USA: 

Upbeat and chic are two words to describe Manhattan Slots, a sister brand of online-casino greats, such as Aladdin's Gold, Lucky Red, All-Star Slots, High Noon, Buzz Luck, Club UK, Club SA, Club USA, and Club World. There's nothing less to expect from an Affiliate Edge site. Everything – from Welcome Page to Welcome Offer (100% matching bonus on slots and other games, which can be claimed twice) – throbs and beckons.

The first time I land ManhattanSlots.com, I go through an easy registration process and read the equally easy-to-grasp terms and conditions. I then check out the apartment-window graphic that each leads to a game category: Slots, Table Games, Video Poker, Speciality, and Progressives. But before anything, I scrutinize the Promotions page where each Gift Box has a corresponding offer. It's quite cool, except that the third of the three boxes (the one labelled “Special Promotions”) has nothing in it.

The Slots Club page explains how players are pampered with rewards like cash backs and stuff. On his or her third deposit, a player automatically becomes a member who can advance from the Club Class tier to the Business, First, and Premier classes. The minimum benefit is a 0.11% cash back on every dollar pulled, incredible wagering bonuses and opportunities, free chips, and loyalty incentives.

I can't wait to get there so I fund my new account right away (playing currency is the US dollar). I deposit $50 and start shopping for entertaining and rewarding games. After a short elevator ride, I'm taken to the virtual game rooms.

Being a slots freak (Golden Lotus is my favorite), I pick from a small suite of instant-play games and try the 9-payliner Shopping Spree. I begin with 25c and earn some money to justify my rise to 50c, until I'm well-off enough to afford the $1 and $5 bets. With 25c, I play 45 to hit the maximum win (equivalent to $11.25 per spin)...and gain credits equivalent to $25. Not bad. It's that the overall experience of seeing the patent leather purse and shoe, pearls and flowers, perfume and lipstick, gets boring after a few spins. This is especially when I realize that the wilds (ring) and scatters (dollar sign) are as elusive as the chance to open even one Mystery Grab Bag bonus round.

To maintain my good impression of ManhattanSlots.com, I pick the fabulous-looking Diamond Dozen. The White Diamond is the substitute for all symbols, except for the Blue Diamond scatter. The free games feature, triggered by at least three Blue Diamonds appearing left to right, awards a dozen games where prizes are doubled. The Diamond Delight Feature is something to see.

Of the fifteen coins, I start spinning on $5 bets at 20 lines. It's generally a ho-hum exercise but I like seeing my win set against a depiction of the skyline on the edge of the water. I trudge along and in the ebbing seconds managed to win a free game that in a bit yields Blue Diamonds, which in turn trigger the Diamond Delight Feature. The round yields $468.

Overall, I'm disappointed that ManhattanSlots.com lacks the élan that other Affiliate Edge brands sport. But my consolation is that I make money on a rare stroke of luck (in this case, once), and that ManhattanSlots.com lives up to Affiliate Edge's reputation of making fast payments.