The seemingly insatiable demand for Chinese-themed video slots shows no sign of slowing down with Playtech the latest developer to add to the collection with 8 Treasures 1 Queen. It’s a 5 reel, 243 ways to win game that comes with up to 36 free spins with a stacked, frozen wild. Also in play is the special Money Shot reel which can deliver payouts worth up to 10,000 coins. Join the action from 60p per spin.
High-end design is a mark of Playtech’s recent releases and that’s certainly the case with 8 Treasures 1 Queen which looks a treat – set within a temple-style building with blossoms trees swaying gently in the background, the reels include a selection of symbols relating to the traditional Chinese theme.
Look out for pink lotus flowers, gold hats, money trees, serpents, fish, gemstones, shells and pearls. Each symbol pays exactly the same – 5 coins for 3 matching symbols on successive reels and 25 coins if you find 4 in combination. The standard symbols are joined by a phoenix-like bird which is the wild. This can hit on reels 2, 3 and 4 only and substitutes for everything bar the scatter.
You’ll notice that we’ve only mentioned 3 and 4 symbol combinations so far and this is a 5-reel video slot. What gives? Reel 5 is home to the Money Shot. This offers cash values as well as a Money Shot symbol. Land a 4-of-a-kind winner in combination with the Money Shot and prizes of 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 8,000 or 10,000 coins.
The Chinese letter symbol is the scatter – land 3 or 4 of these anywhere on the reels on the same spin and you’ll win a prize of 200 or 400 coins as well as triggering the Phoenix Queen Free Games feature. Here you’ll be awarded 8 or 28 free spins.
Boosting your winning chances during the feature is the stacked wild which is locked on reel 3 on each free spin. You can add more free spins too. 2 scatters add 2 more free spins with 3 scatters getting you an extra 8 turns (with a possible 36 free spins possible).
Playtech covered similar ground in its Asian-themed game 9 Sons 1 King. The theme is altered slightly but 8 Treasures 1 Queen offers a similar combination of slick, high-end design and some interesting feature action.
The stacked wild certainly helps things along in the base game. The Money Shot feature is what makes these games stand out though, offering potential for a big score in both the base game and the free spins. Asian-themed title are 10 a penny at the moment – this is a good one, combining good lucks with some very classy design. If you’re a fan of this genre, 8 Treasures 1 Queen is worth a closer look.
