Review of 5 Lions Dance Slot by Pragmatic Play
5 Lions Dance is a vibrant and action-packed online slot from Pragmatic Play that draws its inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and celebrates the Lion Dance — an important ritual that brings good fortune, prosperity, and luck. This exciting slot brings together a mix of colorful visuals, high-energy gameplay, and a wide range of bonus features to create a highly entertaining gaming experience. Whether you’re a fan of Chinese-themed slots or just looking for something with a bit of flair, 5 Lions Dance offers a lot to explore. In this extensive review, we’ll delve into the theme, game mechanics, features, RTP, volatility, betting options, and much more to give you a comprehensive look at what 5 Lions Dance has to offer.
Overview and Theme
The theme of 5 Lions Dance revolves around the Chinese New Year celebration, particularly the Lion Dance that is performed during festivities to drive away evil spirits and bring good fortune for the coming year. The game is richly adorned with Chinese-inspired symbols, bright colors, and traditional elements such as gold coins, dragons, and festive lanterns. The backdrop is set against a vibrant red and gold color palette, which are traditional colors for luck and prosperity in Chinese culture.
The game’s theme is reflected in the symbols and overall visual design. The symbols on the reels include lions, phoenixes, golden coins, and other lucky icons, and they are accompanied by a festive soundtrack that adds to the celebratory atmosphere. The graphics are high-quality, with stunning attention to detail in the Lion Dance elements, making this a visually exciting game to play.
5 Lions Dance perfectly captures the essence of Chinese culture while providing players with the potential for big wins and a dynamic gaming experience.
Game Mechanics and Setup
Reels and Paylines
5 Lions Dance features a 5×3 reel layout (5 reels and 3 rows), which is relatively standard in modern slot games. The game comes with 243 ways to win, meaning that there are no traditional paylines to worry about. Instead, players can land matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel, to create winning combinations. This mechanic increases the overall winning potential by eliminating the need for fixed paylines and allowing for more dynamic and flexible win opportunities.
The 243 ways to win format makes the game less dependent on specific paylines, meaning players can achieve winning combinations from multiple directions and positions, making the gameplay more fluid and exciting.
Symbols and Payouts
The symbols in 5 Lions Dance are centered around traditional Chinese motifs, with both high-paying and low-paying symbols making up the core of the game:
- Low-paying symbols: The low-paying symbols include the card suits (J, Q, K, A), but these are designed with a unique twist to match the vibrant theme of the game. They are decorated with gold and red hues, giving them a more festive and symbolic feel compared to traditional playing card values.
- High-paying symbols: The high-paying symbols include items associated with good fortune, such as the golden dragon, gold coins, and phoenix, each offering a more significant payout. The golden dragon is the highest-paying symbol, offering the most rewarding payout when landing multiple symbols across the reels.
- Wild symbol: The Wild symbol in 5 Lions Dance is represented by a golden lion and can substitute for all other symbols except the Scatter. The Wild symbol helps form winning combinations by replacing lower-value symbols with higher-value ones.
- Scatter symbol: The Scatter symbol is depicted by the Lion Dance symbol and plays a crucial role in triggering the game’s bonus features. The Scatter symbol does not need to land on a specific payline to trigger a win — simply landing three or more anywhere on the reels will activate the Free Spins feature.
Bonus Features
Free Spins Feature
The main attraction in 5 Lions Dance is the Free Spins feature, which is activated by landing 3 or more Scatter symbols (the Lion Dance symbol) on the reels. The number of Scatters determines how many free spins you’ll receive:
- 3 Scatters = 8 Free Spins
- 4 Scatters = 10 Free Spins
- 5 Scatters = 12 Free Spins
Before the Free Spins round begins, the player is presented with a multiplier wheel that will determine a multiplier that will be applied to all wins during the free spins. The wheel can land on 2x, 3x, 5x, or 8x multipliers, which means that your free spins can be significantly more rewarding, depending on the outcome.
During the Free Spins round, retriggering is also possible by landing 3 or more Scatter symbols, adding even more free spins to the total. This feature provides players with a fantastic opportunity to accumulate a large payout, especially when combined with the multiplier.
Multiplying Wilds
One of the most exciting features in 5 Lions Dance is the Multiplying Wilds, which can appear during both the base game and the Free Spins round. The Wilds have the potential to carry multipliers ranging from 2x to 5x, which can be applied to any winning combination that includes a Wild symbol. This multiplier effect can greatly increase your payouts, particularly during the Free Spins feature.
