Ritchie Valens La Bamba - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Fan of the '50s? If so, this incredibly well-designed, music-themed slot (https://www.slotstemple.com/slots-by-theme/musicians-bands/) will take you right back to the golden age of rock and roll.

The audio-visuals are absolutely on point, with three original songs by Ritchie Valens and highly detailed graphics evoking an iconic '50s diner. On the reels is the teenage heartthrob himself depicted as an expanding wild that doubles every win for a maximum base game payout of 2000 coins.

This slot is all about the free spins. Land six scatters to trigger 20 free games with random multipliers. Up to 20 free spins can then be retriggered.

Although the gameplay here is absolutely classic, a few practice spins will let you appreciate the sheer attention to detail in this slot without worrying about your bankroll. Search for slots by software to play La Bamba and other great Realtime Gaming online slots for free at Slots Temple.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack

Everything from the chrome, red and baby blue colour scheme to the rock 'n roll soundtrack screams vintage in this gorgeous slot.

Ritchie Valens was a rock pioneer who was killed in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on the Day the Music Died. Just 18 years old, Valens had already had several hits, including the classic La Bamba; it’s a shame we don’t get to hear it in this slot.

A pioneer of Latin Rock, he inspired everyone from Los Lobos and Carlos Santana to the Ramones. His legacy lives on in the music he left behind, some of which appears in this slot.

This is very much a fan homage to the musician, with fan club badges, radio sets and autograph books among the '50s-styled game symbols. We love the way you can select which song to play so you get to listen to some of Ritchie Valens' great music as you spin.

Ritchie Valens La Bamba RTP and Variance

Despite the amazing audio-visuals on offer, the fact that Realtime Gaming hasn’t reported RTP or volatility is disappointing. The paytable is rewarding, but the lack of stats will inevitably put some players off.

How to play Ritchie Valens La Bamba

Realtime Gaming has done a great job of capturing the '50s vintage feel in this slot, right down to the player interface. Each component is clearly labelled, making setup a breeze. 

New to slots? Our quick guide to playing this classic game will help:

1. Before you start, click the Help & Rules button to the right of the 5x3-reel grid. All the information you need on payouts, symbols and bonus features is right there. You can also click the Help button at the bottom right corner of the screen.
2. There’s a choice of three Ritchie Valens songs to soundtrack your spins. Look for the play button in the top right corner and use the arrows to select the track you want to play.
3. Light up one, two or three red lights on the Speed menu to play faster or slower.
4. Use the up and down arrows to select a bet per spin.
5. You can set up autospin options and control sounds by clicking on the Menu bottom at the bottom right of the screen.
6. When you’re ready to rock and roll, either start your autoplay spins or press spin to launch one game.

Whenever you play a new slot, set up some timeouts and choose a stake that lets you get the most out of your session budget. When the fun stops or you reach your limit, stop spinning.

Bet Sizes & Paytable Wins

If you’re a high roller, you’re out of luck, but casual and new players will enjoy spinning the La Bamba slot from as little as 0.30 to 7.50 coins per game.

This slot has a fairly generous paytable, with all wins, including the Ritchie Valens wild, being doubled. These are the max six-of-a-kind wins, which are calculated as multipliers of your stake:

- Fan club pin pays 1000x
- Guitar pays 500x
- TV set pays 250x
- Shoes pay 200x
- Record players pays 200x
- Autograph book pasy 150x
- Photo pays 150x
- Tickets pay 120x
- Radio pays 120x

Ritchie Valens La Bamba Bonus Features

This is a classic-style slot, which means it relies on base game modifiers and a free spins bonus to build potential.

Ritchie Valens Expanding Wild

The man himself is the wild in this slot and will replace any symbol, including the scatter. Whenever he appears on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5, the wild symbol expands to cover the reel for multiple wins.

Every win, including an expanded wild, is doubled with a 2x multiplier.

La Bamba Free Games Feature

Land four or more leftward or rightward scatters to trigger between 8 and 20 free spins. 

A random multiplier of 1x, 2x or 3x is awarded for each win. Land four or more scatters to retrigger 20 free games.

Ritchie Valens La Bamba Review

If you love classic slots in all senses of the word, La Bamba is a winner. You may not get to hear the song itself, but there’s plenty of great music and a terrific free games feature with up to 3x multipliers and massive retriggers. Plus, Ritchie himself is the expanding wild with a 2x multiplier.

IGT’s Elvis The King Lives is also highly recommended.

Disclaimer: Ritchie Valens La Bamba trademark / license is owned by Real Time Gaming. This site is not endorsed by Real Time Gaming.