Play’n Go has elevated the powerful but unassuming wildebeest, also called a gnu, reducing the more prized animals like the lion, elephant, rhinoceros, and leopards to guest actors. No wonder they look pretty miffed at the idea, in this wild safari adventure aptly named Win-a-Beest. And though the gnu is your godfather in this game, the humble animal always keeps his head lowered. So, pack your bags and head out to the Savannahs for a wildly rewarding safari.
Win-a-Wildebeest is a 5-reel slot played on a 2-4-4-4-2 grid in the base game. There are 256 ways to win which increase to 1,204 in the bonus games. The game plays out in a hunting lodge in the foreground of the savannah where the stampedes take place. There are two wilds in the game – the second multiplies its wins by two. Either of them can substitute other symbols, except the scatter and help form winning combinations. The scatter is the savannah landscape.
Win-a-Wildebeest is a fast-paced game and imitates the chaos of an actual stampeding herd of wildebeest, which is depicted whenever the Beest Mode kicks in. The game has two other bonus features called Beest Mode Spins and Stampeding Spins. Though wins are made by landing three or more identical symbols from the leftmost reel onwards, the wildebeest or stacks of the animal, are generous enough to pay you for landing on the first two reels.
For a Play’n Go slot, the math of Win-a-Beest is quite tame, in contrast with the wild beasts on the screen. The high-action Beest Mode occurs frequently, which can be quite profitable even without the elusive scatters. This can explain the mid-variance rating of this slot, which is officially 6/10. The default return to player ratio is 96.12%, but can be configured at a lower rate at some playing venues. The overall potential of the slot is promising.
As is the norm, the card royals are the lowest-paying symbols of the game. All the royals pay out a $0.75 for landing on 3 reels. While the jack and queen both pay $1.05 for appearing on 4 reels, the king and ace award a princely sum $1.50 for 4 of a kind landing. Five of a kind wins are $1.50 for jacks and queens, and $2.25 for kings and aces. These win amounts are based on the minimum bet, and can be augmented if the 2x multiplier wild is part of the equation.
Of the premium symbols, the leopard and the rhino are worth $1.20, $1.80, and $3.00 for landing on 3, 4, and 5 reels respectively. The lion and the elephant do slightly better with $1.50 to $3.75 for appearing on 3 to 5 reels. The Beest awards between $0.75 and $7.50 for landing on 2 to 5 reels. The photo-framed scatter of the game pays out $7.50 for 3, 4, and 5 reel landings. These are for single row appearances. If symbols land on multiple rows and make winning combos, these values will increase. You can win a maximum of 10,240 times your stake.
The Beest Mode Feature activates randomly on any spin. The grid opens up to a full 5 reels and 4 rows. You get one spin, in which only the Beest, both the wilds and the scatter are allowed, which results in guaranteed wins. The paylines also expand to 1,024. Stacked wildebeests in combination with wilds can result is some stampeding wins, with a maximum payout of 5,120 times the bet for a grid full of Beests, and this is without the wilds.
Three or more scatters landing during the Beest Mode activate this full grid feature. You get 4, 6, and 8 Beest Mode Spins for 3, 4, and 5 scatters respectively. The Beest Mode is active on all free spins, meaning that only the star of the show, the wilds, and the scatters can land during the free spins round. Not only does this mean guaranteed 1,024 ways to win, it can result in gargantuan winning combinations. This feature can also be retriggered infinitely.
When 3, 4, or 5 scatters land on the reels in the base game correspondingly give you 8, 12, or 20 Stampeding Spins. This bonus game is also played on the expanded grid with 1,024 win avenues. The Beest Mode feature may be active during Stampeding Spins. If so, the Beest Mode Spins are separately played before the Stampeding Spins feature starts, giving you the best of both worlds. Furthermore, the scatters remain on the reels during the feature, theoretically giving you unlimited retriggers.
This fast-paced game can gain some more momentum on the go, particularly if you’re on a winning spree. With HTML5 programming, the game is fully optimized for cellular platforms like Android, Blackberry, iOS, and Windows Phone. Hence the game can be enjoyed on all smartphones and Apple devices that run on these systems. HTML5 also enables the game to play out in definition graphics and original sound quality. You just need reliable internet connectivity for seamless gaming.
Wildlife-themed reels are always a pleasure to spin, but Play’n Go has infused Win-a-Beest with some very interesting features, which create a pretty rewarding game. Though the slot’s design is bang on the mark, the graphics and animation leave a lot to be desired. The visuals look water-colored, and the card symbols may not look more of place than in many other slots.