Panda Gold Slot Machine
Leading UK online casino developer, Skywind Group, must have a thing about pandas. The provider has a range of Oriental-themed slots in its arsenal featuring a furry friend.
But not every game offers the same gaming experience or chance of winning a jackpot. Could the Panda Gold video slot be the one to change everything?
On the face of it, this 5-reel slot has the type of bonus payouts once would expect from another Skywind panda slot: Panda Chef. But with 243 ways to win is the variance just too high for regular punters? Let's go on the hunt for panda gold and see.
Hot 243 Ways to Win Action for Real Cash
Since the first multiway slots appeared, online casino developers have been falling over themselves to design their own games with hundreds of win lines. Some games offer progressive jackpots and others insist on a substantial minimum bet in order to enjoy playing more win ways. What they all have in common is lots of action and the chance to bag some really big prizes.
While Panda Gold doesn’t have a progressive jackpot it still boasts plenty of exciting gameplay. Skywind's online slot is played on a set of five reels and three rows. There are 243 ways to win, which means that matching symbols simply have to appear on adjacent reels in order to trigger a real cash win.
Coins begin at just 0.01, but - as in most 243 ways to win slots - there is a minimum bet that must be played across all combinations. In this case, it's 50x the coin value. That might be enough to satisfy most low limit players but high roller slot fans can enjoy a max bet worth 250.00 per spin.
If you like fast play, Skywind's customary Turbo button is available. Simply switch it on (or tap the icon in the excellent mobile-optimized version) to enjoy fast spins every time.
Win up to 1,000 Coins in the Base Game Pays
With set bets in Panda Gold set at 50x the coin value, it's a good idea to check the pay table before you play.
The royal symbols constitute the low limit payers. However, you will have to rely on hitting at least two of them per spin to earn any sort of prize. The 9 and 10 both pay 5-100 coins for three to five of a kind, as do the J and Q. The A and K are slightly better, paying out 10-200 coins for three to five of a kind. When you consider you are playing 50 coins per spin, those sorts of prizes don't appeal.
There are five higher limit symbols, yet these only pay out a decent prize when you match five of each on adjacent reels. The flower and bamboo plant both pay 15-300 coins, while the diary pays 20-500. The gold carp bowl pays 20-800 coins while the red panda dishes out a nice 30-1000 coins if you line up three, four, or five.
Watch out for Wilds and Earn your Free Games
While the lower limit prizes in Panda Gold aren't too interesting, they can be improved when you land wild symbols. The wild is represented by the gold coin and it will substitute for all regular icons other than the panda himself. It only appears on the central three reels but we found it cropped up fairly regularly.
The panda scatter is easily the most generous symbol in Panda Gold. Three, four, or five of these bamboo-munching cuties anywhere on the reels will trigger a prize worth 100, 500, or 5,000 coins. Not only that, but if you land three or more pandas on the reels you will win free spins.
The more scatters you land, the more spins you win. So, three scatters earns you 8 spins, four scatters 15 spins, and five scatters 50 spins. An additional 8, 15, or 50 spins can be won at random in addition to your free games.
And if you like slots with expanding wilds, Panda Gold might be for you. If you land the gold coin on one of the central three reels, it will expand to fill the whole reel.
The feature is able to retrigger. All you need to do is land two or more panda scatters anywhere to earn at least 5 new free spins. During the retriggered spins, 5, 8, 15, or 50 additional spins may be added at random.
While the free spins feature is a tricky beast to activate, it's definitely one to wait for. We found ourselves activating 10 spins on average, with an additional 10-15 available via the retrigger.
Hunt the Progressives in These Great 243 Win Ways Slots
If you like Skywind's approach to Oriental-themed games, there is plenty of choice in the developer's back catalogue.
Panda v Goat is a fine slot that calls on the old beat 'em up arcade games for inspiration. But with its massive free spins bonus, the excellent Panda Chef video slot is worth tracking down.
The game has 20 paylines, which makes the gaming easier on the wallet, but it's possible to trigger a free spins bonus with 18 games available. In addition, you will earn a 10x multiplier on all wins - something you won't find in Panda Gold.
One similarity you will find with Panda Gold is the bonus retrigger: by landing further scatters on the correct reels the player can earn a random number of free games.
If you like multi ways action, there is a huge variety of 243 ways to win slots available online. The beauty of 243 ways slots is that a generous bonus is usually attached. Our recommendation is the excellent Immortal Romance slot by Microgaming. The game has a cool horror theme, 243 ways to win, and several immersive bonus game features. Free spins fans are catered for in this 5-reel slot too. There are four bonus rounds where you can win up to 25 free games. Random wilds and increasing multipliers are also available.
Hunt the Gold and Mind the Volatility
Of Skywind's Oriental video slots, Panda Gold isn't the best one on the market. For our money, we prefer the jackpot structure of a game like Panda Chef.
But with 243 ways to win and a minimum bet worth 50 coins there is plenty for lovers of high limit online casino gambling to enjoy in Panda Gold.
Try the free Panda Gold slot machine online and see if the payouts are worth fighting for.
