Year of the Dog Slot Machine
The Year of the Dog video slot game from Genesis was produced last year to celebrate the 2018 Chinese zodiac. Keep reading our Year of the Dog review to find out all you need to know.
This video slot provides good action with 1024 ways to win, but players will need to have good bankroll management to ensure obedience from this dog-themed game.
The main character in this video slot is a cute but crazy Shi Tzu that wags its tail and leaps off the reels to chase down bonus free spins.
Don't be fooled by the dog's behaviour though, this cute canine is a challenge for all gamblers.
The large 5x4 reels are filled with traditional Chinese symbols that wish you luck and prosperity. The background and music are also Chinese-themed and set the scene well.
Although this slot worked well on all mobile devices we tested, we wouldn’t recommend playing the game on the go as its high volatility requires a solid time commitment to get the best value.
This slot does however offer a free spin bonus round with multiplying wild symbols and three choices of risk level. Luck out with this lucrative feature and you can bring the Year of the Dog under your control.
The Genesis of the Slot
The Year of the Dog video slot is brought to you by Genesis Gaming. This developer has a strong reputation for high quality style, design and mechanics. Also, themes across their titles are hugely varied.
Players of all tastes and interests will find something to enjoy from this prolific company. It seems that the player is at the forefront of Genesis Gaming's strategy, as many of their slots enjoy a healthy RTP rate.
Top Jackpot of 8000.00
Our review of the Year of the Dog slot found that bets start at 0.40 and go to 400.00 per spin.Thisoffers somethingfor low limits players, high rollers and everyone in between.
Win by combining three, four or five matching symbols from left to right across adjacent reels. The dog scatter symbol pays most generously, with five of a kind securing the game's top fixed jackpot of 8000.00 on a max bet. Standard symbols deliver prizes from 5x to 300x your bet.
The wild symbol in the Year of the Dog is a Chinese sign. This will help to increase your win lines by acting as a substitute for any other symbol but, besides that, there are no further features in the base gameplay. Action is fast and furious, especially if a player selects turbo mode but volatility makes it challenging to hit the bigger wins.
If you're not lucky with big wins in regular gameplay, you should find the free spins in the bonus round to be more fruitful.
Fetch Free Spins
When a player lands three or more Shi Tzu scatters, it triggers a bonus round. The dogs leap off the reels and after a charming animation, you get to choose how to play your bonus round.
Depending on how many scatters you landed, it 'll offer you four choices which contain between 10 and 20 free spins. These spins contain multiplier wilds with a value from x2 to x5. You can risk a chance at the higher multiplier value with a lower number of spins or play it safe and take more spins with a lower multiplier.
This element of the slot isn’t hugely exciting as the multiplier range isn't big enough to make a significant difference. Hot Choice by Amatic is an alternative slot that offers a wider range of risk for players in its bonus round. This increased risk and player choice increases the drama and enjoyability of the slot.
The Year of the Dog's bonus has advantages though. Any wild landing on the reels will multiply any win, even if it hasn't completed the combo. Also, if you land more than one multiplier, each one is counted. So three 5x multipliers on screen would multiply a win by a staggering 125.
Fun Play for Real Money
Both play and real money options are available with all major online casinos and slots. Our review of The Year of The Dog Video Slot found that this game is no different.
However, we found the bank balance in free play mode is glitchy. Whilst playing, our winnings would revert to 100.00 after every few spins. It doesn't stop you playing the game, but if like us you’d find this frustrating, you might want to consider playing elsewhere.
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More Choice and More China
An example of a recently released slot with extra volatility choice is Good Girl Bad Girl by Betsoft. You can select to play in two different modes, depending on your mood. This online slot, which has two bonuses, a choice of 15- or 30-win lines and a gamble feature, provides an exciting amount of player interactivity.
If you’re feeling in the mood to take a gamble then opt for high volatility with riskier bonus features and fewer wins. However, if you want to play it safe, then low volatility with regular wins and safe bonuses is your best bet. You can even hedge your bets and play both for increased win lines.
If you're keen to explore more Chinese-themed slots then check out Year of the Monkey by Spinomenal. Players are in for a much less volatile ride with this low variance slot that's ideal for low limits and recreational gamblers.
Just 5 paylines on 5x3 reels host a brilliant multiplier meter that increases with every consecutive non-win. Top multipliers offer 15x your win, meaning the bigger you lose, the more you'll win.
Habanero's 12 Zodiacs is another great online slot with a Chinese theme. It treats players to brilliant graphics and game-play. Also, 18 paylines offer wins with random multipliers, a big hitting free spins bonus and a progressive jackpot.
Year of the Dog - Verdict
Genesis Gaming always aim high when developing slots. They often produce variety and entertainment with their themes and game play. Clear examples of this include Journey to the West or Machine Gun Unicorns.
Our review of Year of the Dog discovered this slot falls short of that thrilling, off the wall quality the team are so good at but it isn't a bad game by any stretch. Compared to the average industry standard there's a lot on offer from this game, but we didn’t find it to be one of the very best online slots.
It’s not all bad though, potential for winning big real cash prizes is good, RTP is great and the graphics are undoubtedly high quality. So, will the luck of the Chinese zodiac be with you? Find out and play The Year of the Dog now.
