Bella Napoli

Capecod Gaming, a small design company based in Italy that has been making a name for itself of late, mixes patriotism with business in their latest slot, Bella Napoli. Celebrating some of Naples’ folklore, culture, and – let’s be honest – stereotypes, this slot attempts to transport players to Italy’s southern, mafiosi-rich city while attempting to grow their bankrolls. The game is visually cluttered, which is strangely appropriate for a depiction of Naples.

Theme

The “Cittá del sole” (city of the sun), as Naples is sometimes called, inspires this slot, and all gaming symbols bring a part of Neapolitan culture to light. These include mandolins, pizzas (Napoli is said to be the birthplace of pizza), tiny cups of coffee, a donkey wearing the soccer jersey of the local club, baked goods, hot peppers, and castles. The wild symbol is a dancing child in carnival costume, while tiles from the Tombola game (which provides the basis for bonus play) acts as scatter. The reels stand before a packed cityscape, where menu placards stand inches from laundry drying on the line. Playful mandolin music sounds in the background, increasing the Italian feel.

Betting Options and Functions

The straightforward nature of this game’s betting structure is the least Neapolitan element by far. Simply adjust the number paylines from one to 25, and choose the level of bet per payline from 0.01 to 1.00, for an overall bet range of 0.01–25.00 times the betting currency per spin. Autoplay is available up to 1,000 turns of the reels, and a series of icons in the upper-right hand corner of the game screen provide options explaining payouts and rules, as well as varying the sound levels and other elements of gameplay. The theoretic return to player is a middle-of-the-road 95.14%.

Features

Bella Napoli offers an interesting variation on free spins, based on Tombola, the classic Italian household game similar to Bingo. When three or more scatter symbols land on a winning payline, players are taken to a Tombola subgame, the result of which determines how many free spins will be awarded. Up to 50 spins may be triggered at a time.

When play begins, the daytime cityscape background of base play is replaced with a festive night on the town, with sparklers all around. Free spins can be re-triggered within bonus play. Random wilds also appear: these appear on the reels after they have stopped spinning, taking the place of a lower-value symbol to form extra winning combinations and increase the size of existing wins.

Our Take

As a smaller company in a field dominated by gaming giants, Capecod Gaming shows a lot of heart with Bella Napoli. This homage to one of Italy’s most beloved cities certainly has an original theme, a unique feel, and decent play. All the same, the hectic visual quality of the slot is not quite matched by its features, which are entirely ordinary. This game is well worth at try, especially for those who want to feel as if they were spending an hour or two in beautiful Naples, but players are not likely to want to linger for long.