Beat the Beast: Quetzalcoatl’s Trial

For their fourth instalment of Beat the Beast series, developer Thunderkick has spun their slot towards the Mesoamerican directions – which sees Mexico and Central America collide in their cultures and more. Their Beat the Beast slots are centred around classic gaming for the ‘bold and brave’. For Beat the Beast Quetzalcoatl’s Trial, the beast is less beast and more mystical deity: Quetzalcoatl. Either way he is no less fearsome. Known as the god of wind and wisdom, he is depicted as a feathered serpent and sits as good company to the Kraken, Sphinx and Cerberus who are the Beasts of the first three games.

Overview of Beat the Beast Quetzalcoatl’s Trial

Thunderkick’s original three have been a respectable group of slots but have not really lived up to the hype that they brought before their release. They’re not bad, simply very predictable. Nothing memorable, but you know what you are letting yourself in for when you play them. They hit a certain spot. This new one, Quetzalcoatl’s Trial continues this same tradition as the other – it comes with a nice set of visuals, a straightforward base game, and a very relaxed bonus game.

Grid design and betting strategy

The grid for this slot is set out over 5 reels and a total of 9 pay lines for the player to play across, with big and bold chunky symbols filling the rows. Winning combinations are made by matching two or three symbols alongside each other on the reels, starting with the first reel. For the lower symbols, three are required for match. While for the medium to high only need two for a win. The betting range for this slot is from 10p up to a maximum of £100, which is pretty common nowadays with the slots being produced on the market. In addition, the volatility is high and the RTP sitting comfortably just above average at 96.16%.

Beat the Beast Quetzalcoatl’s Trial Symbols and Design

Maintaining the same core design throughout the slot, giving a small nod to the interconnectivity of the series, Quetzalcoatl’s Trial is set against the background of a temple, stretching out behind the reels. Some might say that the graphics are dull and too plain, whereas we believe that there is an uncomplicated beauty to the simplicity of the design. The attractive nature of the slot is a hit with us and the animations, coupled with the deep bass-heavy soundtrack, adds an additional layer of experience for the player.

The royals are simplistic but well-designed and act as the lower paying symbols. The middle paying symbols include the cup, the crown, the axe, and the statuette. These are worth between 25x and 50x the stake bet. The most valuable of the symbols is the Quetzalcoatl tile, showing the serpent-headed god in all his glory; he will pay 250 times the stake when matching five on a line. Symbols can become stacked during the slot which will offer full screen wins; more on this in the section below.

Features

Thunderkick had made all of their Beat the Beast slots to be simplistic and straightforward in their nature, and this one is no exception to this. Each of the games holds an Emblem symbol. In the case of this slot, there is the Quetzalcoatl Emblem which plays the double role of wild and scatter. Used as a scatter, 3 or more of the Quetzalcoatl Emblems landing on the reels will award the player 10 free spins. They will also pay out to the player: 2, 20 or 200 times the stake when matching 3, 4 or 5, respectively.

The bonus game is a 5-level round consisting of free spins and a green wild symbol. It is the player’s role to collect these wilds whenever they land on the reels in order to move up to the next level. This will happen when 5 wilds are collected. The lowered symbol on the reels at that point will upgrade to the next middle-paying symbol. If you are able to fill the entirety of the symbol meters by collecting the wilds, the middle-paying symbols will all be turned into the highest paying Quetzalcoatl symbol. Not only that but everytime you manage to fill a meter, an additional two free spins are added to extend the feature, and landing three scatter symbols will retrigger the feature with an additional 10 new free spins.

Conclusion

Quetzalcoatl’s Trial is another competent entry to the series of Beat the Beast. The graphics and visuals are well-executed, the soundtrack creates an impressive atmosphere and the math model is powerful giving the player a fun ride as they play. It may be better than the other three when it comes to the free spins as you are awarded an extra two free spins for completing a meter, rather than just one.

Either way, this slot still has plenty to offer the player in terms of impressive wins and fun spinning time. With the chance of winning up to 5,555 times the bet, equalling win potentials of £555,500. It is not the highest or the lowest you could hope to win from spinning the reels, but it does offer a middle ground where you can hope to win a nice little sum. Regardless, there is plenty of chance for the player to win some impressive amounts as they spin the reels and play the features that the slot has to offer. Lovers of Pink Elephants 2 will feel right at home with this new Thunderkick slot. Whether you are aiming for a massive win, or hope to double your money, this is the slot for you.