Play The Forbidden City for Free

There’s an unmistakeable mystique to this video slot from WorldMatch, but there’s also a number of more pedestrian details to serve up – details that will aid you in your quest to claim the jackpot and move on to your next victim. If you’re to loot The Forbidden City, you’re gonna need to keep your eyes peeled for the all-important symbols that’ll lead you to temples of bountiful riches.

Before we zone in on these symbols, it’s worth taking a moment to appraise the visuals that have gone into the making of The Forbidden City. The cynical would say the game’s Cantonese-style lettering resembles a Chinese menu; those of a more forgiving ilk would say it elicits images of ancient Chinese dynasties, priceless artefacts and black market loot.

The action unfolds within a traditional Chinese pagoda, complete with dragon red pillars, blue tiles and a curved yellow roof. So far, so Asian.

It doesn’t require a PhD-level knowledge of Chinese history to recognise the symbols that WorldMatch have deployed in this 5-reel video slot. We have the yin and yang, used to describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary; or in this instance used to fill your pockets with lucre every time you score three or more yin-yangs in a line.

Other symbols include a paper fan, a selection of Chinese characters (presumably wishing fortune and favour on the intrepid player as opposed to being a menu order for chicken fried rice) and a rather cute dragon who serves as the wild symbol. ‘Good luck!’ reads the greeting below the play button because, you know, the Chinese are big on luck.

In action, the game’s five reels equate to 15 paylines. Betting can be set from 0.01 up to 1.00 per line. There’s an autoplay feature for players who like to operate in voyeur mode; hit the stop button at any time to regain control. Fascinating as The Forbidden City is upon first appraisal, you’re not here to marvel at the emperor’s gilded palace: you’re here to win.

Winning, in the case of The Forbidden City, can be done in a number of ways, from scoring three, four or five symbols in line to collecting three scatters. With a trio of scatter symbols – which take the form of a praying monk – in the bag, you can proceed to the free spins round, with up to 10 available. A three-fold multiplier here will nicely top up your winnings.

The other way to escape The Forbidden City with a sackful of loot is by landing three bonus symbols on an active payline. This will take you through to – that’s right – the bonus feature, where you’re presented with half a dozen corn dolls. What’s a corn doll? Activate the bonus feature and you’ll find out. Don’t get too precious about the bizarre baby dolls, though; if you’re to claim the prize, you’ll need to give one of them a vigorous whack.

The wild symbol, as noted earlier, is the dragon. He (at the risk of misgendering him, we’ll assume he’s a he!) can substitute for any of the other symbols except for the bonus and free spin symbols.

While some players will find the faux-ancient Chinese motifs to be cheesy, most will be more intent on hitting play and chasing down the treasure. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll elect for the latter. WorldMatch’s The Forbidden City is a lively video slot that’s highly playable. You’ll likely tire of the mystical Chinese music eventually, but that’s what the mute button was invented for. Set your sights on the prize, drown out all other distractions and start rolling those reels.