Winter Star

Created by Evoplay, Winter Star is a new online slot game with a classic feel and a simple aesthetic. The game has a cool, wintery theme dominated by the sparse yet beautiful night sky, punctuated by distant stars glimmering against the inky expanse of the cosmos. If you enjoy games with a conventional set-up and a straightforward playing experience, you'll most likely enjoy this new slot crafted by one of the best studios in the industry.

Mechanically, this game takes place on a five-reel, three-row gameboard with twenty pay lines and a high volatility rating. The RTP here is 96.04%, and the top payout available is 6,016x the stake. Winter Star is available to play on mobile, tablet and desktop platforms.

Winter Star Overview

This game has a range of bonus features available beginning with the wild bonus. Wild icons in this game substitute for other regular symbols to help players score more wins; this excludes the free spins icon and the winter star icon. The next feature in this game is an instant cash bonus, triggered when players land winter star icons. The more of these icons landed together on the reels over a threshold of three, the bigger the instant payout. The Winter Star instant cash win bonus can lead to a top win of 1,000 stakes. The golden bell icons in this game represent the free spins scatter. Land three or more of these simultaneously, and you'll trigger the free spins round. There are three levels of free spins to choose from – high, medium, and low volatility. The higher the volatility, the harder it is to score wins, but the higher the payout potential is. All bonus features will be explained in more detail later in the review.

Winter Star Theme and Symbols

The theme of the online slot game Winter Star revolves around a classic and serene wintery ambience carefully crafted by Evoplay. The game offers players a simple yet aesthetically pleasing experience, embracing a cool, winter-inspired setting. The predominant visual element is the night sky, depicted as both sparse and beautiful, immersing players in a tranquil atmosphere.

The cosmic theme is accentuated by the inclusion of distant stars that glimmer against the large expanse of space, contributing to the game's overall visual allure. Winter Star's design captures the essence of a calm winter night, evoking a sense of simplicity and elegance.

The background image in this online slot game serves as a visual cornerstone, immersing players in a serene and wintery ambience. As described, the backdrop is dominated by a cool and beautiful night sky, invoking the tranquil atmosphere of a winter evening. The sky is portrayed with a sparseness that accentuates its elegance, creating a canvas where simplicity meets sophistication.

The overall aesthetic of the background image is carefully designed to convey a timeless and classic feel. The simplicity of the night sky, devoid of intricate details, enhances the game's accessibility and ensures that players can focus on the core elements of gameplay without unnecessary distractions. The playing board is a simple conventional matrix decorated with blue detail that complements the surrounding visual cues.

The symbols are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the 10, J, Q, K and A. The more valuable icons are the blueberry, pear, plum and strawberry. The special icons in this game are the wild, the winter star instant cash symbol and the golden bell free spins icon.

Game Play

Winter Star is played on a 5-reel, 3-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 Winter Star is 10p to £75 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. Volatility for this slot is rated in the high range. The return to player percentage for Winter Star is 96.04%, which is above average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 6,016x the stake.

Winter Star Features

Winter Star boasts a range of enticing bonus features that add layers of excitement and winning potential to the gameplay. The first noteworthy bonus feature is the Wild bonus, a classic element in slot games. In Winter Star, Wild icons play a crucial role by substituting for other regular symbols on the reels, aiding players in forming winning combinations.  However, it's important to note that the Wilds do not replace the free spins icon and the Winter Star icon, ensuring a balanced and strategic use of this powerful symbol.

The Winter Star icon, beyond being exempt from the Wild substitution, serves as the key to unlocking the game's instant cash bonus. Landing Winter Star icons triggers an instant cash bonus, and the payout escalates based on the number of these icons simultaneously landing on the reels. The threshold for triggering this bonus is set at three Winter Star icons, with a proportional increase in the payout for every additional icon beyond this threshold. The potential for a top win of 1,000x the stake adds a thrilling dimension to the game, offering players a substantial reward for landing a significant number of Winter Star icons.

Adding to the excitement, Winter Star introduces the golden bell icons as the Free Spins scatter symbols. Landing three or more of these golden bell icons simultaneously activates the Free Spins round, a classic and beloved bonus feature in slot gaming. What sets Winter Star apart is the option to choose from three levels of Free Spins, each with a different volatility level – high, medium, and low. This innovative approach allows players to tailor their Free Spins experience, selecting a volatility level that aligns with their risk appetite. As expected, higher volatility presents a greater challenge in scoring wins during the Free Spins round but compensates with the potential for higher payouts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Winter Star by Evoplay stands out as a delightful and engaging online slot game that successfully marries a classic feel with innovative bonus features. The serene winter theme, portrayed against a beautiful night sky punctuated by glimmering stars, creates a visually enchanting backdrop for players. The inclusion of Wilds, the Winter Star instant cash bonus, and the customizable Free Spins round adds layers of excitement and strategic depth to the gameplay.