Each Way Nudger MK3: up, down and a £15 jackpot

Each Way Nudger puts its main idea right in front of you: the reels can be nudged up as well as down when the appropriate option is offered. That gives the familiar nudge game its twist. You are looking at the symbols on both sides of the win line, rather than only the ones above it.

The machine pictured here is an Each Way Nudger MK3 with Crystal branding, a 20p-play marking and a £15 jackpot. That distinction matters because Each Way Nudger is also a long-running JPM name. This particular cabinet should not be described using the specification of the earlier JPM £2 machines.

There is no sprawling adventure board to follow. Instead, the upper glass is dominated by a ladder showing one to ten nudges, two large Nudge Down and Nudge Up panels, and the payout chart. The artwork is almost an explanation of the game on its own.

Below it, three reels carry the fruit, bell, bar and seven symbols. The win line runs straight across them, with another payout guide beside the reel window. A separate gamble display sits on the right, adding a second part to the game beyond lining up the reels.

The controls follow the same straightforward approach: three Hold/Nudge buttons, Cancel, Gamble and Start/Take It. It is a compact set of choices, and you do not need to decipher a screen full of small feature icons to see what the buttons are for.

That simplicity is the appeal of this version. Its identity comes from the two nudge directions and the clear ladder on the top glass. The large £15 disc, red cabinet and bold lettering finish off a machine that is much easier to recognise than its old, generic description suggested.