Irish Weekend

Irish Weekend, developed by Evoplay, is a captivating online slot game that promises to transport players to the stunning landscapes of the Emerald Isle. With a colourful and charming design, this game invites players to join a pretty inebriated leprechaun as he celebrates his big weekend. From pots of gold to pints of ale, the game is filled with symbols that evoke the Magic and merriment of Ireland's rich cultural traditions. Mechanically, this game is played on a five-reel, four-row game with 20 pay lines. The top win available here is 3,000x the stake, and the RTP is just over the industry average at 96.1%. Irish Weekend is available on mobile, tablet and desktop platforms.

Irish Weekend Overview

Irish Weekend features several exciting bonus features, including the Magic Catcher, which identifies potential winning combinations on the reels, occupying up to 20 positions within seven shapes. The symbols inside the Magic Catcher count towards wins, and only one Magic Catcher can be present on the reels at a time. Players can trigger the Wheel of Fortune bonus by landing bonus symbols in the Magic Catcher frames, with the chance to win 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins or the Ultra Spin Bonus. The Ultra Spin Bonus is a single spin where the Magic Catcher covers all 20 positions on the reels, and only high-value fish symbols appear on the screen. The game also includes a Free Spins round. All features will be explained in more detail later in the review.

Irish Weekend Theme and Symbols

The online slot game Irish Weekend by Evoplay draws its aesthetic inspiration from Ireland's vibrant culture and folklore, with symbols like the Leprechaun, shamrocks, and pots of gold featuring prominently on the reels. The game's background displays a scenic Irish countryside complete with a waterfall, and traditional Irish music plays throughout the gameplay to create an immersive and engaging experience. Overall, Irish Weekend's design aims to capture the spirit and charm of Ireland, providing players with a visually appealing and enjoyable gaming experience.

The background image of this game depicts a waterfall hidden away in a mysterious forest. All around this image are colourful mushrooms and fairies, adding to the feeling of supernatural beauty and wonder. The main character in this game – the Leprechaun, is slumped on the bank of the river with a glazed expression on his face. He looks quite intoxicated, perhaps with whiskey or something stronger sourced from the forest itself. The image is one of Magic and mystery and immerses players in a completely new world. The playing board for this game is the thunderous blue waterfall cascading down the middle of the screen.

The symbols in Irish Weekend are divided into three categories: low-paying, high-paying, and special symbols. The low-paying symbols include a metal four-leaf clover, pint of beer, tobacco pipe, boot, and a leprechaun's hat, paying out between 0.2x and 0.5x the stake for the highest combination. The more valuable icons are the four types of Fish, each with random monetary values. Red Fish are worth 1x to 3x, Purple Fish are worth 5x to 9x, Green Fish are worth 10x to 15x, and Gold Fish are worth 20x to 70x and can also contain unique cash prizes called Fishpots. To win a Fishpot, the gold Fish symbol with the prize must hit the Magic Catcher. Finally, the game also features a special bonus icon that triggers bonus content.

Game Play

Irish Weekend is played on a 5-reel, 4-row machine with 20 fixed pay lines. To win combinations, players must land three or more matching symbols on pay lines moving from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. The betting range for Irish Weekend is 10p to £10,000 per spin. To adjust their bet levels, players can toggle their stakes up and down using the tool located at the bottom left-hand side of the screen.

Further information, including a short tutorial and a display of the paytable, can be found via the menu button in the right-hand corner of the screen. The spin and auto spin buttons are located in the centre of the screen. The volatility for this slot is rated in the medium range. The return to player percentage for Irish Weekend is 96.1%, which is above average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 3,000x the stake.

Irish Weekend Features

This game's first bonus feature is the Magic Catcher bonus. The Magic Catcher is a feature that highlights possible winning combinations on the reels. During the main game, the Magic Catcher can occupy up to 20 positions on the reels, spread across seven available shapes. Only symbols that appear within the Magic Catcher area contribute towards winning combinations. It's important to note that only one Magic Catcher can be present on the reels at a time, and symbols outside of the Magic Catcher do not contribute to any wins.

Next on the bonus list is the Wheel of fortune bonus. Whenever the Bonus symbol appears within the Magic Catcher, it triggers the Wheel of Fortune feature. This feature provides players with a single spin of the Wheel, which can result in winning either 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins or the coveted Ultra Spin Bonus. However, it's important to remember that the Wheel of Fortune can only be triggered during the main game.

The Ultra Spin Bonus is triggered when players land the Ultra Spin Bonus segment on the Wheel of Fortune or by hitting a Fishpot on the reels during the main game. Once triggered, the Ultra Spin Bonus awards players a single spin where the Magic Catcher covers all 20 positions on the reels, and only Fish symbols appear on the screen. This increases the chances of landing a high-value combination with the Fish symbols. It is important to note that the Ultra Spin Bonus is exclusive to the main game, and players cannot trigger it during the Free Spins feature.

Finally, this game also has a free spins bonus. When players trigger the Free Spins feature by landing the Bonus symbol inside the Magic Catcher during the main game in the Irish Weekend slot game, they will receive either 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins. During this feature, the symbols on the reels are limited to only the Fish symbols, which have the potential to provide players with higher payouts. The Magic Catcher feature can also appear during Free Spins and can occupy 2, 4, 5, or 20 positions on the reels, increasing the chances of winning combinations. Additionally, the Free Spins feature is played with the same bet as the triggering spin, so there is no need to adjust the bet before playing the Free Spins.

Conclusion

Irish Weekend by Evoplay is a highly entertaining slot game that immerses players in an Irish-themed world filled with engaging graphics and captivating sound effects. The game's unique and innovative Magic Catcher bonus feature provides an interesting twist on traditional slot gameplay, allowing for even more exciting ways to win. Additionally, the free spins feature and Fishpot bonuses give players even more opportunities to hit big payouts. Overall, Irish Weekend is a well-designed and rewarding game that is sure to delight players looking for an engaging and enjoyable gaming experience.