Carol of the Elves is a slot machine designed by the talented people at Yggdrasil Gaming. They haven’t been that inventive this time around, either, since it’s just a mistletoe twist on their last blockbuster, Valley of the Gods. Perhaps Valley of the Gods 2’s release has overshadowed the first. If Yggdrasil is going the way of the unopened tomb of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, it may as well get as much use out of its code as possible before it disappears forever. They’ve achieved this by decorating it with tinsel to seem like it’s the eve of Christmas.
Location couldn’t be further from Egypt’s sweltering, sandy deserts. The 5×5 grid is sprawled out on the floor of a living room, surrounded by wrapping paper, bells, and other holiday trinkets. The game’s unimpressive visuals are made up for by a charming music, so you shouldn’t play it muted until the schmaltz gets too much for you.
You may play Carol of the Elves on any device with a bet range that should be more than sufficient for most, from 10 p/c to $/€150 per spin. Carol of the Elves provides players with similar statistics as Valley of the Gods; however, high rollers get larger wagers, increasing the maximum win to 580,000€ (from 870,000€). The high degree of volatility makes it difficult to build momentum in a game where a string of victories is essential. With a return to player percentage of 96.2%, and a theoretical win frequency of 22.8%, this slot machine is somewhat above average.
Apart from the very lifeless graphics for a Yggdrasil game, the slot arrangement in Carol of the Elves is immediately noticeable. Each paid spin begins with the reels arranged in a 1-3-5-3-1 pattern. Blocker tiles are originally placed in the empty spaces of the grid. This equates to a minimum of 45 win ways and a maximum of 3,125 when all slots are in play. Three or more identical symbols in a row, beginning with the first reel, will provide a prize.
All of the symbols, from the ace to the king on the playing cards, have some sort of festive touch, most obviously the candy cane stripes. Next come the high-paying rabbits, foxes, polar bears, and reindeer, which may return anywhere from 10x to 20x the initial wager for a full house. Carol of the Elves does not have any wild symbols, but it does have a few extras to help fill your stocking.
Slot Functions in “A Christmas Carol”
In Carol of the Elves, you need to win in sequence to open up the grid and activate bonus features. When you get a win, a magic star will shoot forth from each sign that helped you win, eliminating any blocking tiles in its path. An additional spin is given. If you win again during the respin, you’ll get another one until you don’t. After that, the blocking tiles reappear for the subsequent spin. Once all of the obstructive tiles have been eliminated, a victory multiplier beginning at x2 and more lives will become available.
For every five blue magic stars you gather, your win multiplier will rise by one, and for every five red magic stars you collect, you’ll gain an additional life when a victory occurs across the whole game grid. In the event of a lost respin, extra lives will provide another one. When a respin results in a loss and all available lives have been used, the sequence will stop. After then, the grid is filled with blocks to prepare it for the next paid spin.
The Slot Judgment of Carol of the Elves
The saying goes, “C’s get degrees,” and it seems that the slacker mentality is alive and well in Carol of the Elves. Yggdrasil appears to have not put in their typical effort into the artwork or much of the music effects, and instead just cloned an old slot machine. There were two factors that partially absolved them. One, it’s a Christmas slot, so why put your heart and soul into it if most gamers would just fire it up for a few days a year while the stores are closed? Two, the seasonal music is effective in evoking heartfelt emotions. It would work wonderfully in a sad Christmas film, perhaps one in which children only see their absent parents in ornaments. Stays true to its nostalgic vibe throughout.
If you like the gameplay in Valley of the Gods, you’ll have a good time here. Although the strike rate is very high, the format needs patience because it is possible to become stuck in stretches of dead air. It’s also not a slot machine where winning the bonus round automatically wins you the game. To get a respin truly going, you need a lot of momentum. It’s annoying in Carol of the Elves if you can’t get the multiplier and additional lives. It’s like being a model child all year and writing Santa a letter requesting a video game system for Christmas, only to get a lousy article of clothes instead.
But the end of Carol of the Elves is the end of the story. After all, it has a potential payout of up to 5,800 times the initial wager. The infinitely recursive spin-off that yielded the maximum victory would be really legendary. Still, it’s rewarding to get some respectable rolls on, even if you can’t quite reach those dizzying heights. Some people will like Carol of the Elves since it is based on the similarly successful Valley of the Gods.
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