288

Designed by free slot machines games provider Revolver Gaming, the online slot machine 288 is inspired by the far East, most conspicuously China. In the game, players are welcomed to an opulent Chinese palace where gold shines from every section of the screen. Players will undoubtedly have come across games with similar aesthetics in the past; however, this game has a high-quality finish that is sure to impress. Mechanically, this is a five-reel slot with 288 pay lines and an RTP of 95.7%. The volatility rating for this game is high, and the maximum bet permitted is £170. The 288 online slot is available to play on mobile, tablet, and desktop platforms.

288 Overview

The features for this game begin with the Stack Add feature. When the first reel lands as a stack of matching icons, this will trigger the Stack Add feature. Once you've activated the feature, all reels barring reel one, become bonus reels with stacks of icons landing on them to help score bigger wins. This feature only lasts for one spin. The other main feature of this game is the free spin bonus. To trigger it, players must simultaneously land three gold jar scatter icons on the board. During the free spins round, only high-value icons will appear, boosting the value of your spins. All features will be explained in greater detail later in the review.

288 Slot Theme and Symbols

The theme for this game is Chinese fortune, based on the idea of lucky or 'auspicious' numbers. As you have probably guessed, 288 is a very lucky number in Chinese and other Asian cultures. It is, in fact, called the 'Angel Number' and symbolizes new opportunities and a future full of excitement and possibilities. In addition, this number also has two eights in it. Eight is the luckiest number in China because, in Cantonese, the number eight sounds like the word for wealth or prosperity. As such, 288 comprises a number that binds opportunity and wealth, hence why it is the 'Angel number.'

The background for this game is the courtyard of a small Chinese palace or pagoda temple. A Chinese pagoda is a tall, multi-tiered tower typically made of wood or stone, used for religious or ceremonial purposes in Chinese architecture. Pagodas often have multiple eaves, or layers of roofs, that decrease in size as they reach the top of the structure. They may also have decorative elements such as upturned eaves, figurines, and colourful paintings or carvings. The courtyard in this game is also flooded with beautiful cherry blossom trees. The playing board for this game is an unusual matrix with a different number of icons in each reel in an expanding format from left to right. The board is structured like so: 2x3x3x4x4 reel.

The symbols are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the 9, 10, J, Q, K and A in playing card royals. The most valuable of these is the A, worth the most of these icons. The more valuable symbols are the lanterns, gold medals, gold hats, jade frog and the number eight. The eight is the most valuable regular icon. The special symbols here are the wilds, and the golden pot free spin scatters.

Game Play

288 is played on a 2x3x3x4x4 reel machine with 288 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 288 is 25p to £170 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 288 is 95.67%, which is below average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin has not been revealed by the designers.

288 Slot Features

The first feature in this game is the wild feature. The wilds in this game substitute for other icons to help players score more wins.

The next feature is called the Stack Add feature. When the first reel lands as a stack of matching icons, it triggers this special feature will come into effect. This will then mean that reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 become bonus reels, with stacked icons piled on them to help score more wins. This feature lasts for only one spin.

The final feature of this game is the free spins game. This bonus is activated when players land three golden jar scatters on the reels simultaneously. This will result in eight free spins being awarded to the player. During Free Spins, only high-paying symbols will appear on the reels. Furthermore, the Stack Add feature is still in play in the bonus round.

Conclusion

Simple, elegant and fun to play, this game offers an exciting playing experience in a well-finished and aesthetically pleasing setting. Regarding the payout potential, however, things are a little more disappointing. This is due to the low RTP, the high volatility and the reluctance of the designer to share the top win available in this game. As such, this game might be one of those that is more fun on the demo than when risking real cash. You can also play Gonzo’s Quest without any registration.