Jack Hammer 2 Slot | 5,000x Max Win | Free Demo & Review

Jack Hammer 2 Slot: Complete Review 2026

Jack Hammer 2: Fishy Business is NetEnt's sequel to their popular comic book-inspired slot. Released in November 2013, this five-reel video slot drops you into the world of private detective Jack Hammer as he takes on the villainous Don Crabby in an underwater crime saga. The game builds on everything that made the original a fan favourite, with one big upgrade: the jump from 25 to 99 paylines. With its distinctive comic panel look, the Sticky Wins mechanic, and an above-average RTP of 97.07%, Jack Hammer 2 has earned its place among NetEnt's most enduring classics. Whether you played the original or you're meeting this crime-fighting detective for the first time, there's plenty to like here.

Game Specifications

Theme and Graphics

Jack Hammer 2: Fishy Business looks great, and it knows it. The visual style pays homage to classic American comic books from the golden age of detective fiction. NetEnt's art team built a stylised world rendered entirely in comic panel format, just like the original. The action plays out against a moody underwater backdrop with bubbling aquatic environments and shadowy corners that nail the film noir vibe.

Jack Hammer himself is your textbook hard-boiled detective: trench coat, fedora, and a refusal to let criminals off the hook. His nemesis, Don Crabby, is a clever piece of character design. He's literally a crab crime boss, cigar and all. The wordplay extends throughout the game, with aquatic puns and marine-themed criminal elements woven into the whole narrative.

The symbols are well done. High-value ones include Jack Hammer (the most lucrative regular symbol), Don Crabby, Pearl (the damsel in distress), and various crime-fighting gear. Lower-value symbols keep the underwater theme going while adding variety to the reels. Each winning combo triggers animated comic panels where characters strike dynamic poses and action sequences. It's a nice touch.

The soundtrack fits perfectly. Jazzy undertones reminiscent of 1940s detective films mix with tension-building cues during bonus features. Sound effects are punchy and satisfying, especially the distinctive "sticky" sound during Sticky Wins that gives each re-spin some tactile weight. NetEnt clearly put effort into the audiovisual package, and it shows. The game still looks and sounds appealing even after more than a decade.

Gameplay Mechanics

Jack Hammer 2 uses a five-reel, three-row setup that'll feel familiar, but the 99 fixed paylines set it apart. That's a big jump from the original's 25, and it means significantly more winning opportunities on every spin. The expanded payline structure lets matching symbols form combinations in many more ways across the grid. The result? Frequent payouts, even if they tend to be smaller.

The betting system is flexible. You adjust wagers using bet levels (1 to 10) and coin values (£0.01 to £0.50). These multiply together and then by 50 to set your total stake per spin. That gives you a range from £0.50 at minimum to £250 at maximum. Casual players and high rollers can both find a comfortable spot.

Winning combinations require three to five matching symbols on one of the 99 paylines, paying left to right from the leftmost reel. The paytable is balanced without extreme gaps between symbol values, so you get steady payouts rather than wild swings. Jack Hammer is the highest-paying regular symbol at 1,000 coins for five of a kind, while Don Crabby and Pearl show up more often to keep things moving.

The Wild symbol looks like a classic comic book "Kapow!" text effect with explosive styling. It substitutes for all regular symbols except the scatter, helping complete winning combinations. The Wild doesn't pay on its own, but its ability to fill gaps in potential paylines makes it valuable during both base play and bonus rounds.

The interface is clean. All controls sit at the bottom of the screen, easy to find and use. There's an autoplay function with preset spin limits, and the paytable is accessible if you want to check symbol values or feature details. Animations run smoothly throughout, keeping extended sessions comfortable.

Bonus Features

Jack Hammer 2: Fishy Business keeps its bonus features focused rather than piling on complexity. NetEnt refined the core features from the original, creating a streamlined experience that gets straight to the point.

Sticky Wins Feature

Sticky Wins is the backbone of Jack Hammer 2's gameplay, and it's trademarked by NetEnt as one of their signature mechanics. Whenever a winning payline forms during base play or free spins, all symbols in that winning combination lock in place. They stay "sticky" while everything else re-spins.

