Microgaming's Burning Desire online slot is showing its age a bit now but it still offers some slick gameplay. Released in 2009, it was one of Microgaming's flagship slots with 243 ways to win. Rather than bet on every payline, a set stake is placed over every possible outcome left-to-right. That means you can earn a payout simply by landing matching icons on adjacent reels.

In look and feel, this 5-reel slot from Microgaming is more like an Ainsworth or Aristocrat slot. And you might find some similarities with other "fiery" slots like Novomatic's Sizzling Hot. But does it play like one, and is the variance terrible? Let's delve a little deeper inside to find if your desire for this Microgaming slot will be burning.

• Learn why 243 ways to win can mean regular payouts
• Play the game instantly through your browser
• Aim for a 90,000-coin jackpot with your free spins

Gameplay and graphics

The Burning Desire online slot is played on a set of 3x5 reels. The game was one of the early 243-ways-to-win games to be released. It works with "ways" instead of paylines. That means you win a real money prize simply for matching up symbols anywhere on adjacent reels. As a result, a set stake is placed across all possible win lines.

Prizes are awarded according to your coin size. The coins in Burning Desire online slots range from 0.01 to 1.00, but players can select up to 10 coins. One "coin value" is set at 0.25. That 250.00 max bet is definitely one for the bigger gamblers.

In terms of symbols, there is a range of classic icons to watch out for. It all looks very Ainsworth/Bally/Novomatic in feel and style. That's certainly the case for the royal symbols that appear with little crowns attached.

The 9-to-Ace symbols are fairly poor payers. Even five aces pays 200 coins, with the lowest payout 2 coins for 3 nines. Better are the rose (10-500 coins), BAR (12-750 coins), bell (15-1500 coins), and red 7 (7-2000 coins). The jackpot is reserved for five flaming diamonds (3000 coins).

Win Up To 90,000 Coins with Free Spins

Before we get on to the scatters in the Burning Desire online slot, let's deal with the wild. It's represented by the Burning Desire slot logo and will substitute for all regular icons other than the Bonus symbol. It will only appear on Reels 2 and 4, however.

The gold coin is the game's scatter. This pays out 1-100 coins if you land 2-5 of them anywhere. However, three or more will also trigger free spins. 15 free games are awarded with a 3x multiplier attached to each winning spin. You can also retrigger the feature by landing three further scatters.

Finally, in classic Microgaming fashion there is a Gamble feature to use. After any winning spin, you can hit the Gamble button and try your luck to double your win.

Mobile Options for Burning Desire Players

Despite its age, the Burning Desire online slot has been adapted for play on portable devices. Whatever your mobile operating system, you can load up the Burning Desire slot online for real cash. The layout of the reels actually lends itself well to mobile or smartphone play. There's nothing in the way of complex animated sequences to slow down your device and we found the game worked well in a recent version of Google Chrome.

Conclusion

Do You Have the Desire?

Microgaming's Burning Desire slot has a lot of potential for wins. It's certainly volatile, and you may be spinning for a long time before hitting winners. But if you can handle the 243-ways variance, there are big prizes to be had.

For solid alternatives with a classic spin, IGT's Wheel of Fortune Triple Extreme Spin is a great game. It offers 720 Ways to Win, but winning lines run right to left as well as left to right. There are also two bonus rounds to trigger. On a more classic theme, check out Ainsworth's Money Heat. a popular Aussie-style "pokie", money heat features free spins and in-reel bonuses where players can win 5x multipliers on their winnings.

If you have a "burning desire" to play this Microgaming classic, hunt it out at our top-rated online casinos for free. With a little bankroll management you can gauge whether the wins are hot or not.