The multiplying Wilds can significantly amplify your winnings, making this feature highly valuable for players who enjoy chasing big payouts. When several Wilds land on the reels with multipliers, the potential for huge wins increases exponentially.
Jackpot Prize
5 Lions Dance also features a Jackpot prize that is awarded randomly, providing a thrilling end to any spin. While this is not a standard progressive jackpot, the jackpot can still offer players a large payout, adding an element of surprise to the game. The jackpot prize is awarded at random, making it an exciting feature for players looking for that extra layer of excitement.
Gamble Feature
For those who enjoy taking risks, 5 Lions Dance offers a Gamble feature, where players can choose to gamble their winnings after any successful spin. The gamble feature allows you to guess the color of a hidden card (red or black) to double or quadruple your win, but there is also a risk of losing the win altogether. This adds an element of high-risk, high-reward excitement for players who want to challenge their luck.
RTP and Volatility
5 Lions Dance comes with a 96.5% RTP (Return to Player), which is a solid figure that is on the higher end for many slots in the market. The RTP is an indicator of how much of the wagered money is expected to be returned to players over time, and with an RTP of 96.5%, the game offers a fair payout potential for players.
The game is classified as medium-to-high volatility, which means that while wins may not occur on every spin, when they do, they can be quite substantial. This makes 5 Lions Dance a great option for players who enjoy the excitement of big, occasional wins rather than frequent smaller payouts. The Free Spins feature, multiplying Wilds, and Jackpot provide ample opportunities for larger payouts, especially when combined with the multipliers and other bonus features.
Betting Range and Payouts
The betting range in 5 Lions Dance is quite flexible and designed to cater to both casual players and high rollers. The minimum bet starts at 0.25 credits per spin, which makes the game accessible to players with smaller bankrolls. For players looking to make larger wagers, the maximum bet goes up to 125 credits per spin, allowing for more significant stakes and the potential for bigger payouts.
The maximum payout in 5 Lions Dance is 5,000x your stake, which can be won by landing the highest-value symbols and triggering the bonus features, especially the Free Spins feature with multiplying Wilds and jackpot prizes. The potential for such large payouts makes the game appealing to those seeking a high-reward experience.
Mobile Compatibility
As with most Pragmatic Play slots, 5 Lions Dance is fully optimized for mobile play. Whether you’re using a smartphone or a tablet, the game runs smoothly and maintains the same high-quality visuals and engaging soundtrack. The user interface is intuitive and designed for mobile screens, with easy access to bet adjustments, spinning the reels, and activating bonus features.
The game is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, ensuring a seamless experience across different platforms. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you can enjoy the rich visuals and dynamic gameplay of 5 Lions Dance wherever you are.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Engaging theme: The Chinese New Year and Lion Dance theme is vibrant, visually appealing, and culturally rich.
- Multiplying Wilds: The multiplying Wilds add significant winning potential, especially in the Free Spins round.
- Free Spins with multipliers: The Free Spins feature comes with a multiplier wheel, offering potential for massive payouts.
- Flexible betting range: The game offers a wide betting range, catering to both low and high-stakes players.
- Jackpot prize: The random Jackpot feature adds an exciting layer of surprise to the game.
- Mobile compatibility: The game is fully optimized for mobile devices, allowing you to play on the go.
Cons:
- Medium-to-high volatility: The high volatility may not appeal to players who prefer more frequent, smaller wins.
- Gamble feature risk: The Gamble feature can result in the loss of winnings, which may not be appealing to all players.
- Jackpot not progressive: While the Jackpot prize is rewarding, it is not progressive, meaning the jackpot remains fixed.
Final Verdict
5 Lions Dance is a dynamic, festive slot that offers an exciting mix of rich visuals, engaging features, and the potential for large payouts. The Free Spins feature, multiplying Wilds, and Jackpot provide ample opportunities for players to win big, especially with the multiplier and cascading wilds that can significantly increase payouts. The game’s medium-to-high volatility ensures that players can experience both highs and lows, making it a perfect choice for those who enjoy the thrill of large, infrequent wins.
The Chinese New Year and Lion Dance theme bring a unique cultural flavor to the slot world, and the flexible betting range means that both casual players and high rollers can enjoy the game. Overall, 5 Lions Dance is a highly entertaining and visually captivating game with plenty of winning potential, making it a solid choice for players looking for a fun and rewarding slot experience.