the voice of Forrest in this game should know that they actually sound more like someone doing a terrible impression of Ringo Starr.

Thankfully, the audios are rescued by the fact that the soundtrack includes the beautiful score that plays during the end credits of the movie that was composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri. It arrives in the Life is Like a Box of Chocolates round as your candies fall from the sky and into the box.

Other than the above, the audios are pretty much identical to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Slots, (also created by NYX), so you get the “horse galloping” audios as the reels stop and the authentic sound of a one-armed bandit being pulled with each spin.

Conclusion

It’s absolutely impossible for people who are fans of Forrest Gump to not have fun when playing this game. It gives you almost everything that you could ask for and although there are a couple of disappointments, they are small when compared to the things that NYX got right. Although there isn’t a strong storyline behind it, this release will conjure up tons of memories and definitely put a smile on your face.

When you add the above to the decent jackpot, loads of free spins, and amazing bonus rounds, even casual fans of the movie will enjoy playing this release for at least a few sessions. This title has more than enough features to keep you interested and its payouts do seem generous. Simply stated, it’s a heck of a lot of fun from start to finish.

I’m not a smart woman, but I know what a good online slot game is.

Random Video of Forrest Gump

After talking about this movie at length we should take a peek behind the curtain and get a glimpse of how it came to be. So here’s an amazing video of the backroom auditions for Forrest Gump, complete with Jenny, Forrest, and Forrest Jr. It’s fantastic to see that the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Haley Joel Osment was there from the very beginning. Enjoy!