Plinko vs Plinko 2

Plinko and Plinko 2 by BGaming are arcade-style casino titles offering fun and fast-paced gaming. The games were released six years apart, so this review investigates the main differences between the two and why you might choose one over the other. We cover the mechanics, win potential, and special features in each game, and help you decide whether to play Plinko or Plinko 2 at the top online casinos in Australia.

Plinko vs Plinko 2 Casino Games Comparison

Game Concept & Core Mechanics

First, what can you expect when you play Plinko and Plinko 2? What are the game mechanics like, and how do the games differ? Let’s investigate.

Plinko

The original BGaming Plinko game is based on the arcade game from the game show The Price is Right. You can choose to play with eight to 16 active lines, with risk levels ranging from low to high. The pyramid sits to the right of the screen, and when you hit the PLAY button, a pink ball will appear at the top of the pyramid and cascade towards the multiplier sections at the bottom. You can play in manual mode or auto mode – the latter can release up to 1,000 balls at any given time, depending on your preferred pace of play.

That’s it, in a nutshell. The original Plinko has no special features or bonus elements, so it’s the ideal game to play if you’re looking for a Plinko game inspired by the original arcade game that we all know and love.

Plinko 2

The core mechanics in Plinko 2 are the same as those in the original game, but a few additions make it more appealing to some players. The first difference is the inclusion of the multiplier ball chance. Each time you play, you can activate the chance of a ball with a 2x or 4x multiplier dropping from the top, increasing your win potential. There’s also the re-spin chance, with vortexes added to the bottom cells. If any balls land in one of these vortexes, you will receive a free drop while keeping the multiplier from the original ball.

We also like the inclusion of the pyramid multiplier feature. You can place up to three movable 2x multiplier sections on the pyramid. If the ball passes through them on its way to the bottom of the grid, your payout will be doubled. These additions are included as “buy features,” which we introduce in the gameplay comparison section below.

Gameplay Comparison

The gameplay in Plinko and Plinko 2 is very similar. In both games, a round begins with a pyramid on the right side of the screen. After adjusting the bet lines and risk level, you click the big PLAY button to get the game underway. The pink ball will then cascade from the top to the bottom of the pyramid, before landing in a multiplier segment, awarding an instant payout.

We like that both games have a live table on the left side of the screen, which indicates your total bet, payout, and the profit or loss you’ve made since starting. This is a handy feature in both games if you’ve activated autoplay, as keeping track of the number of balls can be challenging.

But now for the gameplay differences. We touched on the fundamental differences above, but here’s an overview of the gameplay differences in Plinko and Plinko 2 to be mindful of:

Number of Balls

In Plinko, you can only play with one ball per round. In Plinko 2, you can activate up to 100 balls per round. This can be a little hectic, so be sure to track your payouts and profit in the table to avoid betting more than you can afford to lose.

Buy Features

If you want to toggle the special additional features in Plinko 2, you must pay for them. Based on a 1.00 bet with medium risk and eight lines active, the features cost as follows:

• Pyramid multipliers = 0.60
• Re-spin chance = 0.20
• Multiplier ball chance = 0.20

So, for instance, if you want to activate the movable pyramid multipliers, your base bet would cost 1.60 rather than 1.00, while activating the chance of a re-spin would cost 1.20 instead of the standard wager of 1.00.

Please note that the cost of the special features increases when you heighten the risk level, lines, and bet amount. We encourage you to gamble responsibly and only activate these special features if you have the bankroll.

💬 Editor’s Note: The main reason to play Plinko 2 is to access these special ‘buy features.’ However, proceed with caution. Sure, they allow you to activate bigger multipliers and even a multiplier ball, but they will cost you more per game. So, you must weigh up risk and reward. If you’re a low-budget Plinko player, opt for the original, but if you have more money to gamble, the second game offers bigger win potential.

Visuals & Design

While the games aren’t carbon copies of one another, the visual similarities are striking. The background in Plinko is green/blue with a purple hue, while the background in Plinko 2 is a deeper purple. In both games, the ball is pink.

The graphics in the second game are slightly sharper, but honestly, there’s very little difference, which is a little surprising given the games were released six years apart.
You’ll also notice that the soundtrack differs in both games but has a similar beat and pace. Ultimately, while the games look and sound slightly different, we feel that BGaming could have done more to differentiate the sequel, given its additional features.

