Description
The Dalai Panda is an Asian-themed slot game with a difference, launched by iSoftBet and First Look Games. Here you’ll find two sets of 3×3 reels side by side, offering 27 ways to win in total.
The Dalai Panda himself (resplendent in an orange robe) floats between them – and he will join the reel sets where doing so creates bigger wins in this autumn 2018 release.
The backdrop is a peaceful mountain retreat seen below slow-moving clouds, while the frame is a red, pagoda-style building, plus there’s an appropriate-sounding backing track.
How to play
Spin away on your device of choice, from 0.30 to 30 a pop. You can form winning combos on either of the reel sets, which together combine to offer a whopping 729 ways of winning.
The standard lower-value A through J playing-card values alongside the conventional Asian symbols which are stylised versions of turtles, birds, monkeys and Koi carp.
The left-hand reel set plays from left to right, the other one in the opposite direction.
The Dalai Panda Slot Special Features
Special Symbols
The green plant symbol is your Wild here, doing its usual thing of replacing everything bar the bonus symbol, which is a yin/yang emblem. Scoop six on a single spin to take home 33.33x stake.
Bonus Features
Free Spins
When you fire up The Dalai Panda initially, there are five free spins visible in a counter. Every time a win ends with the two reels being joined, this tally rises by one.
Land a hat-trick of bonus symbols to enter the free spins bonus round. How many free whirls you enjoy is equivalent to the number in the free spins counter from the base game. (Once the feature closes, the counter resets itself to the original number of five.)
You can add to the total while playing this round. Scoop a couple of bonus icons to win two further freebies, bag six and you’ll add a tidy 50 freebies to enjoy.
What’s more, during the feature, the panda bestows random extra Wilds. These can expand to take up a whole reel. Alternatively, you might get a 2x multiplier and double your prize on that spin.
Jackpot
This game doesn’t feature a progressive jackpot. However, the top prize you can win is 1,000 coins.
Return to Player
You’ll find the RTP is not too shabby at all at 95.81%, although it’s perhaps a whisker below the industry average. Meanwhile, variance falls within the medium-to-high bracket.
Verdict
There’s no denying The Dalai Panda is an enjoyable and innovative game, whose cartoon-style visuals have been well thought out. It also maximises a popular theme and offers some engaging gameplay while having a couple of intriguing tricks up its sleeve.
Additionally, it pulls off the sometimes tricky feat of being original without being overly complicated and gives a well-worn theme a novel feel.
It’s true that one reviewer did say that, despite this game’s shiny exterior, RTP and volatility were ‘slightly underwhelming’, but only you can decide if it’s a game that works for you.
Give it a whirl in free demo mode before parting with any of your hard-earned cash – and do tell us what you thought.
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