Get your lockpicks ready and start preparing that alibi, because it's time to Break Da Bank. This break-in themed slot has been around for a lot of years now, but you'll still find it on the vast majority of Australian pokies sites.

The game must have something going for it – it did well enough to spawn a popular sequel, after all – but, in an age of fancy 3D 5-reel slots, can this simple, little 3-reel game still compete?

Break Da Bank takes a leaf out of heist movies, with the action styled around cracking a safe. The reel icons – bars, dollar signs and BDB logos – are straightforward and clear, and all of the information about pays is displayed on the main screen rather than being hidden away in a menu.

The visuals are very simple, but there's just enough of a hint of safe-cracking about them that it works. The bright, primary colours of the game are attractive enough and, even though the game is several years old, it doesn't look particularly dated or out of style. Still, if you're a fan of cinematic intros, fancy win animations and 3D graphics then this is probably not going to be for you.

The only sound you'll hear while playing is the spin of the reels and the noise that kicks in when you get a win – there's no background music and there are no other sound effects, which is a little disappointing.

With just 3 reels and 5 paylines, gameplay couldn't be any more straightforward. Just place your bet – the betting range, anywhere between 1 and 125 coins per spin, is actually pretty huge – then hit spin and cross your fingers.

Break Da Bank is fairly low variance, so your bankroll should last for a while, but the problem with that is that there's no bonus round to chase; unless you get lucky and hit the jackpot, it's difficult to know when to call it quits and cash out.

The Break Da Bank symbol, which doubles wins with one appearance or quadruples them with two or more, is key to big wins and the excitement does start to build every time you see one.

Unfortunately, that's probably not enough to keep the game exciting for the majority of players.

With the exception of those wild BDB symbols, there's not much in the way of added value to keep players coming back here – there are no bonus features, no progressive jackpots, and no mini-games to enjoy.

In a world where players expect increasingly complex and lucrative pokies, it's difficult to imagine many people falling in love with the original Break Da Bank. One exception might be fruit machine fanatics who are seeking to replicate the experience they get in their local pub at home.

For everyone else, we recommend that you stick with the sequel, Break Da Bank Again.

Despite having a unique premise, at least until the game's sequel came along(!), Break Da Bank is actually a very simple fruit machine style game with just 5 paylines. The game has a reasonable enough jackpot but with no background music, bonus features or mini-games to break up the action, you might find it a hard slog actually getting there. If you like your slots simple then you'll love this one – it's low variance and very easy to get to grips with – otherwise we suggest that you look elsewhere. This game's sequel, for example, might be right up your alley.