Tales of Alvara Slot Machine
As the well-known nursery rhyme goes: “if you go down into the woods today, you're sure for a big surprise.” And we're not talking about teddy bears having a picnic, we're talking about something much more mind-boggling – fairies! Tales of Alvara is a 5-reel slot machine from a little-known software company called Betixon which presents 40 paylines filled with enchanting woodland creatures and plentiful winning opportunities.
While the low to medium volatility game is sure to provide a few wins for all punters, it has to be said that the design and bonus gameplay has a little left to be desired. That's not to say that game is unpleasant to look at or that it doesn't offer some rewarding special features, it is more to say that the appearance and gameplay is a bit generic and predictable when compared to what already exists on the market.
Do You Believe in Fairies?
Who didn't spend their childhood searching their gardens for fairies? When you're young, you can imagine that a single bush is a magical woodland in which otherworldly creatures dwell, or that there are ancient colonies of weird creature hiding under rocks. Nowadays, children's imaginative abilities are spent in front of TV screens and video games consoles. Which is just as well considering that they would probably find nothing more magical than empty crisp packets and discarded tins of lager if they were to go rustling around in their local parks!
If you want to rekindle that childhood sense of wonder, then you should have a spin of Tales of Alvara. This magical forest themed slot machine presents a verdant game screen that is bursting with plant life and the odd fluttering butterfly (we'll learn more about this little guy later on). Upon the reels, players will discover a trio of beautiful fairies dressed in earthy green, fiery red and tranquil blue. These characters are designed in perfectly respectable fashion, although it has to be said the game's appearance does feel a little bit generic.
Pixie-Sizes Prizes
Not only does this slot machine promise a bit of mystery and intrigue, but it also promises to throw up some rewarding spinning action. The low to medium variance slot pays out prizes on a fairly frequent level with a top line bet multiplier worth 500x. This particular prize is paid whenever five matching “Wild” mushroom symbols appear on one of the 40 fixed paylines. This will turn the game's top total bet option of 20.00 credits into a 250 coin jackpot. The minimum bet available to play with is just 0.40 credits.
One of the disappointing aspects of this game is the fairly primitive range of gameplay controls and options. Other than the fact that players can mute the game, choose their bet, see a simple paytable and spin the reels, there isn't really much else to fiddle around with. Of course, this might just suit some players who don't feel the need to turn on 'Turbo Mode' or toggle the 'Gamble Feature', but the game could at least have offered the customary 'Auto-Spin' feature.
Keep an Eye on the Butterfly
Things don't get too complicated either when it comes to the bonus gameplay elements of Tales of Alvara. The slot machine includes the usual scatter icon and wild symbol, the former of which will trigger a round of 10 free spins with a x3 multiplier applied to all wins whenever three or more appear in any position. It might not take you on an exciting adventure deeper into the woods, but it still has the potential to significantly boost your bankroll. Punters should also keep an eye out for the butterfly that lingers around the reels, because this little critter has the power to fly across the reels after every spin to turn a random icon into a wild symbol.
More Magic to Uncover
As a stand alone slot, Tales of Alvara is perfectly well-designed and promises some rewarding prizes. However, compared to other slots with a magical forest theme, the game is somewhat underwhelming. The problem is that there are so many slots that are set in an enchanted woodland setting that offer better narrative elements, more impressive graphics and bigger bonus features. Some examples would be Pixie Gold by Lightning Box, Frogs Fairytale by Mazooma and The Odd Forest by Foxium.
Worth a Punt?
There is no getting around the fact that there are better slot machines out there than Tales of Alvara. Then again, this game still has plenty of merit and shouldn't necessarily be looked over. The simplicity of the gameplay controls and lack of big narrative driven bonus features makes the game perfect for punters who just want to get lost in a forest of winning potential. And with a low to mid range volatility, that might just be possible with this Betixon slot machine.
