9 Burning Dragons

9 Burning Dragons Overview

The Chinese Zodiac has recently become a popular subject of inspiration for slot designers, with many studios using the iconic animals and the associated mythology to excite and engage players. This game was created by Wazdan, an e-gaming studio based in Malta. Wazdan now has a rich catalogue of games and enjoys a level of respect and acclaim that would not have been forthcoming from the gaming world just a few years ago. Although not one of the more complex games, 9 Burning Dragons offers players a range of fixed jackpots that could see some punters made very happy.

The features for this game revolve chiefly around the Hold the Jackpot feature, triggered when players land three or more bonus symbols on the reels simultaneously. These symbols then become frozen to the reels in their positions, and three re-spins are awarded. You are then tasked with trying to land more symbols in pursuit of finding a big payout at the end of the feature. This feature is also where you will have the chance to land jackpot amounts. This game also has a gamble feature and a bonus buy option that allows players to purchase their access to the Hold the Jackpot feature. All bonus content will be explained in greater detail later in the review.

Theme and Symbols

The theme for this game is built around the mystical Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac, apart from being a way to reveal your age, is actually a complex window into understanding Chinese culture. The notion of luck or fortune, for instance, plays a significant part in the way many Chinese people live their lives. For example, many parents often try and time their babies to be born in the year of the dragon, as it is considered the most well-regarded animal of the zodiac and is associated with power, wealth and success. Zodiac signs also inform much of what people preconceive about someone’s nature. This is all richly displayed in this slot game.

The background for this game is a mystical cloud motif with long and iconic dragon shadows weaving through the mist. Importantly, the backdrop for this game is decorated in shades of red. Red is a popular and essential colour in Chinese culture, representing luck, joy and happiness. In addition, it also represents vitality, fertility and tradition. For example, red is the colour that Chinese brides will wear as it is thought to ward off evil. This is why during most festivals and celebrations in China, the predominant colour you will see is red.

The playing board for this game is a golden rectangle with edges decorated by snarling dragons.
The symbols for this game are split into low-value, high-value and special symbols. The low-value symbols are the J, Q, K and A in playing card royals. The A is the most valuable of which, paying out at 12x the stake for the top combination. On the other hand, the more valuable symbols are the pot of jewels, the horseshoe and the golden hat. The hat is the most valuable of these paying out at 200x the stake. The specials for this game are the golden dragon scatter and the wild icon.

Game Play

9 Burning Dragons is played on a 3-reel, 3-row machine. However, the way the slot finds wins and pays out is a little unusual, as each position is its own reel, making nine reels in total. To form a win, players will need at least four matching symbols anywhere on the grid. They don’t need to align; they just need to be on the screen.

The betting range for 9 Burning Dragons is 10p to £100 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.
The volatility for this slot is adjustable. The return to player percentage of 9 Burning Dragons is 96.12%, which is about average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 2,187x your stake.

Features

The first feature noticeable in this game is the wild feature. The wild icon can substitute for any other icon on the reels barring the scatter to help form more wins.

The main feature here, however, is the Hold the Jackpot feature. To trigger this bonus, players must land three or more of the scatter symbols on the reels simultaneously. These triggering symbols are then held in place, and three re-spins are awarded to you. These re-spins are designed to enable you to land more symbols on the reels to help build your payout at the end of the feature. Landing more symbols also tops up your re-spins.

In this feature, it is possible to land jackpot symbols which, if collected in the right number, will result in you winning jackpot amounts. If you don’t win a jackpot and run out of re-spins, the value of all the symbols you have collected throughout the feature is totalled and paid out to you in one lump sum.

This game also has a gamble feature which allows you to risk every win you get for a double or nothing spin on a coin (you can do this up to seven times).
Finally, a bonus buy option allows players to purchase access to the Hold the Jackpot feature. However, this option is not available in the UK.

Conclusion

Hold the Jackpot games are very popular nowadays with players, and we don’t see the format going anywhere soon. Although the RTP is within a respectable range, the top payout is rather low, and the likelihood of scoring a jackpot is also pretty low. The visuals and graphics are exciting and pleasing to look at here, but the payouts don’t terribly convince us of good winning potential.