💬 Editor’s Note: If I were a BGaming designer, I would have gone to town in Plinko 2 and perhaps added a special theme, a bit like they did with the 2023 release of Easter Plinko. Though the subtle colour-scheme change has helped differentiate the two, I don’t think BGaming has done enough to make Plinko 2 stand out from the crowd. I think they’ve missed a trick here, and for me, Plinko 2 is too similar to the original from a graphic standpoint.

Performance & Technical Improvements

We tested Plinko versus Plinko 2 on several devices, including laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, and tablets. BGaming is a mobile-first developer, ensuring all its games are optimised for gameplay on the small screen.

This was evident in both Plinko and Plinko 2. Both games worked seamlessly on smartphones and tablets, adjusting to fit the screen without any issue. We also didn’t experience any lag or problems while playing either game on any device.

One thing to note, however, is that the pyramid looks relatively small on mobile screens, particularly if you activate all sixteen lines. If you plan to play with the grid at full tilt, you might enjoy both Plinko and Plinko 2 more on a laptop or desktop computer, but it’s entirely up to you which device you decide to play on.

Community Feedback & Reception

There aren’t any Reddit feeds or Trustpilot reviews relating to BGaming’s Plinko games, so it’s difficult to gauge the community reception of either release. However, BGaming, as a provider, has a reasonable reputation for releasing high RTP games with regular payouts. After all, the RTP in both Plinko games is 99%, considerably higher than the industry average of 96%.

Another factor to consider is that BGaming’s Plinko vs Plinko 2 are widely available at many of the top online pokies in Australia. This reinforces trust, as licensed online casinos only stock games from legitimate studios.  For further peace of mind, BGaming is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority, one of the world’s leading online gambling regulators.

Strengths & Weaknesses

We want to leave you with the pros and cons of both Plinko games to help you decide which to play:

Plinko Advantages

• ✅ Simplicity: Plinko is the simpler of the games to play, without any advanced features to purchase. If you’re looking for straightforward Plinko gameplay, play the original BGaming game.
• ✅ Nostalgic gameplay: We appreciate the nostalgic, old-school vibe of the original Plinko. It stays true to the original game known and loved in the 1980s.
• ✅ More widely available: Plinko is more widely available at Aussie casinos than Plinko 2, so it’s easier to find the game and to play for real money.

Plinko 2 Advantages

• ✅ Advanced features: The buy features make Plinko 2 worth playing, if you can afford to activate them. We love the pyramid multipliers, chance re-spin, and multiplier ball, all adding a new dimension to the gameplay.
• ✅ Up to 100 balls per game: Enable as many as 100 balls per round, rather than a single ball in the original Plinko. This lets you play more quickly.
• ✅ Broader bet limits: The minimum bet in Plinko 2 is 0.10, compared to 1.00 in the original game. Thanks to the multi-ball system, you can increase your wager to 2,500 per round, with all 100 balls active.

Common Weaknesses

• ❌ Uninspired design: There’s nothing overly exciting about either Plinko game’s design, visuals, and graphics. While fine for nostalgia and arcade-style gaming, we feel that BGaming could be a little more daring when designing these games.
• ❌ Low multipliers: Even when you’re playing with low risk, the central multiplier in both games is 0.5x, meaning that, if the ball lands here, you lose 50% of your stake each time. We’d like this multiplier to increase to 0.75x for a better chance of winning over time.
• ❌ Autoplay is risky: We understand why autoplay is offered, but we feel that it encourages irresponsible gameplay. When you activate it, the games move so quickly, making it much more difficult to bet within your means and control your expenditure.

Final Verdict on Plinko vs Plinko 2 Review

BGaming has done a decent job with Plinko and Plinko 2, and both games are a hit at many real money online casinos in Australia. We recommend the original Plinko if you’re looking for a no-nonsense arcade-style casino game inspired by the Price is Right Plinko in the 1980s. However, the sequel suits players who want more advanced gameplay, with Buy Features such as multiplier balls and re-spins.

BGaming could have pushed the design further; there are more visually striking options elsewhere. For example, NetGaming’s Zeus’ Thunderbolt Plinko and Olympus Plinko by Betsoft have inspired ancient Greek themes for something a little more exciting.

But, the bottom line is that Plinko vs Plinko 2 are high RTP games with decent win potential, so sign up and play either at top Aussie online casinos today.