The re-spins keep going as long as new winning symbols or Wilds land on the grid. Each new matching symbol joins the locked ones, triggering another re-spin. This continues until either the entire grid fills with winning symbols (rare, but it happens) or a re-spin fails to add anything new.

This mechanic changes how each spin feels. A modest three-of-a-kind can snowball into a much bigger payout as re-spins keep adding symbols. There's real anticipation watching each re-spin, wondering if another matching symbol will drop in. The 99 paylines amplify this, since more winning combinations mean more chances for Sticky Wins to kick in.

Free Spins Feature

Free Spins trigger when you land five or more Electric Eel scatter symbols anywhere on the reels at once. That's a higher requirement than the standard three scatters most slots use, but the 99 paylines make hitting five more realistic than you'd think. The Electric Eel symbols have distinctive lightning bolt designs, so they're easy to spot.

Your free spin count depends on how many scatters you land. Five scatters give you 10 free spins, six give 13, seven give 16, and eight or more award the maximum of 20. So there's reason to root for extra scatters beyond the minimum.

During free spins, all wins get a 2x multiplier. Everything doubles. That's a step down from the 3x multiplier in the original Jack Hammer, but the expanded payline count compensates by delivering more frequent wins.

Random Wilds During Free Spins

Free spins also bring random Wild symbols into play. These can appear on any spin during the bonus, adding extra substitution potential. The random Wilds have their own designs (Jack Hammer's raised fist or Don Crabby's menacing orange claw), making them distinct from the standard Wild.

These random Wilds can go sticky too. When they contribute to a winning combination, they lock in place during re-spins, potentially boosting wins significantly. The combination of the 2x multiplier, Sticky Wins, and random Wilds creates a volatile free spins round where big payouts can build quickly.

Free Spins Retrigger

You can retrigger free spins by landing five or more scatters during the bonus. Additional scatters follow the same tier structure as the initial trigger. The total free spins cap is 40 for a single bonus session, which still allows for extended feature play and serious win potential.

RTP and Volatility Analysis

Jack Hammer 2 has an RTP of 97.07%, which puts it well above the industry average of about 96%. In theory, for every £100 wagered over a long period, the game returns £97.07. Keep in mind that RTP is calculated over millions of spins and doesn't guarantee specific returns in any single session.

The slight bump from the original Jack Hammer's 97% shows NetEnt's commitment to improving player value in the sequel. Compared to many modern slots hovering around 95-96%, Jack Hammer 2's RTP is genuinely good. That said, some casinos may offer adjusted RTP versions, so check your platform's specific setting before you play.

Volatility is classified as low to medium (some sources just call it low). The game tends to produce frequent, smaller wins rather than rare massive payouts. Those 99 paylines play a big role here, ensuring most spins return something. If you prefer regular action over long dry spells followed by occasional big hits, this is your kind of slot.

High RTP plus low-to-medium volatility makes Jack Hammer 2 a good fit for conservative bankroll management. Frequent wins sustain your session, while Sticky Wins can deliver larger payouts when re-spins chain together well. This balance works for a wide audience, from newcomers wanting accessible gameplay to experienced players who appreciate the mathematical edge of that high RTP.

For reference, the original Jack Hammer offered a 3,000x maximum win with similar volatility. Jack Hammer 2 reduced that to 1,980x in exchange for the expanded payline structure. More frequent engagement, slightly lower peak potential. That was NetEnt's design trade-off for the sequel.

Max Win Potential

Maximum win potential in Jack Hammer 2 is 1,980x your stake. You'd need optimal symbol alignments during free spins with active multipliers and Sticky Wins to hit that ceiling. It's lower than the original's 3,000x, but it still translates to significant money at higher stakes.

At the maximum bet of £250 per spin, the theoretical max win comes to £495,000. That's life-changing money. Even at more modest stakes, the 1,980x multiplier delivers solid returns. A £1 stake could yield £1,980, and £10 per spin could turn into £19,800 from a single bonus round.

