Lantern Luck

Lantern Luck Overview

Habanero is a studio that, although not the most prolific, makes sure that every game it produces is to a high standard. This new Chinese lantern-themed game is no different in this respect, from the excellent finish on the background to the well thought out playing mechanics. Players may be a little upset to hear that this game's top win per spin tops out at a pretty puny 702x the stake, though. This being said, the high RTP and the generous features could mean more frequent if smaller wins. The game is played on five reels with 25 pay lines. To learn more about this slot, please continue reading this review.

The features in this game start with the wild bonus. The wild symbol in this game is the paper lantern inscribed with the word 'wild'. This symbol substitutes for all other regular symbols to help form more wins. The wild symbol only appears on reels 1, 3 and 5. This symbol also sometimes comes lit with fireflies dancing around it. If the lantern is in this state, it means that it is a special multiplier wild that boosts the multiplier active on the reels. The other feature in this game is the re-spin game, triggered when players land a wild on all three reels. All features will be explained in more detail later in the review.

Theme and Symbols

The theme for this game is the iconic aesthetic of Chinese paper lanterns. Chinese lanterns as we know them today were originally designed as a medium through which to worship Buddha in the imperial temples of the Ming dynasty. However, over time the lanterns became symbols of celebration, particularly as a signal of peace and prosperity put up after the conclusion of a war. The different colours also have different meanings. The most common is the red lantern which symbolizes wealth, fame and prosperity. Yellow lanterns, on the other hand, were the imperial lanterns only to be used by the ruling elite. White lanterns, on the other hand, are to mark funerals.

The background for this game is a view from a bridge looking out onto the Chinese countryside. The view is dominated by tall, slight mountains typical of Zhangjiajie province and an iconic visual aspect of the Chinese wilderness. Atop some of these beautiful rocky outcrops sit serene temples or pagodas with flared roofs and hanging lanterns. In the foreground are Chinese sculptures and beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom. The scene is one of calm serenity as dusk falls across the mountains.
The playing board for this game has been styled to look like the entrance to a great Buddhist temple with a bright green roof and red supporting columns.

The symbols for this game are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the pink, purple and green lanterns. The most valuable of these is the green lantern which is worth 4.8x the stake for the top combination. On the other hand, the more valuable symbols are the two white lanterns and the gold and blue lantern with a pink ribbon. The gold and blue lantern is the most valuable symbol, worth 48x the stake for the top combination of five in a row. The special symbol in this game is the wild.

Game Play

Lantern Luck is played on a 5-reel, 3-row machine with 25 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 Lantern Luck is 25p to £250 per spin. To adjust their bet levels, players can toggle their stake 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 low range. Lantern Luck's return to player percentage is 96.73%, which is above average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 702x your stake.

Features

The main feature in this game is the wild feature. Mostly the role of the wild symbol is to replace regular symbols to help form more wins. The wild can land on reels 1, 3 and 5.

When the lantern comes in a lit version with fireflies around it, it represents a multiplier wild that will boost the win of any combination it becomes a part of.

Finally, if you manage to land a wild on all three available reels, you will trigger a re-spin feature. The wilds will then lock onto the board as the rest of the table re-spins to help find more wins. The wilds will move one position for every re-spin granted. These re-spins end when all the wilds have disappeared from the board. At this point the accumulated win will be paid out.

Conclusion

Although high quality in appearance and feel, this game doesn't really have enough going on for us in terms of playing dynamics or win potential to be considered a comprehensively performing slot. It's a shame because, with a few more tweaks here and there, this could be one of Habanero's best games. Our advice, however, is to play it in demo mode and see what you think.