Sun & Moon Gold Slot - Independent Review
Sunlight and moonlight shining brightly together on the Sun & Moon Gold video slot can mean one thing and one thing only. You guessed it: the sun god and moon goddess widely revered by the Maya have joined forces once again to guide gamblers to unimaginable treasures in Mesoamerican pyramids.
The eye-catching gold and blue color scheme of Sun & Moon Gold instantly lured our experienced reviewers into visiting Aristocrat’s expansive stand during their recent trip to the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2018.
Housed in Aristocrat’s new cutting-edge Helix XT portrait cabinet, the Sun & Moon Gold slot machine looks and sounds incredible. Its bright and bold graphics look sharp on the curved 4K monitor, and the pitch-perfect jungle-themed soundscape that echoes out from the surround sound system promises to immerse you in the quest for ancient Maya treasures.
A Much-Anticipated Sequel
Veteran gamblers will know that Sun & Moon Gold is a long-awaited sequel to Sun & Moon, one of the first casino slot machines to be released by Aristocrat.
Our reviewers loved experiencing ancient Mayan culture at their fingertips playing Sun & Moon, but the big question is, what does this golden sequel have in store to make venturing into the mysterious jungle again worthwhile?
The answer to that question is that the sun god and moon goddess are both far more generous than they were before. If they were as kind to you as they were to our reviewers on Sun & Moon, you might be struggling to fathom how that could even be possible, but it’s true.
Any win involving either the god or goddess could see you awarded up to 150 free games. Better still, each win will be doubled, thanks to a 2x multiplier bonus being applied. That is three times the maximum number of free games offered in the original, so cross your fingers that the powerful pair take a shine to you.
Worship Both Gods From 0.30 Credits
Did you join the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to worship the sun god and moon goddess on the original Sun & Moon slot? If you did, you’ll notice that Aristocrat has tweaked the structure for Sun & Moon Gold to present even more winning opportunities, albeit at an increased cost.
While both slots comprise five reels and three rows of symbols, Sun & Moon Gold boasts 30 fixed paylines, as opposed to Sun & Moon, which requires winning combinations to be formed across 20 fixed paylines. The Sun & Moon slot is playable from a low limit of 0.20 credits, making it perfect if you like to play slot machines with low betting limits.
The increased number of paylines Sun & Moon Gold offers means you’ll have to stump up at least 0.30 credits per spin. This is an increase of one-third, but it’s important to remember that this sequel makes it possible to activate treble the number of free games you can win on the original.
Explore the Jungles of Central America
As for the symbols you’ll be aiming to match across paylines from the leftmost reel, Aristocrat has simply given the same 13 symbols that feature on the pay table of Sun & Moon a modern makeover. This means you’ll find low-paying 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A symbols landing on the reels of Sun & Moon Gold as you explore the dense jungle for pyramids.
It also means that you get to hunt for wins involving the eye-catching premium symbols that made the original Sun & Moon slot such a great success among casino players. These premium symbols include golden idol masks and charms in honor of the indigenous peoples.
Once again, the sun god and moon goddess are represented by intricately designed gold and silver coins respectively. Due to both the sun and moon being worshipped by the Maya in equal measure, it’s only fitting that both the sun god and moon goddess appear as special wild/scatter symbols.
Both the Mayan sun god (Kinich Ahau) and moon goddess (Ix Chel) can brighten up your day by awarding the top prize of 10,000 coins. The powerful pair can also join forces to deliver a mixed line win. And you’ll also win if you see either of them scattered across the reels.
Unlock Free Games in the Golden Pyramid
Lucky players who land winning combinations involving two or more god symbols on Sun & Moon Gold will be granted free games. Working in the same manner as the free games feature in the Sun & Moon slot machine, the number of free games you are awarded correlates to the number of wild/scatter symbols that help you trigger the feature.
Don’t worry if you are only granted the minimum number of free games because it’s possible to retrigger the free games feature by landing additional sun god and moon goddess symbols as the feature plays out.
The pair of powerful god and goddess will then guide you to a golden pyramid hidden in the heart of the jungle to play for free. As we’ve already mentioned in this review of Sun & Moon Gold, you could get to play for free with a whopping 150 free games.
None of our reviewers managed to secure the maximum number of free games – 50 was the most anyone in our review team could muster while trying it at G2E – but each of them found the 2x multiplier helpful in boosting the amount of treasure they exited the golden pyramid with.
Our Verdict: A Classic With a Golden Twist
Sun & Moon Gold retains everything that players loved about the original Sun & Moon slot, while increasing the number of ways you can win and trebling the maximum number of free games that can be secured. Each of our reviewers agreed that the slight increase in cost for 10 additional paylines and the chance to trigger up to 150 free games is a price well worth paying.