Hitting the maximum requires an ideal free spins scenario: the 2x multiplier applied to a fully optimised Sticky Wins sequence with premium symbols. Random Wilds during free spins help by substituting for high-value symbols and extending Sticky Wins chains. Perfect alignments like that are statistically rare, but the low-to-medium volatility means wins in the hundreds or low thousands times stake are more achievable than in high-volatility games.

The lower max win compared to the original is offset by those 99 paylines. More paylines mean more chances for combinations to form. Individual wins may be smaller, but the cumulative effect across multiple spins can be comparable. It's a design choice that prioritises consistent entertainment over chasing one massive jackpot.

Be realistic about the max win. The 1,980x figure is an upper theoretical limit, not a common result. Low-to-medium volatility means most winning sessions will land well below that ceiling, but they'll happen more often and with more consistency than you'd get from higher volatility slots.

Mobile Compatibility

Jack Hammer 2 uses NetEnt Touch optimisation, so it works smoothly across all mobile devices and tablets. The game adapts to different screen sizes and orientations automatically. Touch controls translate everything to intuitive taps and swipes, and mobile gameplay feels natural.

The comic book art style works especially well on mobile screens. Bold colours and clear symbol designs stay easy to read on smaller displays. Animations run smoothly without killing your battery or slowing your device. Load times are quick on modern mobile connections, and visual quality holds up across platforms.

Every feature works on mobile: Sticky Wins, Free Spins, autoplay, all of it. The game supports portrait and landscape modes, so you can play however you prefer. It's built on HTML5, which means no app download needed. Just open your mobile browser, load up your casino, and you're playing.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Exceptional RTP of 97.07%, significantly above industry average
• 99 paylines provide numerous winning opportunities per spin
• Innovative Sticky Wins feature creates exciting re-spin chains
• Stunning comic book visual design that remains appealing after a decade
• Low-to-medium volatility ensures frequent wins and sustained gameplay
• Free spins feature with 2x multiplier and random Wilds
• Excellent mobile optimisation through NetEnt Touch
• Flexible betting range accommodating various bankroll sizes
• Engaging storyline and character design
• Retrigger potential during free spins up to 40 total spins

Cons

• Maximum win of 1,980x is lower than the original game's 3,000x
• Free spins multiplier reduced from 3x to 2x compared to original
• Requires five scatters to trigger free spins (higher than standard)
• Graphics, whilst charming, show their age compared to modern releases
• Low volatility may disappoint players seeking massive single payouts
• Some casinos may offer reduced RTP versions
• Limited variety in bonus features compared to contemporary slots
• Minimum bet of £0.50 may be high for some casual players

Expert Verdict

Jack Hammer 2: Fishy Business is a sequel that improves on the original where it counts. The expansion to 99 paylines transforms the gameplay, giving you substantially more winning opportunities and keeping sessions from going stale. Pair that with the 97.07% RTP, and you've got genuine mathematical value that sharp players will notice.

Sticky Wins is still the star of the show. Watching symbols lock into place as re-spins build your winning combinations doesn't get old. The reduced max win and lower free spins multiplier compared to the original might bother returning fans, but those trade-offs are balanced by the increased payline count and better hit frequency.

The comic book aesthetic has aged well. In 2026, the stylised visuals still hold up. NetEnt's character design, animation, and sound work together to create an immersive noir detective experience that few slots match. The underwater crime theme is a unique twist, and characters like Don Crabby give the game real personality.

Jack Hammer 2 is best suited to players who want consistent entertainment rather than volatile boom-or-bust action. Low-to-medium volatility means regular winning combinations, making it a strong choice for extended sessions or moderate bankrolls. If you're chasing life-changing single-spin potential, higher volatility slots are a better fit. But for reliable, entertaining gameplay backed by strong maths, Jack Hammer 2 is still a great pick more than a decade after release.

Expert Rating: 4.2/5

Jack Hammer 2 earns a strong recommendation for its combination of high RTP, engaging mechanics, distinctive visual style, and player-friendly volatility profile. Whilst it may lack the feature complexity of modern releases, its core gameplay loop remains satisfying and rewarding.