In the world of online slots, there are two types of games you can play. Many emulate the old-school classic look and gameplay of Vegas casino slots, while some developers decide to start from scratch and create enchanting slots that aren’t afraid to delve into fantasy themes. The Great Wild Elk online slot from NextGen is one such slot. Based on a mythical creature that lives in a universe far away, it’s a perfect slot which tickles our imagination.
NextGen’s video slot isn’t just aesthetically pleasing. With medium-high volatility and a RTP of 95.2%, it can cough out pretty big prizes. Visually, the slot looks...well, fantastic in lack of better terms. Set against a background of a mythical landscape, the reels are graced by runes as well as fairy-tale creatures including the titular Elk. Fairies make an appearance as well – would it be a real fairy-tale without them on the reels?
The beautifully-designed world includes a magic kingdom where the Great Wild Elk keeps the woods and kingdom alive. It’s one of those slots that pay attention to everything, including the gameplay, looks, and even story.
NextGen’s Great Wild Elk online slot has 5 reels in 3 rows and comes with 10 paylines. It is playable across desktop and mobile devices from 0.10 to 20.00 per spin – that’s suitable for new slot players and veteran spinners as well. Set in a mysterious, yet pleasant-looking woods, the maximum win in this brilliant slot is 10,000 coins. Not that much, but it’s more than what casual players want and need.
On the reels, you’ll find the Great Wild Elk himself as well as other fantastic creatures. Other woodland creatures include a falcon and a snake. There are the game’s low-paying symbols, while the fairies pay a bit more. Five blue fairies will bring you 250 coins, while five pink fairies offer 150. The scatter is the highest-paying symbol in NextGen’s fantasy-themed slot – five of these are worth 500 coins.
When it comes to the Great Wild Elk, it acts as the game’s wild. As all wilds do, it substitutes all symbols except for the scatter to create winning combinations. The Elk appears on reel 3 only. And, while we’re used to seeing fantastic-looking slots with pretty basic gameplay, that’s not the case with Great Wild Elk. As a matter of fact, there’s never a dull moment in this game.
After you set your desired bet and you hit the Spin button, the game might randomly award you with the Elk’s Light feature. This nifty feature shines a light on symbols which can then randomly transform to a higher-paying symbol. You can see how this can lead to some pretty big win combos. And that’s not all the help you get from the mythical Great Wild Elk. A generous creature on its own, the really big wins in this great slot lie in the bonus feature.
The forest comes alive when the Great Wild Elk is near, and so do your wins. The free spins bonus is triggered by the Elk substituting in one or more wins. You can earn between 4 and 10 free spins depending on the wins the main symbol was included in. This is where the great Enduring Wins feature comes to life – the total value of all the wins in which the Elk substituted symbols is your Enduring Win value.
This is where things get interesting. During the free games round, the Elk is shown in all its glory on Reel 3. It substitutes all symbols except for the tree. All trees (scatter) that appear on the reels during this round award a prize equal to your current Enduring Win. The feature is updated before any prizes are paid. The Elk’s Light feature is active during the free games, which means even bigger possibilities to land an enticing winning combination. Oh, and we forgot to mention that all Elk wins during the free games raise the Enduring Win for the remainder of your free spins.
That’s not all you’re going to get. The so-called Call of the Elk feature is also active during the bonus round. It awards a re-spin when you’ve played through your free games and doesn’t stop until a scattered Tree appears. With the Elk held on Reel 3 and the rising Enduring Win value, you can imagine that the slot pays out pretty well during the free spins round.
With that being said, it has taken us dozens of spins to trigger the bonus round. Just be patient. You might not get it quickly, but it is definitely worth it.
A stunning slot from a visual point of view, Great Wild Elk has more than a few tricks up its sleeve. The mythical creature that protects and keeps the woods in this fantasy kingdom alive is quite generous, yet at the same time rare. The Great Wild Elk doesn’t appear on the reels frequently, adding to the mystery behind it. When it does appear, though, you’ll be awestruck.
NextGen’s Great Wild Elk online slot is closer to a high than medium volatility. This doesn’t mean that newbies can’t play it. Keep your bets low and you have a great chance at winning solid prizes. If we had to compare it with other titles, we’d go with NetEnt’s Wild North and Glow. However, it’s definitely a unique slot in terms of graphics and gameplay that stands out from the crowd on its own.
Try it out at one of our recommended online casinos, where you can also pick up a huge welcome bonus!