Congo King is one more slot machine to complement Ainsworths’ Quad Shot series, once again offering players to go on a thrilling reel adventure to win tasty jackpots of up to 8,000$.
The actions take place across a semi-transparent 5×3 grid with 100 ways to play, set in a backdrop of a deep dense rainforest. The graphics are simple yet charming, with a touch of life added to the blurred wallpaper by animated raindrops and monkeys jumping over lianas in the rear. A jolly soundtrack plays whilst you spin the reels to set you in the right mood, while arcade sound effects taken from classic slot machines announce wins and bonus features.
When it comes to the stats, Ainsworth obviously failed to master the art of balancing. Playable on any device, Congo King offers a betting range of 1$ to 80$ per spin. However, playing with all 100 lines activated will require at least 4$ per spin, whereas the max bet option reaches only 20$ if you desire to use only 25 lines. By the way, the bigger you play, the more Quad Shot positions are available, so keep that in mind while adjusting your bets to not lose your bankroll too fast. The volatility tends to the high side of the spectrum, while the RTP is a far cry from the average level at 94.39%.
The symbol collection includes 11 regular symbols, split into 2 categories. The pay symbols start on the lower end with A-9 royals, which are followed in ascending order by tower, car, red crystal, cheetah, and a lady explorer, surely resembling Lara Croft. Scoring wins requires matching at least 3 symbols on a single payline starting from the leftmost reel, while full combos are achieved by landing 5 instances of the same symbol. 5OAK combos of low-pays award from 2x to 4x of the bet, while premiums are worth from 6 to 12 times the stake. The Congo King himself is a Wild symbol, assisting players in forming winning combos by substituting for any other regular symbol.
As the title implies, the Quad Shot feature plays a central role in the gameplay. On any spin during the base game, symbols may land on reel 5 with blue Quad Shot framing, and if you hit any 5-of-a-kind combo with the Quad Shot symbol being a part of it, you’ll receive one of the following fixed cash prizes:
Whenever 3 or more Scatter symbols appear anywhere in view during the base game, the Free Spins feature is triggered. Players will proceed to the bonus game with 15 spins to start, plus scoop a cash prize of 5x, 20x, or 100x of the bet for 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols respectively.
Once triggered, a Bonus Reel will be added to the right side of the main grid, where only Scatters and 3x or 5x multiplier symbols are available to land. During the Free Spins, all low-paying symbols are removed for the duration of the bonus, and only premiums, Wilds, Scatters and blanks land onto the grid. Moreover, symbols don’t necessarily have to be adjacent to hit a win. Retriggers are also possible, with 3 Scatter symbols appearing anywhere in view awarding +5 additional spins to the total tally.
Keeping the developers’ time-tested winning formula, Congo King brings no innovations in terms of the gameplay. It does actually feel like a bonafide copy of Ainsworth’s older slot,Big Thunder Quad Shotfor the feature set as well as the math model is almost identical, and all the differences are limited to betting levels and symbol payouts. Furthermore, Congo King seems to be a cut-down version of Big Thunder since the jackpot prizes are scaled-down, while the RTP remained the same at 94.39%.
Anyway, if you’re OK with relatively lowered prizes, Congo King is likely to appeal to you. Otherwise, if you’re after chasing some delicious jackpots, consider tryingGold Pile: Toltec Treasureby Rarestone Gaming, which boats similar mechanics.